Inventory Positions

Posted signed movements are the source of on-hand totals. The item, location and lot identify the stock being counted, while the base unit identifies the quantity’s meaning. The Inventory Coordinator and Warehouse Operator read that position before using it to support a request or reservation.

Eligible free quantity also considers existing active claims and the lot’s release and expiry evidence. A lot marked Pending, Quarantined or Blocked needs attention before it can be relied on as eligible stock. Operations Overview brings inventory position and exceptions into the team’s operating review.

• Read posted quantities. Use the signed quantity of posted movements in the exact item and location scope. Retain the lot and base unit when reviewing the detail so unrelated quantities are not combined into a misleading total.
• Inspect eligibility. Check the item’s base unit and lot policy, the location’s eligibility and the lot’s release state and expiry. A visible quantity is only part of the evidence needed for the next physical operation.
• Account for active claims. Review reservations against the same item, location and lot before deciding how much free quantity remains. Follow a disputed or expired claim through its authorized resolution rather than silently ignoring it.

Agree the item base units and the meaning of each location in the operating model. Where upstream systems use cases, packs or other quantities, establish the conversion and inspection process before values are posted in the item’s base unit. Keep the original source evidence available for review.

Define who maintains lot release and expiry information and how the warehouse confirms that information is current. Agree how reservation expiry is handled by the operating procedure. Keep the distinction between an on-hand position and the stock eligible for a specific request clear during shift handover.

Use a pilot item whose base unit is each. At the same warehouse and within one released, unexpired lot, 10 posted units and an active reservation for 4 units leave 6 free units. Have the Warehouse Operator trace the 10 units to their posted movements and the 4-unit claim to its request before considering another allocation.

Include another lot marked Quarantined and a lot whose expiry date requires attention. Inspect their quantities without treating them as automatically available for issue. Then introduce an unposted movement during the rehearsal and verify that it is excluded from the on-hand calculation. The reviewer should be able to trace the final position back to actual posted effects and their source references.

• Posted Stock Movements — The signed stock effects used to explain on-hand quantities.
• Lots Awaiting Release — Lots whose release state needs attention before eligible use.
• Expired Stock Lots — Lots whose recorded expiry date has reached the review boundary.

Use reservation to confirmed issue for free-quantity decisions and correction and reconciliation when the stock position needs investigation.