Part II:  Cycle Counting with a Mobile Device

When utilizing the cycle count functionality discussed in Part I, the Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations Warehousing App must be used to execute actual cycle counts.   In Part I, we discussed how to create the cycle count work.  Here, we will talk about how to execute the work using a variety of mobile device menu item configurations.  We will demonstrate how to execute cycle counts using the following methods:

1. System Directed Cycle Count:  A guided cycle count.  Inventory locations/items are provided to the user on the mobile device to be counted in the order determined in the Menu Item>system directed sorting order.   The “Directed By” field in the Mobile Device Menu Item is set to System Directed.
2. Cycle Count Grouping:  User determines which location, work pool, or zone to count.  All work within the location, work pool, or zone will be grouped together.  Note:  User does not determine which work should be created; the user merely determines how the work will be performed.  The “Directed By” field in the Mobile Device Menu Item is set to Cycle Count Grouping.
3. User Directed Cycle Count:  User determines which location to count and when.  The user knows to count the location based on a work list.  The “Directed By” field in the Mobile Device Menu Item is set to User Directed.
4. Spot Count:  An on-demand count.  Work is not created.  Spot counts can be done at any time throughout the warehouse on a location.  Spot counts can be performed when potential variances are identified in the warehouse by a warehouse worker.  Because no work is required to be created prior to the cycle count, the “Directed By” field is irrelevant.  However, work will be created after the spot count is started.  That work is created by entering “Spot cycle counting” in the “Work creation process” field in the item setup menu.

System Directed Cycle Count

A system directed, or guided cycle count will direct the mobile device user to each location in which cycle count work has been created by the cycle count plan or threshold.  The user will be instructed via the mobile device which works to perform based on the system directed sorting order in the mobile device menu item.  No paper or other communication is required to instruct the worker on what to count.

In the following example, a cycle count plan for locations FL-001 through FL-010 in warehouse 24 has been created and processed.

The following work has been created as viewed in Warehouse Management>Cycle Counting>Open Cycle Count Work:

This work will be reflected in the mobile device menu item for a system directed cycle count.  This work can be executed with either the counts noted above except the Spot Count (which requires no work).

To perform a System Directed (Guided) cycle count, follow the steps below:

1. On a mobile device, go to Inventory>Cycle Count Guided.  Note:  The menu item names and paths may differ in your environment.
2. Count and enter the counted quantity for the item described in the details tab. 
                     
3. If the location has no additional inventory other than the item specified in the “Details,” click the check.  If another inventory exists, click the “proceed” icon to add a new item or license plate.
   
4. (Optional Step) To add an additional inventory, enter the item, license plate, and quantity (this information will all be available on the license plate including the barcode for the LP).  NOTE:  If the location profile of the location does not allow mixed items, the items in question must be physically moved to a new location.
   
5. The work is now complete and the next location (work item) is ready to be counted.  Repeat steps 2-4 as necessary.
   

Cycle Count Grouping

By directing a mobile device menu item to Cycle Count Grouping, the worker can execute all work items for a location, work pool, or warehouse zone at once.  Imagine that cycle count work has been created for 10 locations in Zone 1.  The worker can enter Zone 1 into the mobile device when prompted and execute all cycle count work for all locations in Zone 1 in which cycle count work exists.

The worker will have been provided a printed list of cycle count work to be performed.  He or she will then determine how to best execute it with either a user directed count or grouped count.

To perform a grouped cycle count, following the steps below:

1. On a mobile device, go to Inventory>Cycle Count Blind.  Note:  The menu item names and paths may differ in your environment.
2. Enter the starting location and the warehouse zone for the cycle count. 
   
3. Confirm the location to begin the count.
4. Enter the item, dimensions (if necessary), and license plate (this information will all be available on the license plate including a barcode for the LP).
   
   
5. Enter quantity and additional items and/or license plates if necessary (see step four in System Directed Cycle count above).
   
6. The work for this location is now complete.  The next location in the zone specified in step two will be displayed if more work for the zone exists.  Repeat steps four and five to complete additional work.  If no more work for the zone exists, the following message will be displayed and the cycle count for the zone, pool, or location is complete.

User Directed Cycle Count

A user directed cycle count is similar to the Grouped Cycle Count in that the user specifies the location in which to count.  The key difference is the fact that these counts will not be grouped.  Each location count will be executed independently of other locations, zones, or work pools.  The worker will have been provided with a printed list of cycle count work to be performed.  He or she will then determine how to best execute it with either a user directed count or grouped count.

Below is an example of a cycle count sheet report that a worker would use to complete the required counts as well as cycle counting work in the work list of a mobile device.  The worker can select the work ID from the work list to begin executing the work.

To perform a user directed cycle count, follow the steps below:

1. On a mobile device, go to Inventory>User Directed Cycle Count.  Note:  The menu item names and paths may differ in your environment.
2. Scan the bar-coded work ID from the report noted above or enter a license plate within the location noted in the report above, then enter the item number followed by the LP and quantity.
        
3. Enter additional inventory existing in the location if necessary (see step four in System Directed Cycle Count above).

4.  Proceed to the next location on the report and repeat steps 2-4.

Spot Counting

The final cycle counting method is a Spot Count.  A spot count can be performed when variances or potential variances are noticed in warehouse.  These variances can be breakage, misplaced items, physical movements that were not recorded with an inventory movement, etc.  Spot counts do not require work to be created prior to the count being performed.  Spot counts are a quick and easy way to record and remedy inventory questions as they are discovered on the warehouse floor.

To perform a spot count, following the steps below:

1. On a mobile device, go to Inventory>Spot Counting.  Note:  The menu item names and paths may differ in your environment.
2. Enter location to count, item, license plate, and quantity.
      

3. Quantity has been updated.  Add additional items or license plates in the location, or proceed to the next location on the list to count.
    

That concludes executing cycle counts in D365O in Warehouse Mangement.  Up next is how to reconcile variances found in cycle counts in Cycle Counting in D365O Warehouse Management Part III:  Reconciling Cycle Count Variances.