Users need clear, unambiguous instructions to be able to perform their tasks safely and effectively.
This case study compares an original text that a client supplied to us with a modified version that we created. (For this case study, we have change our text slightly.)
Our investigation of the tasks that users perform showed that:
- There are at least two users involved in the process (data entry at Head Office, and shop staff). They are at different locations. Additionally, at least one manager is involved in the overall process.
- The processes for a single shop and a multi-shop environment are different.
- There are two forms of stocktaking. One is manual, and the other is semi-automated using barcode scanners.
Additionally, the original text has these faults:
- There is a mixture of process, procedural and factual information. What do these terms mean?
- Process. A description of a system. What happens, how it works.
- Procedure. A list of tasks that are performed by one person.
- Fact. Raw information, data.
- There is no explanation of how to perform each individual step. That's not necessarily wrong, but in this case, users do need a little more guidance.
- The order of some of the items is not correct.
Client's original text
- Start the stocktake, use the sheets and tick against an item each time one is located.
- Shop staff to add up the ticks against each item and write the total on the sheet.
- Stock transfers - items transferred out of a branch after a stocktake is started need to be counted at the SENDING branch.
- It is recommended that you stocktake a section at a time, remember that any sales need to be counted. It is a good idea to mark each ticket with a colour so that as sales are made it is easy to identify whether or not that item has been counted. Also at any time during or after the stocktake, if any items that are found without a mark, it is easy to see if the item has been counted.
- Items without tickets - try to find on the report. If the item is listed tick the report in a different colour pen and hand write a stock ticket for the item.
- Unidentified items without tickets that cannot be found on the report. Write on a separate sheet with the first 4 digits of the stock number (Dept. & Sub-Dept), description, price, cost, supplier and supplier reference. Also hand write a stock ticket with the first 4 digits and put aside to be correctly ticketed at a later stage.
- Items that are on deposit must be counted as in stock.
- The deposit report available from the till should be checked against the outstanding deposits and corrections made as required. The corrected deposit reports should also be checked against the Head Office system.
- Freeze the stocktake file.
- Take a normal daily backup.
- Continue all processing as normal including sales and stock distribution.
- Continue updating new stock (purchases) as normal, although it is recommended that this stock is held until after the stocktake is complete and discrepancies checked, in order to minimise confusion.
- Enter stocktake figures from each location into the head office system via the stocktake routine.
- Miscellaneous items listed by shops as unidentified. Add items and issue stock numbers as normal, except set quantity to 0. Write the new stock number on the hand written list and return to the shops for ticketing. (Use selective Ticketing to print tickets). Include these items in the stocktake.
- Discrepancy reports can now be printed and sent to the branches for management to investigate and report back.
- Missing items and corrections can be made prior to finalising the stocktake figure.
- Once you are happy that all outstanding discrepancies are valid, update the stocktake figures and produce a final stock valuation.
The Stock Take is now complete.
Our modified text is an example of how the procedures could be presented to users. Notice in particular how:
- The tasks for different users are separate.
- Pre-requisite information is presented first.
- Where the order is significant, steps are numbered. Where the order is not important, then they are bulleted.
- Where appropriate, users are directed to other sections that give more information.
Stocktaking at Head Office
[In practice, other information about the overall stocktaking process would go here.]
To stocktake when there are many shops
- Enter and update all sales, purchase invoices and distributions to the night before the start of the physical counting of stock. See page x.
- Freeze the stocktake file using
STKFRZ
(page x). Typically, you would do this one or two days after the physical counting started.
- Perform a daily backup (page x).
- Use the computer system as normal. Process all sales and purchases of new stock. However, to prevent any possible confusion, we recommend that any new stock is not put into the shops until after the stocktake is complete.
- When the Stock Check Report or the scanners are returned from the shop, process the stocktaking results (next procedure).
To process the stocktaking results
- When the shop returns the Stock Check Report or the scanners, enter the results from the Stock Check Reports and then print a Discrepancy Report using
DSCREP
(page x).
- Send the Discrepancy Report to management to investigate and report back.
- When the report is returned, do one of these:
- Make any corrections using
STKCRR
(page x) according to the instructions you receive from management. For each branch for which you made corrections, print another Discrepancy Report, and return it to the branch. Repeat as necessary.
- Once management is happy that all outstanding discrepancies are valid, update the stocktake figures and produce a final stock valuation using
STKFIN
(page x).
- The stocktake is now complete.
Stocktaking at Each Shop
We recommend that you:
- Stocktake one Department at a time (or possibly, one counter at a time).
- Mark each ticket with a coloured pen so that when a sale is made it is easy to identify whether or not that stock item has been counted. Also at any time during or after the stocktake, if a stock item is found without a mark, it is easy to see that is has not been counted.
To manually count stock at a shop
- When you receive the Stock Check Report (page x) from Head Office, you can begin the stocktake.
- Identify each stock item in the shop and put a tick against the relevant entry on the Stock Check Report. Note the following:
- Any sales made after the stocktake has started must be counted as in stock.
- Stock items that are on deposit must be counted as in stock.
- Stock items that are transferred out of the branch after the stocktake started must be counted as in stock at the branch.
- If a stock item doesn't have a ticket (and the stock item is shown on the Stock Check Report), tick the entry in a different colour pen and hand write a ticket for the stock item.
- If the stock item is not listed on the Stock Check Report, then:
- On a separate sheet of paper, write the first 4 digits of the Stock Number (Department and Sub-Department), and as much information as you have for the description, price, cost, supplier and supplier reference. You may be able to find this information from brochures. If the stock item has a display label, you can find the price from this.
- Write a stock ticket with the first 4 digits of the Stock Number, attach it to the stock item, and put the stock item aside, so that it can be correctly ticketed later.
- Add up the ticks for each stock item and write the total on the Stock Check Report.
- Compare the deposit report this is available from the till against the outstanding deposits, and make corrections if appropriate. Liaise with Head Office staff to verify the corrected deposit reports against the Head Office system.
- Send the completed Stock Check Report back to Head Office.
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