Item Adds/Changes Best Practice

Hi, I maintain our organizations item master, to answer your questions;
1. The person/department who is requesting a new item, fills out a SPEC (standardize product evaluation committee)form, the form is then reviewed at the monthly SPEC meeting where it is checked for contract (options, issues), pricing, etc. and once approved is given to me to add in the system. Usually I receive multiple new items/SPEC forms and will do Lawson uploads to load the IC11-12 PO13.3 records.
2. If an item is used in more than one area, the change requested will also go to the SPEC process, and if approved I will make the change. If it is a mulitple item change, I will use the Uploads as well. If its a singular item I will just make the change as they come in from the Vendor or Department.
3. On average I am making product changes or adding new items a couple hours a day.

Hope this helps, if you have any more questions, please feel free to ask.
Sheri

If your system interfaces with an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system, such as Picis, Points, or Epic (typically OpTime/Anesthesia modules) - then the Add/change process can get a bit complicated.

If this is the case, a reporting from the EMR of ad-hoc, one-time, or on-the-fly Supplies or Implants used in patient charts is another way to find items potentially meeting the criteria for adding/changing.

This kind of reporting can pinpoint new items, with the obvious potential for contract savings - and it can also highlight detail errors within the Item Master that carry over via the interface and result in "can't find" items that have been added as these one-time.

That said it can also pinpoint the need for better training when it comes to searching these EMR systems to more accurately select Item Master items.

There could be a book on the best practices of add/changing Item Master details.  Do you have a specific issue in mind?

Ironically I was just looking into this myself as we have a large set of item data that needs to be uploaded and updated on a regular basis. Turns out there is a way to get these in. After a bit of research found layouts for FFITEMWK and FFITEMLOCWK. These are the specs for loading items into the item master via IC811 screen and item location information including price/cost via IC812. After these are pulled in for a specific vendor they can be reviewed and released.

Thanks for the replies so far! Here's our general process right now:

Item adds are done on an as-needs basis, either from a request from a department, or because of use in a procedure. The actual entry into Lawson is done twice daily with uploads (our purchasing staff enters the data in an Access database). Adds take about thirty minutes a day.

Item changes/updates are entered into Lawson throughout the day, either piecemeal or as uploads, depending on the scope of the changes. Typicallly, we spend about 1-2 hours each day with changes to inventory, descriptions, manufacturer #'s, vendors, vendor item #'s, etc.

Lawson is Lawson, and there's not a whole lot that can be changed up. Right now, we're focusing on how to streamline the item change process. Does anybody do their item adds/changes once a day, or even less often?

- Alex

Hi Alex,
I am with a GPO & am charged with maintaining the IM for one of our customers, UC Health in Cincinnati. We currently have ~170K active items. Our adds process is similar to Sheri's in that our buyers complete a form (although there is no monthly mtg to review) & after reviewing tier levels, etc. against our national contracts, it is forwarded to me for entry. While I try to avoid piecemeal work, sometime it is a necessary evil. We use IC11/IC12/PO13/PO25, & I typically refer to these screens as the 4 parts of our "item master". When doing mass adds, I use uploads for IC811 & IC812. I used to use PO813 but now prefer Addins for the PO13 adds. Then PO16 & PO150 to load the items onto the agreement. Revisions/changes also require a form if on contract. If off contract, buyers can submit changes via paper or email to me.

Jonathan makes a great point about EMR systems. Our customer when live with Epic/OpTime late last year & it has added additional fields to maintain. We are using User Fields in IC11 for cost on robotic items, C Codes & Latex Indicators (this was set up before I knew about Hazard Codes!)

Typically I try to block off the morning hours to complete any maintenance received the day before. On average I spend 1-3 hours per day on this task.

Hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any questions.

Beth

Hi Alex,

We use Microsoft Add-Ins with Excel spreadsheets to load new items into our system in this order IC11, PO13, PO25.6, IC12 and PO15.  We also use it to change the detail of items, template assignments, costs, etc.  This is a great time saver and provides an audit of what was done. Yes, there is upfront work to build the spreadsheets but a lot of the information can come from your vendors. Items can be added within seconds as apposed to many many minutes of manual typing.

Mark.

We have piggy-backed the IT ticketing system - user fills out basic information which is routed to our Value Analysis and Contracts. The buyers fill out the upload spreadsheet and then we upload - IC11, PO25.6 (use FC B and it creates the PO13 for us) and then the IC12 and PC10.

Finance has a query that alerts them when we've added items to the PC10 with a placeholder CDM which is how they know to build one.

Would anyone be willing to share the item add form that they have the end user complete?

This sounds like a best practice. Would y ou be willing to share what inforamtion you ask for from the end user and the buyer upload spreadhseet?

If that was to me-

On the tickets, endusers provide:
Manufacturer Name and Part Number (for multiple items, they attach a spreadsheet with this information)
Any Sales Rep information for anyone they worked with
Lawson Vendor Number
GL Category (Account): ID Supply/Implant/Equipment
Indicate if it is new or replacing existing and if so, which items we can inactivate (This never works, but we ask)
Then the VAT questions: Purpose (cost savings, physician preference, new equipment), Product Description, Concerns with existing products, etc.

Info is discussed/collected at VAT meetings and buyer puts it on a spreadsheet. Columns are:
Ticket#, Major/Minor Classifications, Vendor Number and Purch From, Manufacturer Codes and Number, Vendor Reorder Number, GL, UOM Conversions from Buy UOM to patient use UOM, Cost and Contract information.

We pull in from NuVia: Descriptions, Generic (NuVia's Noun), Full Description (we put it on IC11.3 where it is typically cut off), Latex information, and UNSPSC. We're working on figuring GL and using Noun/Type as Major/Minor.

The upload sheets are approved by the Contracts Director and then uploaded to: IC11, IC12(for OR Optime requests), PC10 (with a placeholder cdm so Finance knows to go build them), PO25.6 (FC B adds the PO13 records at the same time).

This is our item master add form that our contracts team designed.

This is my first time to add an attachment, so let me know if you have issues opening.

When I started in September 2012 our department had 5 different forms they received plus e-mail, notes, and in-person requests. We moved that down to one form (attached) that allows multiple items per request. We have averaged 2775 item changes a month since Dec 2012. We began tracking in mid-November 2012. Hopefully, the volume will decrease once we finish our cleansing project.

The Requestor completes the Request tab using the other tabs for information (Item Master, MFG CODES, VENDOR, INV CLASSES, and ABBREV FOR ITEM DESCRIPTION). If they are changing an item, they copy the current information from the item master into the current and new item information sections then make changes in the new item information section. When my team receives it, the analysts copy the Request tab into an analyst form which provides them with information for our tracking sheet, and add-ins upload formats for IC11, PO25.6, and PO13.  If there are 5 items or less on the request we process it manually; otherwise, we use uploads through add-ins for IC11, PO13, PO25, IC12, & IC81.

We were unable to use a form with only one item per request.

Rebecca

@Rebecca - Thanks for sharing your forms. They are similar to ours. You mentioned a "cleansing project". Would you mind going into more detail about what you're doing? Also what is your typical turnaround time in completing both uploads & the manual work?

Thanks,
Beth

i have a quick question, I want to add a new item to all the rooms that have a item in them .. ie I want to add 50274 everywhere 17415 is.. what is the best way to do this other then doing each item with ic81 or using ic82?

i have a quick question, I want to add a new item to all the rooms that have a item in them .. ie I want to add 50274 everywhere 17415 is.. what is the best way to do this other then doing each item with ic81 or using ic82?

i have a quick question, I want to add a new item to all the rooms that have a item in them .. ie I want to add 50274 everywhere 17415 is.. what is the best way to do this other then doing each item with ic81 or using ic82?

i have a quick question, I want to add a new item to all the rooms that have a item in them .. ie I want to add 50274 everywhere 17415 is.. what is the best way to do this other then doing each item with ic81 or using ic82?

i have a quick question, I want to add a new item to all the rooms that have a item in them .. ie I want to add 50274 everywhere 17415 is.. what is the best way to do this other then doing each item with ic81 or using ic82?

IC331 for Par Locations. PO115 for Templates.

I am new to the forum and am wondering if anyone on this thread can provide their process for linking a new item to the item that was replaced by the new item? A Lawson consultant advised our organization that we should never recycle an item when changing manufacturers, so I am interested in hearing how other organizations are handling functional replacements for an existing product/item.

I'd be inclined to agree with your consultant. It's much better to simply inactivate the current item (make sure it's off of all PARS & pricing is on hold) and create a new Lawson number with the new manufacturer number. That way, if you choose to go back to using the old one, all of that information is already in your records.

If we change manufacturers - we tend to change Lawson item - the only exception are things like alcohol prep pads or copy paper.

In Lawson IC11 the replacement item feature only works if you have the same UOM from one item to the next. We do not utilize it here. When we inactivate Item A we change description 1 to read "VOID USE ITEMB"

Your issue is analytics. We include the IC11 Added Date in our VAT reports - so if an item was created May 2016 but usage report is running for the full 2016 calendar year, we'll know to look to see if there was an item before this one.

Ex: You have ITEMB and run usage and realize there's a "cutoff" because the item didn't exist for the full date range. You then need to go to ic11 and search by description for "contains" ITEMB. This should pull up the inactive ITEMA with its "VOID USE ITEMB" description. You then go run usage for ITEMA.

It's manual and intensive but it's functional for us.

I have to the Inactive few of the ITEM in IC11,IC12, PO13 so what is the best possible method to do. Could anyone explain the process. For PO13 I think I can Change the Status to I for Inactive but how to do in IC11 and IC12?

We take things out in the reverse order they were put in. So the "out" order is: PO13, IC81, IC12, IC11.

On PO13.3, use FC: T to Inactivate (I personally think T = Take out to remember.) This will also put any lines tied to that reorder number on hold on PO25.6.
I run IC331 to remove from all par locations (IC81). You can also use IC82.
I check IC40 for inventory stock before proceeding.
Assuming no stock on hand, I run IC330 to inactivate the IC12s. You can manually do this on IC12, there is an active status you can change to I on the Main Tab.
Last is changing the Active Status on the IC11 Main Tab to I.

Item is now inactive.

You can also use PO115 to remove the these items from your templates. If you have new items that are replacing items to be inactivated you can use the PO115 and IC331 jobs to replace the old item with the new item.

I have Inactivated the Items from PO13.3. So now I checked in IC12 all the items Status is I. But in IC11 the status is A so do I have to changes in IC11 If it is right do let me know. And can anyone share what to select in Upload Add-ins for IC11?

The add in for inactivating the IC11 is only a few fields.

Item Group
Item
Status

Michelle

 

I was able to Inactive the Item In PO13.3 but IC12 In few of the Results after Upload it is showing Cannot Change; Item has stock on-hand at this location(_f16). Can anyone tell me what to do with this?

You need to either issue out the stock on hand or make the adjustment. There is still a GL value to the product you are removing and it needs to be resolved.

I have to correct an Item in PO13. I have to Active the Item again I inactivated the Wrong One is there any way to that and can any share the PO13.3 Upload procedure which options to select.

Can you plz tell me the procedure to make changes in Po13.3 for Item change while making changes in Add-inns like which field to select from in PO13.3

 

The key field here is the PT-PIV-VEN-ITEM.  This is the field to "Position To" the specific vendor item you want to change.

And One more question If an Items gets by mistake Inactive In PO13.3. So whats the procedure to Make it Active. Actually, there are 6 items that I have to make Active again. Can anyone Share the Procedure Plz?

Use V in the FC field to Activate.

How to Inactive the Items In IC11. I tried doing it but my result shows that f(0) can not found. Can anyone tell me what steps to follow and what I have to select while making changes in Add-ins.

Using Addins, to make IC11 records inactive. Using the IC table IC11.1

Company  (f3 ITE-ITEM-GROUP)

Item #       (f7 ITE-ITEM)

Status       (f37 ITE-ACTIVE-STATUS)   

 *you need to upload I into the status fields (I=Inactive)

 

 

So should I upload as change only or Add Only In Add-ins as I want to Inactive few of the Items In IC11.

Use Change only, that should change the Status code from A to I.

 

Hello all. To piggyback on this topic, what are everyones' approaches to item descriptions? We are working on an item master cleanup and I'd like to standardize how we name/give-description-to our items.

We have GHX's NuVia product so we use the "Memorial Optimized" that we designed with them many years ago. If they cannot identify an item/provide a description, we create one NOUN first followed by type then size/distinguishing attribute.

We use the same method, Noun, specific description, size. For the 1st Description, the Manufacturer # and Order UOM/QTY for the 2nd description, any other pertinent item information in the 3 Description field.

Ex;

Description:PATCH HERNIA KUGEL OVAL SMALL

Description2: 10101 CA/2

Description3: SELF-EXPANDING 3X4.6

 

I would caution you about using commas in the description.  We use Cerner as well and it seems that having commas in the descriptions causes issues when trying to run reports in Cerner.

Commas also eat valuable character space, but you also need to be wary of ' or " for foot or inch as well as & for any items that are going to be sent "downstream" to external systems.

I did not mention - we have Description 2 as the "downstream" description where if they want it to say BALLOON [brand] 10x5.6 instead of CATH BALLOON - the feeds will use D2 first. Description 3 is for the full, gloriously unabbreviated, description

What's everyone's thoughts/processes on deleting items from an item master? We have SEVERAL items that were created during a conversion that have never been used and are just clutter. We are looking to 1.) delete unused items 2.) clean up descriptions on remaining items 3.) standardize when a new item is created vs changing an item.

We don't deal in inventory: we mostly do large capital purchases. So, if a laptop model slightly changes (processor bump) do we enter a new item, or just update the item we've been using?

We keep the "VOID NO USAGE" items to prevent having to recreate them in the future and to have a trail. But it sounds like you don't have the problem of people asking for an item and then not using it/asking for it again - so yes, I'd delete the item the way I would any other "added in error" item.

If an item is a non-stock and the UOM Conversion isn't changing, we will just change the existing item to the converted one. If it's in inventory or if the conversion factor is going to make PO History too weird, we give it a new item. "What impact does this have when looking at PO54?" is our standard then.

Hi everyone. Would anyone be willing to share the addins excel sheet to add lawson numbers to IC11, IC12,PO13,Po25? Looking for a mass upload.
Thank you

I don't mind sharing - but for us, the excel sheet is documenting the process, so several of the columns never get loaded into Lawson and are not mapped at all.  Also - we're insane. :)  We are loading a ton of things that are likely unique to us.

 

We also don't load to PO13 and PO25 - we load with FC B(Both) to PO25.6 and it creates the PO13 record for us.

And the upload maps for the excel sheet are attached here (I was having issue with file size)  There are several maps for the various IC12s we upload to on the sheet - I'm just adding the one for the column marked "ERAD" that's our epic interface location.  We upload as Inventory Tracked N - you'd likely want to change that value.

Has anyone else encountered errors from their AP side when they are trying to pay for an item that has been inactivated in PO13? 

We currently change the IC11 to read INACTIVE (USE XXXXXX) and mark the record "I", and change all templates. We were inactivating in PO13, but it was causing fatal errors on the AP side, so now we wait until the invoices for all have been paid. But that makes it possible for people to try to requisition the item, who don't notice that the description says "Inactive", so they get annoyed because the order doesn't fill.

What happens if you set to Inactive on IC11 / IC12 only, and not on PO13? Can you still order and pay?

Yes. You cannot search and find the item, but if you know the Lawson Item number, it sails right through. Also, if you copy an old requisition, nothing stops it.

Our AP pays for inactive PO13s with no issues - I just checked. What message do they get?

It is a VENDOR ITEM NOT FOUND error.