Product Quantity went to -1, is someone stealing?

[Courtright]

So I have an issue that came up.  We do inventory daily and compare the numbers for a Category (ie: Ray Ban) to the physical count.  Upon doing a complete Category print-out to evaluate my current stock levels I notice a particular $200 pair to have a -1 qty.  When I fixed it and made it 0, and then counted my physical inventory now I am short 1 pair.  I have been checking through my records and do not find an issue with the shortage report, returns or stock adjustments.  I am trying to figure out ways through the sales window product could have reached a -1 qty.  No one but myself has access to "Product Edit" in order to physically change quantity without there being a record.

Any ideas on where I can start looking? 

[Courtright]

One possible problem I have found that you should consider changing if possible.

Let's say my current stock of Ray Ban is 200 pieces.  At my sales screen I use "Find Product" and find a Ray Ban and select it.  Now it is in the sales window for $200.  I manually double click it to edit it and change the quantity to -1 but I do not finish the sale or clear it, I just leave it and close out the program.  Now my inventory count goes from 200 to 201, but nothing has ever been returned.  The "manual" return did not finish.  So unless we go back and find that sale and "Clear Sale" our inventory will continue to show 201 however we only have 200 pieces.  Before I get to my question can you possibly consider altering the code so inventory quantity isn't affected until return/sale actually completes?  I feel that the fact it adjusts inventory at the very second you type in -1 can only cause problems.  It should adjust stock status once the return/sale actually completes.

Is there a way to not have any "Open Sales"?  So if an employee were to leave a sale open and close out of the program or anything it simple clears the sale?  I think I am finding issues where inventory is off because of open sales wandering around in the system.  Any ideas on ways to resolve this issue?  Thanks again

[Courtright]

Some additional information I found but can't quite put together....

I have a sale that was finished but yet says **not paid**

Let me explain the details and possibly you can tell me what is going on.  It shows a -1 qty. for a particular Ray Ban in a small size which is most likely a return because they were too small.  On the second line it shows a purchase of a Ray Ban that is the same model just the bigger size.  So a customer brings back the small size to get the new size.  The balance is $0.00 because they are the same price.  The sale was finished because I cannot clear it, ALL the buttons are grayed out.  My only option is to VOID the sale. 

However!  When I go to "Sales Control" it is listed as **not paid**

However (again!)  If I do a search for "Open Sales" in "Sales Control" this sale does not show.

I am perplexed.  It's a finished sale that was completed, I can only VOID it but yet it shows as **not paid** when I search for it, however when searching for "Open Sales" it's not listed ... ideas?  I am thinking if I void this sale it may fix my inventory overage but why is it showing unpaid when it was an even exchange?

[ronaldrwl]

OK, lot's of stuff here.  Some of what you said is confusing.
First - If you use the Return function and it puts a -1 for Qty on the sales screen, at this point nothing is removed from inventory.  It will be removed when you Finish the sale.  If the sale is left open or Cleared nothing would be removed.

[ronaldrwl]

Two - I'm not sure I understand but I'll try.  If you see a -1 in the inventory quantity (Product Control window), this happens when an item is sold and the inventory count was zero.  We found out decades ago that this is the best way to handle this.  Mainly because inventory counts are almost always off and you can't stop a sale because the computer thinks the item is out of stock.  (Especially when the customer is holding the item)

[Courtright]

Thanks for the speedy reply!  I definitely agree with #2 reply you said about letting you sell something to show a -1 count.

So here is what is happening and I tried it 3 times and every time it works.  I haven't tried it using the "Returns" button but instead by selecting a product to sell and changing the quantity from 1 to -1.  Now it essentially is acting as a return without going through the typical Return process.  Once I select -1, if I close the program and leave the sale "OPEN" and never clear it or finish it, I notice my inventory will change from 200 to 201.  1 will be added to inventory, altering my numbers but the return never completed or was cleared.

Same results each time I tried it.  Thanks for the help =)

[ronaldrwl]

#3 - Don't use the Void This Sale.  It's OK to have a returned item and a sale item that equals a zero balance.  The inventory will be updated correctly.
i.e. Use the Finish button.

[ronaldrwl]

OK, we have found the problem you are having with sales being left open and fixed it in version 14 (current version at this time).
Oh, the creative ways to screw things up

[Courtright]

 

[moresby]

well done for spotting the problem, there are sometimes peculiarities in the way end users use the system and this may well bring up something the developers have not accounted for.

[Courtright]

Thanks!  Allow sometimes all the problems I bring up for poor Ronald may be a bit of a nuisance I grew up big time both with using forums like these as well as developing basic code and writing basic programs.  So for me, I like to give the feedback on things that could possibly be improved to make the system even better.  It's up to the developer(s) to choose if they want to fix it but unless we don't let them know about the issue they may never find it out.  And some of these are serious ways in which people can steal money or product.