Distribution Help and User Guide | Preallocations v25

1. Changes to Standard Sage screens

In addition to the new menu options described later in this Help & User Guide, there are also changes to standard Sage screens, which are detailed in this section.

1.1. SOP – Enter New Order / Amend Order

This requires the preallocation setting to enable preallocations to be turned on.

A Create Preallocation button allows a preallocation record to be created from the sales order to a purchase order. This will reserve the quantity on the purchase order, so that when the goods are received, they can be allocated straight to the linked sales order.

A drop down list allows the user to select a Purchase Orders that contains the required Stock Item.

Once a purchase order has been selected, the screen displays the expected delivery date and available quantity on the order. The ‘Quantity to preallocate’ field will automatically populate with the order line quantity or the available quantity on the purchase order, if this is less than the order line.

Once a preallocation exists for a sales order line, and the line is selected, the button on this screen will change to Amend Preallocation, where you can amend the quantity to preallocate if necessary.

Where other Sicon module are installed, the sales order line can also linked to a Sicon works order or Sicon stock transfer, see below. This will reserve the required quantity on the Sicon Works Order or Sicon stock transfer. Once the work order is booked in, or the stock transfer received in, the stock will be allocated straight to the linked sales order.

A preallocation can also be created within the sales order line, via the preallocations button and following the steps above. This button also displays the quantity of any allocation for the line.

Once the preallocation is saved, the preallocation quantity shows on the preallocations button on the order line.

The preallocations can also be seen in the sales order when the ‘Show quantities’ option is selected.

They are also visible when an order line is edited and ‘Preallocations’ is selected from the list on the left hand side of the screen.

There is also a view preallocations button from the main sales order screen

1.2. POP - Enter New Order /Amend Order

This requires the preallocation setting to enable preallocations to be set.

A Create Preallocation button allows a preallocation record to be created from the purchase order to a sales order.

A preallocation can also be created within the purchase order line, via the preallocations button and following the steps above.

Once the preallocation has been created the button then displays the quantity of any preallocations for the line.

A view Preallocations is added to the bottom of the purchase order screen, when on any of the tabs.

Clicking on the view preallocations button opens the preallocations screen, showing any preallocations linked to the purchase order. It is possible to edit any of these preallocations or create new ones via this screen.

When editting a purchase order line, the preallocations line button shows the quantity preallocated. Clicking on the button open the preallocations screen.

When other Sicon modules are installed, you can also create a preallocation from the purchase order line to a Sicon works order, Sicon stock transfer, Sicon reserve Stock Line, Project operation or Sicon kitting line if these modules have been installed.

The below example shows the same purchase order line preallocated to other types.

When receiving in the purchase order, the linked transaction can be updated to become allocated lines.

1.3. SC - View Stock Item Balances

A distribution button has been added to the view stock item balances screen, when clicking on the button the view stock history screen, can be opened.

A view monthly trading figures button has been added to the screen, so the Sage sales and purchases figures for the stock item can be accessed easily.

2. Dashboards

Five blank general dashboards are available to use.  These allow data to be reported in a visual format.

Maintain Dashboard Panels allows the user to create additional dashboard panels.

3. Preallocations Menu

3.1. Preallocations Dashboard

The preallocations dashboard shows a list of preallocations between purchase and sales orders, and the related order line dates, and the preallocated quantity. The Early/Late column shows where the purchase orders will not arrive in time for the expected sales order date.

3.2. Preallocations

This screen displays all current preallocations. By default only current preallocations are displayed, but by ticking the ‘Include completed’ checkbox, all preallocations will be displayed.

The screen can be filtered by stock item and preallocation type if other Sicon preallocation types are being used. If a type is selected, the document number field will display the available order numbers that can then be filtered on.

The create button can be used to create new preallocations, or the edit button will allow existing preallocations to be changed.

Show over preallocated lines – This will filter the screen to show those order lines that have a preallocation quantity that is greater than the line quantity. This could happen if a line quantity is reduced after a preallocation has been created.

Show incomplete preallocations – This will filter the screen to only show incomplete preallocations, which are preallocations that have failed to be processed correctly, possibly due to a lock on the destination order when the stock was received. When this has happened, click this button and use the complete preallocation to try and complete it again. If at this point it still cannot complete, then it will give the option to delete that preallocation with an explanation.

3.3. Change Fulfilment

This screen is linked to functionality where it is possible to use the Sicon fulfilment methods, as opposed to the standard three Sage fulfilment methods – From Stock, Supplier via Stock and Direct to Customer. The Sicon fulfilment methods effectively mirror the behaviour of the standard Sage fulfilment methods (using Sicon Preallocations), but with the added benefit that you can then use this screen to change the fulfilment method used for an order at a later stage.
The screen features various filter options at the top of the screen, but you can then tick the sales order lines that you wish to change the fulfilment methods for, and use the Change Fulfilment button to proceed.

If a sales order line is selected that is linked to any existing preallocations, then a prompt will appear advising that changing the fulfilment method will remove these preallocations, but not change any other details of that purchase order.

Then a screen will be presented screen where a new fulfilment method for the selected sales orders can be selected.

If the new fulfilment is from stock or supplier via stock, then a warehouse for the sales order line to use can be selected. The stock can be allocated if there is any available.

3.4. Sage to Sicon SO Fulfilment

This screen allows you to update existing sales and purchase orders to use the new Sicon fulfilment methods in distribution. You can click the run button to apply the switch to all live and on hold orders, or alternatively specify individual sales or purchase order numbers and click the relevant run button next to the order number field.

4. Reports

Consignment Transfer – Only available with Warehouse Replenishment module

Purchase Orders & Returns Linked to Sales Orders – Only available with POP Management

Purchase Orders Outstanding Tracking Dates – Only available with Container Manager.

Purchase Orders Awaiting Confirmation Detail – Only available with POP Management

Purchase Orders Awaiting Confirmation Summary – Only available with POP Management

Discontinued Stock Items – Only available with SOP Management.

5. Utilities Menu

5.1. Settings

Enable pre allocation – This feature enables sales order lines for stock items to be allocated to outstanding purchase orders lines. The purpose is to reserve stock en route to the warehouse, usually in transit via sea, air or land. Preallocations can be viewed and amended after being created.

Use Sicon sales order fulfilment methods – Enabling this setting lets you use the Sicon fulfilment methods, via the change fulfilment screen.

When deleting/cancelling a PO line or WO line only delete associated preallocation – With this setting ticked only the associated SO, PO or WO preallocation will be deleted. If this is not set, when deleting a SO line, the user will have the option to delete the associated PO line.

5.2. Import Stock Item Settings

There are no stock settings relevant with the distribution preallocations module, so this menu should be hidden from within Sage system admin.

5.3. Enable Module

The Enable Strings supplied by Sicon are displayed here.

6. Help & User Guide Menu Option

This menu option provides access to this Help & User Guide.

7. Help & User Guide Archive

7.1. Distribution - Preallocations v22.1

Distribution Help and User Guide | Preallocations

8. Roadmaps

The Sicon Product Roadmaps include product Improvements that we’re currently looking at developing and those that are under consideration for future releases.

Our Current Release Plan contains development that has been approved and is either currently underway or due to be added to the next release cycle.
The Future Release Considerations includes internal development plans and RFC’s to be considered for a future release cycle.

Please note, the Sicon Product Roadmaps content is not a committed plan and is subject to change.

How to navigate the Sicon Product Roadmaps

1. Select the Product Type you are looking for from the left side menu; Sicon Financials, Sicon Commercials, Sicon Manufacturing, Sicon Approvals.
2. Select the Product you would like to view.
3. Select the relevant Product Improvement from the dropdown list.
4. You can vote for your favourite ideas by simply clicking the thumbs up or thumbs down icons within each Product Improvement article, we will then use this to help determine development priorities.
5. If an improvement is scheduled to go into a specific Sicon release version, a tag will appear at the bottom of the page, if you select this tag you will be able to view all planned development for that particular release.
6. Alternatively, if you know what you’re looking for, you can search using the bar at the top of the page.

9. Release Notes

The release notes page shows which release of the system includes new features or issues resolved.

New features detailed in the Release Notes relating to Pre-Release versions will not be detailed in the current Help and User Guide until the end of development phase.

10. Known Issues

What is a Known Issue?
Known Issues are issues that have previously been reported and may require development to resolve, but have minimal impact on the software or user process. Generally they are either a cosmetic issue or have a suitable workaround available, which is detailed on each known issue entry. As such, they are not prioritised for a resolution and any linked Support Case will be given a link to this website and the case will be closed.

Sicon will review the current Known Issues and other development priorities ahead of each major release. This allows our finite development resource to be predominantly focused on high-impact issues and development. There is a voting button at the bottom of each Known Issue which can be used to indicate the priority of the issue to your site (1 = low priority, 5 = high priority).

This then updates the overall vote at the top of the page, which Sicon will then use to help determine priorities.

Once an issue is resolved in a major release, the website will be updated to reflect which version the update has been applied to; the Sicon Release Notes will also continue to document all fixes.