The information in this section applies only to those users that utilizing AnyPO in conjunction with AnyBook (publishing business software) or AnyOrder (general invoicing and ordering software).  If you are using AnyPO by itself, you can skip this information.

This useful function tells you how much inventory is left for a selected product.  The inventory check function is available if you are using AnyPO in conjunction with one of our companion products: AnyBook (publishing business software) or AnyOrder (mail order business software).

To run an inventory check in AnyPO, place your cursor on one of the rows in the Item Area.  Select STOCK TOOLS and CHECK INVENTORY LEVEL FOR CURRENT ITEM.  You can also press CTRL+J on the keyboard.

If the Item you are ordering is inventoried in the main AnyBook / AnyOrder program, you can find out how many are left in inventory. You can do this while working in AnyPO. Place you cursor in the Item row and press CTRL+J.

AnyPO will look-up the product in the most recent inventory report file and report back with the inventory level and number of units sold since the beginning of the year.  It also provides the date and time of the inventory report from which the data was extracted.

Important Note: AnyPO gets this information from the inventory report file in the core program (either AnyBook or AnyOrder).  If you get error messages, you'll need to exit from AnyPO and return to the core program to fix things.  We'll look at specific error messages below, but we want to re-emphasize that you must exit from AnyPO and return to AnyBook or AnyOrder.

Here are the error messages that you may get:

Currently, there is no inventory information.  To generate the needed information, YOU NEED TO EXIT FROM AnyPO and return to the INVOICE Screen in the main part of the program.  Select PRODUCT TOOLS and INVENTORY FUNCTIONS and click on 'Current Inventory.

This means that you'll need to generate an inventory.  To do so, exit from AnyPO.  Go to the Main Invoice Screen in the core program (AnyBook or AnyOrder).  Select PRODUCT TOOLS >> INVENTORY FUNCTIONS.  Click on the "Current Inventory'" button.  This will generate an inventory report and an inventory report file.  When you return to AnyPO, it will now have the necessary information it needs to do an inventory check.  Remember:  you won't find Inventory Functions in AnyPO.  You must exit from AnyPO and return to the core program.

The currently available inventory data is not the right type for this function.  You'll need to run a 'normal' or 'current' inventory. To do that, EXIT FROM AnyPO, return to the INVOICE Screen in the main part of the program.  Select PRODUCT TOOLS and INVENTORY FUNCTIONS and click on 'Current Inventory.'

This means that you need to re-generate the inventory.  To do so, exit from AnyPO.  Go to the Main Invoice Screen in the core program (AnyBook or AnyOrder).  Select PRODUCT TOOLS >> INVENTORY FUNCTIONS.  Click on the "Current Inventory'" button.  This will generate a fresh inventory report and rebuild the inventory report file.  When you return to AnyPO, it will now have the necessary information it needs to do an inventory check.  Remember:  you won't find Inventory Functions in AnyPO.  You must exit from AnyPO and return to the core program.

Unable to find the catalog number in the inventory report file.  Check to make sure that catalog number in the 'Your Cat #' column is in the Product Information Database.  To get to the Product Information Database, you'll need to EXIT FROM AnyPO and return to the INVOICE screen in the main part of the program. Select PRODUCT TOOLS and PRODUCT INFORMATION AND CATALOG NUMBERS.

Look at the catalog number that appears in the "Your Cat #" column.  It will be on the row you've selected in the Item Area.  The catalog number that you see there has to be in the Product Information Database.  Remember that the Product Information Database is found in the core portion of the program (AnyBook or AnyOrder).
     First you should check to see if the catalog number exists in the Product Information Database.  On a piece of paper, copy down the catalog number showing in the "Your Cat #" column.  Then exit from AnyPO.
     Go to the Main Invoice Screen in the core program (AnyBook or AnyOrder).  Select PRODUCT TOOLS and PRODUCT INFORMATION AND CATALOG NUMBERS.  Is the catalog number there?  If it's not, you'll need to add it to the database.  You'll also need to enter its inventory level.
    Once you get the product and its inventory entered, then you'll need to run an inventory.  That's done by selecting PRODUCT TOOLS >> INVENTORY FUNCTIONS.  Click on the "Current Inventory'" button.  This creates an Inventory Report and rebuilds the inventory report file.  When you return to AnyPO, the Current Inventory function will work.

Here's a quick review . .  .  The "Check Current Inventory" function uses data from the core portion of the program (AnyBook or AnyOrder).  If you get errors, you need to exit from AnyPO and return to the core program.  From there you can run a fresh inventory or check for catalog numbers in the Product Information Database.  Once you've gotten things sorted out in the core portion of the program, you can return to AnyPO and continue your work there.