The client
The client is a large telecommunications company headquartered in London, with warehouses, service centers and field teams across Europe.
Spare parts, network components and consumables move constantly between warehouses, service centers and field locations. Field engineers need the right part on site, and the business needs to know where its stock is.
The challenge
Stock transactions were recorded eventually, but field work still ran on paperwork, with entries typed in after the stock had moved. Records lagged behind reality.
- Field movements were written on paper and entered later.
- Delayed updates meant central teams saw out-of-date stock levels.
- Reconciling paper records with the system took time.
- Control over stock at field locations was weak.
- Identifying items by hand slowed receiving and issuing.
What they set up in Asset Infinity
The company put its spare parts and network components in Asset Infinity’s Stores feature and moved stock transactions to the mobile app, scanned at the point of movement.
Every stock location in one system
Warehouses, service centers and field stock locations are set up as storerooms, holding spare parts, network components and consumables. (Stores)
Transactions from the mobile app
Receiving, issuing, transfers and counts are recorded on the phone where the stock moves, instead of on paper for later entry. (Stores)
Barcode scanning
Items carry barcode labels, so staff scan to identify a part instead of searching for it by hand. (Assets)
Current stock for central teams
Dashboards and reports show stock by location as transactions come in from the field. (Insight)
How it works day to day
Here is how a part moves from warehouse to field now.
- Warehouse staff: receive and scan. Incoming parts are scanned on the mobile app as they arrive and received into the warehouse storeroom.
- Warehouse staff: transfer to a service center. Stock sent to a service center or field location is recorded as a transfer, so both locations show the move.
- Field engineer: issue to the job. The engineer scans the part on site and issues it against the job, so the stock record matches what was used.
- System: updates stock levels. Each transaction updates stock for that location straight away, so the record matches the shelf.
- Storekeeper: counts by location. Stock counts are done on the mobile app by scanning, and differences are recorded instead of reconciled on paper later.
- Central inventory team: watch stock across locations. Dashboards show current stock at every warehouse, service center and field location.
Before and after
| Before | With Asset Infinity | |
|---|---|---|
| Recording movements | Paper, entered later | On the mobile app, as they happen |
| Identifying items | By hand | Barcode scanning |
| Central visibility | Delayed | Current stock by location |
| Field control | Weak | Structured receiving, issuing, transfers and counts |
| Reconciliation | Manual effort after each movement | Little left to reconcile |
How it rolled out
- Practices reviewed, locations mapped. Warehouse, service center and field practices were reviewed, and every stock location was configured.
- Mobile and scanning set up. Mobile stock workflows and barcode scanning were enabled for warehouse and field users.
- Teams trained and supported. Teams were trained on mobile receiving, issuing, transfers and counts, and usage was monitored to refine the setup.
The results
- Less delayed manual entry of field stock movements
- More current field-level stock information for central teams
- Faster identification and transactions through barcode scanning
- Structured receiving, issuing, transfers and counts in the field
- Less paperwork and manual reconciliation
Why it worked
Recorded at the source
The person moving the stock records it, on the spot, so there is no paper to copy up later.
Scanning cuts errors
Scanning a barcode identifies the item faster and more reliably than looking it up by hand.
Every location included
Warehouses, service centers and field stock are in one system, so a transfer is visible at both ends.
Looking ahead
The company moved from recording stock after the fact to recording it where and when it moves. Warehouses, service centers and field teams now work from the same stock records.
With movements scanned at the source, central teams see current stock by location, and the paperwork and reconciliation that used to follow each transaction are gone.