Delete / Purge / Erase Inventory Item Records

If a report or invoice is printed from a history, which contains an item number that has been deleted, erased or purged from the item master file, the description of the item may print “item not on file”.  Therefore, this is something to consider before deleting, erasing or purging items.  An item may be purged, deleted or erased.  This document explains all of these processes.

First print a report to show the items that have not had any activity.  Go to:

• Inventory Control (Module 5)
  • Item History (Task 11)
    • Item Inactivity or Overstock Report (WHSOVS)

This report prints a list of items that have had no sales since the user’s selected cutoff date.

• Features: Shows item #, description, warehouse #, qty on-hand, item value, and last sale date. 
• Ranges: Last sale cutoff date, report class, warehouse #, item #.
• Options:
  • Print `Other cost' (where applicable).
  • Print zero & negative on-hand items, 
  • Print average or last cost basis for items.
  • Print overstocked items.

Note: You can print overstocked items by giving a cutoff date of today and 'on-hand exceeds max-level' = Y

This report may be reviewed to decide which items need to be purged. 

Then choose a method to rid the system of the items:

• Inventory Control (Module 5)
  • Item Master (Task 17)
    • Sub-task 3 Delete Existing Item Records:
      • ​Items can be deleted one item at a time using Delete Existing Item Records (Sub-task 3).  
      • When the items are deleted one at time, the corresponding records will also be automatically deleted from Task 18 Supplier Master and Task 19 Warehouse Master. It doesn’t matter if the item has quantities on-hand; if there are sales orders for the item; purchase orders for the item.  
      • If YES is answered to the prompt to delete the item, the item will be deleted from these 3 master files. There should be some consideration before using this sub-task. Check with us to set a password for this sub-task if you don’t want this process to be utilized, except by restricted personnel.

    • Sub-task 5 Erase Selected Item Records

      • ​A range of items can be erased using Erase Selected Item Records (Sub-task 5).  

      • When items are erased using this sub-task, the corresponding Supplier Master (Task 18) and Warehouse Master (Task 19) & O/E contract items records will be erased.  This would need to be done very carefully. It doesn’t matter if these items have quantities on hand; if there are sales orders for the item; purchase orders for the item.   

      • Once they are erased, they are gone from these master files.  A better option would be to use “Purge Unused Item / Supplier / Warehouse Records (PURGIC)”.  See the instructions below.  Check with us to set a password on the Erase sub-tasks.

    • ​Special I/C Processing Menu (Task 25)

      • ​Purge Unused Item / Supplier / Warehouse Records (PURGIC)

        • ​N O T I C E:  This program purges records from the inventory item / supplier / warehouse files.  You will be asked to enter ranges of item numbers, warehouse numbers, report classes, a `last sale cutoff date', whether or not to check prior-year activity and whether or not to delete superseded items (old item = Y). There is also an option for purging the item monthly-history file (corresponds to warehouse records being purged).

        • Items within the selected ranges will be purged if they have:

          • No year-to-date activity [Prior-year also if selected].

          • No current stock on hand.

          • No stock commitments [no committed/backordered/on order].

          • Last sale date prior to or the same as the cutoff date

        • Purging of items will be based on the input ranges only.