Item and Order Line Types

Item and order line types 

There are several different sub types of what we refer to as “items” in TM Master. This chapter and its sub chapters will try to explain the difference between them and when and how to use them.

Item Types that can be ordered

Spare parts has historically been the only items possible to link to “Components” by adding them to the components spare parts list and as required items for jobs Now however it is possible to also link “catalogue items” to both components and jobs, removing this distinction. The difference today is that spare parts are not available in the “catalogue” module.

Catalogue items, often also referred to as “consumables”, can be organised in catalogues, in the catalogue module. Catalogue items are available for ordering in the catalogues, but not added to a unit’s stock inventory before stock has received for the item. Previously it was not possible to add “catalogue items” to the spare part lists for components or as required items for jobs, but this is possible now. The difference between a spare part and a catalogue item today is that the “Spare part” items are not available in the “catalogue” module.

The difference between a service item and a spare part or catalogue item is that when received they will not create a stock record and stock quantities will not be tracked in the system. It is a way to allow predefined “free text” order lines. Service Items needs to be activated under system settings. 

It is possible to add jobs to orders. Historically the jobs have been added to an order as a “Free text” line. Due to the disadvantages of allowing “free text” order lines this has now been changed, and jobs will be added as a “job order line” type instead.

Medic items are created and maintained in the “Medic” module. Medic items are isolated in TM Master to ensure that access to medic item information can kept at a minimum. Medic items can only be added to the order type: Medic and is not possible to mix with other item types. More details on the Medic item can be found in the user manual for the medic module. 

Slop chest items are created and maintained in the “Slop Chest” module. Like the “medic” items, slop chest items can only be added to a specific the order type, “Slop Chest”.

It is possible to right click a component and adding it to a draft. It is not a much-used function as it will require the user who receives the component to have user right to modify components and the component structure. Most chose to restrict the user right to modify the component structure to a bare minimum. 

Order Line types

Spare parts and Catalogue items added to a draft\requisition\order are considered as “regular order lines” as they are the most common order lines. When these items are received, they will update the stock of the received items

“Free text” order line are lines where all details for the ordered item is filled in manually and is not linked to any type of item. Receiving a “Free text” item will not update any stock, and the item receival is only visible in the order it belong to. The “free text” possibility is quite useful in some cases as it can be used to pass on information (not related to an item) to a supplier, and it can be used for ordering services etc, that is not natural to create keep track of stock on. However, this feature also has a downside, since they may be used to order items that should be kept stock on. User may overuse the function either because the item

(spare part) is not found in the system, or the user do not check if the item is already in the

system. The result of this may be that large values in spares and items are received onboard, but the system does not keep track of them.  It is possible to control the use of the “free text” order lines by a setting and a user right. Free text order lines will have a orange check mark in the “free text” column in various order line grids.

It is possible to convert “free text” order lines into spare part items, for users with the appropriate user right (Spare part – Add). This is done by opening the order line, and clicking the [Create Spare part] Button in the order line form menu bar

Due to the “downside” of the “free text” lines described above “free text” order lines are not wanted\allowed in our client’s systems. This of course also removes the upside with the free text lines, to order services that are not natural to keep stock on. To counter some of this the “service items” has been added to system, allowing to predefine these “services” in the system, adding them whenever they are needed. Examples of a service item can be: “Service company work hours”, storage, freight, packing and so on.

Due to the “downside” of the “free text” lines described above “free text” order lines are not wanted\allowed in our client’s systems. Traditionally when adding a job to an order, they were added as a “free text” order line, which is a problem if the client does not want to allow free text order lines. To counter this the “jobs” are now added as “Job Items”, receiving them will as for service items do not affect any type of stock. 

By right clicking a component and then adding a component to a draft will add a component order line to the draft. It is not a much-used function as it will require the user who receives the component to have user right to modify components and the component structure. Most chose to restrict the user right to modify the component structure to a bare minimum.