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Inventory Operations

MOM-specific inventory management — material staging, WIP tracking, kanban replenishment, and production material consumption.

Overview

The Inventory Operations module sits between the Warehouse and Manufacturing Execution modules. While the Warehouse handles receiving, slotting, and general stock management, Inventory Operations focuses exclusively on the production floor: getting the right materials to the right workstation at the right time, tracking work-in-process quantities as production progresses, replenishing materials using a lean kanban pull system, and recording the actual materials consumed against each work order.

All four screens share the same JSON data store (inventory-operations.json) and integrate directly with Manufacturing Execution (work orders, BOMs, routing) and the Warehouse module (stock reservation and consumption).

Material Staging

Pick and stage BOM-required materials from the warehouse to workstation racks before production starts. Tracks staged vs required quantities per item with color-coded status.

WIP Tracking

Real-time work-in-process quantities across all active work orders. Drill down to individual operations to see per-step started, completed, and scrap counts.

Kanban Replenishment

Pull-system kanban board with four columns: To Order, Ordered, In Transit, Available. Cards are drag-and-drop — move a card between columns to update its status instantly. Stock level bars show when cards fall below reorder point.

Material Consumption

Record actual quantities consumed per work order operation, attributed to the logged-in operator. Scrap quantities automatically create an NCR in the Quality Operations module — no manual step required.

Module Placement

Inventory Operations is its own App Mode — switch to it via the mode badge in the top header (teal badge labelled Inv Ops). It does not appear inside Manufacturing Mode or Warehouse Mode; it has its own dedicated sidebar group.

Production Material Flow

The four screens map to a sequential production material lifecycle. A work order moves through all four stages before materials are fully consumed:

1
Material Staging

Pull BOM materials from warehouse shelves and place them on the workstation rack. Confirm staging when all items are ready.

2
WIP Tracking

As the work order runs, WIP quantities accumulate per operation. Monitor progress and spot bottlenecks in real time.

3
Kanban Replenishment

When kanban cards drop below reorder point, trigger purchase orders. Receive stock to return cards to Available.

4
Material Consumption

Record actual material consumed per operation. Reduce warehouse stock; any scrap automatically creates an NCR in Quality Operations.

Integration Map

External ModuleIntegration PointDirection
Manufacturing ExecutionWork order status, BOM component list, routing operationsReads from MFG
WarehouseStock reservation on staging, stock reduction on consumption, stock receipt on kanban receiveReads & writes
Quality OperationsScrap quantities recorded in Consumption automatically create an NCR in the Non-Conformance screen — pre-filled with work order, operation name, scrap reason, and operator identityWrites to QO
PurchaseKanban "Create Order" action creates a purchase request in the Purchase moduleWrites to Purchase

Data Storage

All Inventory Operations data is persisted server-side via the /api/data/inventory-operations endpoint to data/inventory-operations.json. The store contains four top-level objects:

KeyContains
stagingsOne staging record per work order — items array, staged quantities, locations, status
wipEntriesWIP snapshot per work order — per-operation started / completed / scrap / wip counts
kanbanCardsAll kanban replenishment cards — product, stock levels, status, linked purchase order ID
consumptionsAll material consumption records — per-item consumed / scrap quantities, timestamps, operator

FAQ

Do I need to complete Material Staging before consuming materials?
Yes — the Material Consumption screen only enables the "Consume Materials" button when the staging record for the selected work order has status: complete. This enforces the staging → consumption workflow and prevents consuming materials that haven't been physically moved to the workstation.
Is Inventory Operations the same as the Warehouse module?
No. The Warehouse module handles general inbound logistics — receiving, slotting, pick & pack, and RMA returns. Inventory Operations is production-specific: it stages materials to work orders, tracks WIP as production runs, manages pull-system kanban cards, and records material consumption. The two modules share the same underlying stock data but serve different operational roles.
What happens to WIP data when a work order is completed?
WIP entries remain in the store for historical reporting even after a work order is completed. The WIP Tracking screen's filter defaults to In Progress so completed orders are hidden by default; switch the filter to All to include them.
Can I edit a kanban card's reorder point after creation?
Yes — click the pencil icon on any kanban card to open the edit modal. You can update the product name, part number, location, card quantity, current stock, minimum stock, and reorder point at any time regardless of the card's current status.