System-Level Documentation: Inventory Status Report

System-Level Documentation: Inventory Status Report

Overview

The Inventory Status Report provides a comprehensive snapshot of current stock levels, reorder thresholds, and supplier information for all products. This report is critical for inventory management, helping users quickly identify items that require restocking. It can be generated on-demand or scheduled at regular intervals.

This document outlines the report layout, field definitions, and the COBOL program that supports its generation.

Report Layout

Here’s how the report appears when printed or displayed:

Inventory Status Report
------------------------
Date: 11/17/2024


Product Code  Description         Stock Level  Reorder Level  Supplier Code
------------  -----------         -----------  -------------  -------------
PROD123       Wireless Headphones  150          50            SUPP456
PROD456       Bluetooth Speaker    20           30            SUPP789
PROD789       Gaming Mouse         5            15            SUPP123


* Items below reorder level flagged for review.
------------------------

Key Features:

• Tabular Layout: Displays product details in a structured table for quick reference.
  
  
• Reorder Alerts: Highlights products with stock levels below their reorder thresholds.
  
  
• Supplier References: Includes supplier codes for fast action on replenishment.

Field Descriptions

The report fields are derived from the inventory database, providing a clear view of stock status.

Field Name	Description	Data Type
Date	The date the report was generated.	PIC X(10)
Product Code	Unique identifier for each product.	PIC A(10)
Description	Text description of the product.	PIC A(50)
Stock Level	Current inventory quantity available.	PIC 9(5)
Reorder Level	Minimum stock level before restocking.	PIC 9(5)
Supplier Code	Code identifying the product’s supplier.	PIC A(10)

High-Level Source Code

The COBOL program supporting this report retrieves inventory data, processes stock levels, and formats the output for display or printing.

1.  Data Division 

The WORKING-STORAGE section defines fields used in the report.

01 REPORT-DATA. 
    05 REPORT-DATE   PIC X(10).
    05 PRODUCT-CODE  PIC A(10).
    05 DESCRIPTION   PIC A(50).
    05 STOCK-LEVEL   PIC 9(5).
    05 REORDER-LEVEL PIC 9(5).
    05 SUPPLIER-CODE PIC A(10).

2.  Processing Logic 

The PROCEDURE DIVISION retrieves inventory data and checks stock levels against reorder thresholds.

MOVE "11/17/2024" TO REPORT-DATE.

PERFORM WITH INVENTORY-CURSOR

    EXEC SQL 

        SELECT 
            PRODUCT_CODE,    :PRODUCT-CODE,
            DESCRIPTION,     :DESCRIPTION,
            STOCK_LEVEL,     :STOCK-LEVEL,
            REORDER_LEVEL,   :REORDER-LEVEL,
            SUPPLIER_CODE    :SUPPLIER-CODE 
        FROM
            INVENTORY_TABLE

    END-EXEC.


    IF STOCK-LEVEL < REORDER-LEVEL
        DISPLAY
            PRODUCT-CODE
            DESCRIPTION
            STOCK-LEVEL
            REORDER-LEVEL
            SUPPLIER-CODE
            " * BELOW REORDER LEVEL". 
    ELSE
        DISPLAY
            PRODUCT-CODE
            DESCRIPTION
            STOCK-LEVEL
            REORDER-LEVEL
            SUPPLIER-CODE
            " * STOCK LEVEL IS SUFFICIENT".

END-PERFORM.

3.  Validation 

Ensures data accuracy and flags items below the reorder level.

IF STOCK-LEVEL < 0 
    DISPLAY "Invalid stock level for " PRODUCT-CODE.

Maintenance and Future Enhancements

The report is well-structured but could benefit from additional functionality:

• Adding a summary section with total stock value and reorder warnings.
• Allowing filtering by product category or supplier.
• Implementing color-coding in digital formats for better visibility of low-stock items.

Business Value

The Inventory Status Report streamlines inventory management by providing actionable insights into stock levels and reorder needs. By identifying low-stock items in advance, it helps prevent stockouts and ensures smoother supply chain operations. Its clear structure and detailed data make it a reliable tool for both operational and strategic planning.

Image:  GrumpyBeere from Pixabay