FAQs
What does K3S-Replenish do?
K3S helps distributors of all industries better manage their inventory through smarter buying using a system called K3S-Replenish®. K3S’s customers have used K3S-Replenish® to manage their warehouse and store level inventory.
What type of inventory/industries can your software handle?
Our software can be adapted to any type of industry. The math and techniques we use are flexible enough to accommodate any product. Some industries where we have been successful are: convenience stores, auto parts, tires, alcohol, tobacco, electronics, drug wholesalers, food ingredient, grocery, drug chains.
What type of environment does your system work in? What ERP’s can it interface with?
K3S-Replenish® was designed as a ‘bolt on’ module made to fit and integrate with any ERP system. While our software itself requires an iSeries to run, we have no problem transmitting data back and forth from any ERP on any platform. We have customers successfully using our software in iSeries, Linux, and Windows environments. We also have pre-built interfaces to many of the ERP systems
used today.
What does K3S-Replenish® use to develop my suggested orders?
K3S-Replenish® uses proven inventory management formulas and exponential smoothing to forecast the demand for your products. In addition, we constantly monitor your product movement and update our formulas to accomodate for trending and seasonal items.
Will there be future releases with more enhancements?
Yes. All of our customers are kept on the most recent release of K3S-Replenish. We release a new version every year!
Does your system handle lead time forecasting as well?
Yes! We constantly monitor the lead times on your POs from the time you place them until they are received. We do this at the PO level and at the individual product level.
How Does K3S-Replenish® handle Seasonality?
Using our seasonal profiles, we are able to anticipate the peaks and valleys that are associated with seasonal products like drinks, pharmaceuticals and tires.
Does K3S-Replenish® handle Minimum and/or Maximum Bracket Levels?
Yes. You can build an order for a full truckload, or by pallets, weight, cost, etc. If your suppliers have minimums, maximums, or volume discounts, K3S-Replenish® can help you buy those suppliers smarter.
Can K3S-Replenish® suggest an Order Frequency for my suppliers?
Yes. The system will balance the cost of placing orders versus the cost of carrying inventory to determine the most economical Order Cycle and take into account supplier bracket levels.
What if our suppliers require that we order on a specific day of the week or at specific intervals?
We’ve got you covered! In our system, it is called a Fixed Cycle. Tell us which day you place your orders and we’ll make sure you never miss an order again.
Do you handle suppliers that must be ordered from more than once per week?
Yes. In fact it’s one of the most important features for some of our customers. In our system, it’s called a Variable Order Cycle.
What about Service Levels? Do we have control?
Yes. You have complete control at the supplier and product level. At the end of a period, the system calculates the service level achieved. K3S-Replenish is service level driven. Products that do not meet their goals are reported at the end of every period.
What happens if one of my products is discontinued? Can I copy history from the old product to a new one?
Yes. Any history that can help you predict the performance of a new item can be used.
Is there a way to keep certain quantities (promotions, customers’ special orders, etc.) held out of a product’s stock status balance?
Yes. Hold Out Quantities are subtracted from a product’s balance so normal service level replenishment takes place. A product will also be kept off the Overstock reports.
I have more than one warehouse. How can K3S-Replenish help me?
K3S-Replenish allows you to order products into your distribution centers based on the demand for that location. In addition, we will allert you when a product is overstocked at one location and needed at another, allowing you to transfer rather than place a new PO.
How often does the system create an order for a supplier?
Although we only prompt you to place the due orders, a new suggested order is created for every supplier each time a night job is run allowing you to view the status of all of your suppliers every day.
If we need specific information passed to our Purchase Order system when an order is approved, can you accommodate?
Yes. We have multiple text lines throughout the system that can display any information you may need to make your purchasing decision.
Do we have to accept your order suggestions?
No. We calculate our orders based on all of the information we are provided. However, we can not anticipate every circumstance. There will be times when it will necessary to over-ride the suggested order quantity.
How does K3S-Replenish determine how much safety stock we need?
Safety stock requirements are driven by service level goals. The higher the service level to achieve, the higher the safety stock. The stability or fluctuation of a product’s demand is represented by the deviation. The higher the deviation, the higher the safety stock requirements. In many cases, the product is seasonal and putting on a seasonal profile will lower deviations. Based on our scientific mathematical formulas, rather than increase safety stocks, Replenish actually reduces safety stock levels while raising your achieved service levels.
