Expected inventory

Expected inventory is received from a vendor and is typically paid for with a purchase order. The WebSphere Commerce Accelerator tracks expected inventory with expected inventory records. We can record an external identifier, typically a purchase order number from an external system. In this way, we can easily track inventory on order and received inventory. Expected inventory details are the specifics about products in an expected inventory record, such as the fulfillment center, the expected receipt date, the expected quantity, and any comments.

An expected inventory record cannot be deleted after inventory is received against it. Expected inventory details cannot be changed or deleted after inventory is received.

When orders are placed for inventory that is available in a fulfillment center, the Order Management subsystem allocates inventory to those orders. Allocating inventory to an order makes it unavailable to the Order Management subsystem. If the order is canceled, the inventory becomes available again.

If an order is placed for inventory that is not available, a backorder can be created. If expected inventory can be used to fulfill the backorder, then the expected inventory is allocated to the backorder. The customer is provided with an expected shipping date.

• Creating expected inventory records
  Use WebSphere Commerce Accelerator to create expected inventory records.

• Changing expected inventory records
  Use the WebSphere Commerce Accelerator to view or change expected inventory records.

• Closing expected inventory records
  Use WebSphere Commerce Accelerator to close one or more expected inventory records. Once you close an expected inventory record, we cannot reopen it. Be sure that you receive all of the inventory associated with the expected inventory record before you close it.

• Deleting expected inventory records
  Use the WebSphere Commerce Accelerator to delete expected inventory records.

• Listing expected inventory
  Use the WebSphere Commerce Accelerator to list expected inventory.

• Listing expected inventory details
  Use the WebSphere Commerce Accelerator to list expected inventory details.

• Listing receipts for expected inventory records
  Use the WebSphere Commerce Accelerator to list receipts for expected inventory records

• Querying inventory
  Use the WebSphere Commerce Accelerator to query expected inventory.

• Receiving expected inventory
  Use the WebSphere Commerce Accelerator to receive expected inventory.

Related concepts
Inventory
Fulfillment
Ad hoc inventory receipts
Order management

Related tasks
Creating expected inventory records
Changing expected inventory records
Closing expected inventory records
Listing expected inventory details
Receiving expected inventory