GnuMims and multiple sites

Back to User Guide Index Back to Help

GnuMims is designed around the concept of one installation per site. Smaller store depo's and auxiliary sites can be supported in a single installation but for anything more one complete gnuMims installation per site is recommended. The reasoning for this is detailed bellow.

Inventory

Multiple storage locations are supported but each inventory item may only be stored in one location.

An early gnuMims data model actually had the ability to store an inventory item in multiple locations but this was simply way too complicated and confusing to the end user. For example a technician wanting to use an inventory item has to be aware of which bin in which store on which site he is actually booking the item out from. This results in far too many human input errors so the model and interface were simplified.

Further more storing an inventory item in multiple locations on a single site is generally bad for inventory levels and the opposite of inventory consolidation which is much preferred.

To store an item in more than one location a separate inventory item with a unique name must be created along with all its own attributes. In this way items may be stored in depo's, auxiliary sites and remote stores. The re-order points and current stock levels may then be recorded appropriately for each. The inventory items may also be linked via the alternate item field.

Tasks

On a day to day basis separate sites don't care what another site is doing and don't need the other sites tasks mixed in with theirs.

Conclusion

With a little data admin a complete and separate gnuMims installation per site is the best configuration.