OpenHMIS Inventory FAQ

Owned by Former user (Deleted)
Last updated: Sept 15, 2015
4 min read

Problem

How do you change expiry date of a stock item?

Solution

You may have an item stock in the system with incorrect expiry date. This  may be due to a typo or if one forgets to include an expiry date when doing a receipt operation of an item stock. This expiry date need to be corrected to make sure you have accurate data of the item stock.

To correct the expiry date of an item stock;
  1. Do a stock adjustment to remove the item stock from the system.

    On the Operation type drop down, select disposed. Always remember to include the reason for disposing and item stock, for this case, the reason is wrong expiration date. Select the item stock with the wrong expiration date and click on create operation.

  2. On the create Inventory Operation page, use a receipt operation to add the item stock back to the system with the new / correct expiration date.

Problem

How do you resolve negative stock?

Solution

When doing stock take, you may find an item stock with a negative quantity. This may have resulted from either a typo during a receipt operation  or if the item stock was physically received but not loaded into the system as a receipt.

First, identify the cause of the negative stock so that you can decide how to resolve it;
  1. If the negative stock was as a result of a typo during a receipt operation, do a stock adjustment to bring the item stock back to the actual number of stock item.

    The above example shows Cannula G26 with a negative quantity of -3 but the actual quantity of Cannula G26 is 5 item stock. To resolve this issue, go to the stock take page, search for Cannula G26, on the Actual Quantity text box, enter the  the actual number of item stock quantity and click on Save Stock Take.

  2. If the negative stock is as a result of item stock not loaded into the system, do an inventory receipt operation, choose the date the item stock was received, select the destination of the item stock, input the item stock and quantity, choose the correct expiration date where applicable and click Create Operation.

Problem

How do you resolve a receipt not updated in the system?

Solution

When you receive physical stock item, the stock item needs to be updated in system failure to which you will have inconsistent data.

To resolve items received but not update in the system, follow the steps below;
  1. Do an inventory receipt operation.
  2. Change the operation date to the date the item stock was physically received.
  3. Select the destination of the stock item.
  4. Type the item stock, input the quantity received and the expiration date.
  5. Create the operation.

Problem

How do you transfer an item stock to a different health facility or to a patient?

Solution

 

Item stock is transferred from the holding facility to either a patient or another health facility by using a Distribution operation on the create inventory operation page;

  1. Change the Operation Type to Distribution.
  2. Select the source of the item stock.
  3. Select the destination. The destination of the item stock refers to the where the item stock is being transferred to. This can either be to a patient or an external institution.
  4. Type the item stock being distributed, enter the quantity to be distributed and click on create operation.

Problem

What is the difference between a Distribution operation and a Transfer operation?

Solution

There is always a confusion between a Distribution operation and a Transfer operation. The two are totally different operations as explained below;

  • A Distribution operation is only used when the movement of item stock is either form the withholding facility / stockroom to a patient or to an external institution.
  • A Transfer operation is used when the movement of item stock is from one stockroom to another.

Problem

How do you dispose broken injections and drugs ?

Solution

Sometimes, injections may break or drugs may fall on the ground. This will no longer be put to use hence we should get rid of them from the system. The best way to do this is by using the Disposed inventory stock operations. To do this;


  • Navigate to the Create Inventory Operation page.
  • Change the Operation type to Disposed.
  • Select the source of item stock to be disposed.
  • Type in the reason for disposal.
  • Select the item stock and quantity to be disposed.
  • Click on Create Operation.