Overview

The Serial Number Inventory Tool (or “SNIT”) is used to compare your Bound Book inventory against your physical inventory.  The SNIT process is modeled after a common ATF Mock Inspection and can be used to identify unwanted on-or-off book firearms. The three areas of SNIT are as follows: 

1. Take Inventory - Execute an inventory audit after you’ve created an “Inventory Event” and linked or uploaded your Bound Book data. Take Inventory will be the primary function used by your staff.
2. Inventory Events – Create, edit, or delete Inventory Events. Inside this function you’ll name your events, select a data, upload / link Bound Book data and even create “locations” if you wish to break up your facility into small logical areas such as “Display Case”, “Owner’s Safe” or “Finished Goods Vault.”
3. Reports – You’ll find an Inventory Event dashboard and several reports which can be viewed on screen or exported.  The reports represent the output of your in-process or completed inventory events. 

Permission to Access the SNIT

All Orchid eBound^TM users have access to the SNIT. However, access can be toggled on and off using the Manage User feature, found in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. Upon clicking on that link, click a username / email address and all access permissions will be shown. Make sure to hit save when complete!

Accessing the SNIT from the Orchid Software Portal

A link titled “Serial Number Inventory Tool” can be found under “FFL Management” underneath the blue header drop down menu or on the main Orchid eBound^TM homepage.

Step 1 – Create an Inventory Event 

Upon entering the Inventory Events Screen you’ll find a mini-menu and a dashboard of Open and Closed events.

The features of the mini-menu include:

1. New Inventory Event – Add a new inventory event.
2. Handling Units – Add “handling units” used on pallet or multi-pack boxes.
3. Location – Add or manage Locations and Sublocations.  

The features of the dashboard include:

1. Actions (Edit or Delete) - *Warning – Delete will remove all history for that event and cannot be restored.
2. Event Name – Name your inventory event.
3. Date – This is the date that you intend to complete the inventory.
4. A&D Serial Numbers – This will display the Bound Book(s) which you have linked or uploaded to SNIT.
5. Event Status – Events are either open or closed.
   
1. Note – An Event is closed once all of the location and sublocation inventories have been completed. See “Take Inventory” to learn more about closing locations.
6. Data Status – SNIT allows your team to continue working in Orchid eBound until the moment you’re ready to start.  Just before starting the inventory click the blue “Open” button and it will change to “Locked.” At that point, SNIT will take a snapshot of your open dispositions (i.e., your on-hand inventory) so that it is static throughout the event.  Additional acquisition and disposition transaction activity in Orchid eBound^TM will not affect the status list of serial numbers that have been pulled in.
   

Add Your First Inventory Event

1. Click the blue button called “New Inventory Event”
2. Provide any name you’d like. A common example might be “June 2022 Inventory.”
   
3. Select the date of your inventory event.
   
4. Link your Orchid eBound Book ‘Open Dispositions.” By Selecting a checkbox, your open inventory will automatically be linked to this SNIT event. Alternatively, you may upload serial numbers from a spreadsheet. The upload feature allows you to create your own file name, attribute it to an FFL (for reference purposes only) and access the upload template. To keep from overloading your work area, you can also delete prior uploads. Note – this will not have any impact on your Orchid eBound^TM account or data.

Upload Instance Steps

1. Click the blue button called “New Inventory Event”
2. Provide any name you’d like. A common example might be “June 2022 Inventory.”
   
3. Select the date of your inventory event. (Click on the Calendar)
   
4. Click Save
   
5. You should now see your event listed in the grid. 
   
6. Click on Actions, Edit
   
7. Select Upload under the "Click for Manual Upload" pictured below                                                                                                                                                                                           
8. Create New Upload Instance                                                                                                                           
9. Provide name for the FFL Name box
   
10. Fill in the FFL Number
    
11. Click Save
12. You should now see the instance listed below, click on Upload Data
    
13. 
    
14. The file you use will have to have the headers, Serial Number, Manufacturer, Importer, Model, Type and Caliber/Guage
15. After selecting your file, you will need to check the Box for Skip First Row. This will ensure that the headers on the file do not add to the Stocktaking.
    
16. Now you will need to map your headers. The Serial number column, Manufacturer Column, Importer Column, Model Column, Type Column and Caliber/Gauge Column. 
17. Click Import
    
18. Click on Create Inventory Event again
    
19. Find the event you just created 
20. Click on Actions, Edit
21. Select the file that you just uploaded 
    
22. Click Save
    
23. Now Click on Open to lock the event. (This will prevent any changes made to the upload that is attached to this inventory)
    
1. If you find that there was a mistake, you can go back to the Main Dashboard and delete the event and create a new Upload File to attach.
   
24. Now you can click on Take Inventory and Select your event.

Add Handling Units (Optional)

Have you seen the barcode labels on wrapped pallets or multi-pack boxes?  If you have slow moving or older inventory that remains sealed, you probably don’t want to unwrap and rescan each serial number every time you conduct an inventory event. Handling Units are here to save the day.

1. Click “Add Handling Unit”
2. Provide a name for your Handling Unit
3. Enter a Pre-Count (Why? Have you ever scanned 99 serial numbers in a batch of 100 and didn’t know that one was missed? By pre-counting and entering the number into SNIT, we’ll tell you if you’ve under or over scanned!)
4. Click Save

Now let’s add Serial Numbers to Your Saved Handling Unit

1. Find the handling unit name in the list
   
2. Click “Manage SNs”
   
3. Once inside you can Scan, Double Enter or Upload a batch of serial numbers
   
4. Click Save – Upon starting your event (Take Inventory) you’ll find a handling unit entry field. Simply enter the name of your handling unit and all serial numbers will come in!

Create Locations (At least 1 location is required)

Have you ever finished scanning an entire store or factory only to find out you missed 1?  From what areas was it missed you ask? Who knows.

Much like the pre-count feature, SNIT includes a “locations” feature so that you can divide up your facility into smaller and more logical areas.  When “Taking an Inventory” each location or sub-location will require a pre-count and the system will ensure that your serial numbers match your pre-count!

Location and Sub-location are especially helpful for large stores, warehouses, or factories. Imagine a large finished goods area. You might want to divide up the 10,000 serial numbers by row and then by shelf. You can do that with Locations and Sublocations!

Don’t feel like using locations, that’s ok. Smaller facilities might not need this fancy feature. However, the system will require at least one location. An example might be “Store” or ‘Backroom” or whatever you prefer.

Step 2 – Take Inventory

Once you’ve setup your Inventory Event, Location(s) and linked your Bound Book data you are ready to rock.

1. Click Take Inventory
2. Select Inventory Event (your prior events will be listed unless deleted)
3. Select at least one location. If you’ve used sublocations, select both the Location and Sub-location where you intend to audit.
4. Voila! The take inventory screen appears

Your Take Inventory Dashboard

On the right-hand side you’ll find a few things:

1. Pre-count and Edit Pre-Count (just in case you made a mistake ).
2. Scan Count – Indicates how many serial numbers have been entered.
3. SN Remaining – This is the expected balance remaining (Pre-count minus Scan count)
4. Scanner Name – If you’re using a two-person team you can keep track of who did what!
5. Counter Name – For both fields enter one or more names.
6. Scan Entry Type – You can scan serial numbers, double enter them manually or type / scan the Handling Unit that you created earlier! The latter will bulk entry many serial numbers at once.
7. Serial Number List – A mini-dashboard showing you the numbers that have been scanned in.

Complete? 

Once you’re complete and the Pre-Count and Scan Count match, click the “Click Here To Confirm This Location is Complete” button.

1. The button will not close the location if pre-count and scan count differ.
2. The location will continue to show as “open” in all of your reports until Closed.
3. The Inventory Event will show as “open” until all locations and sub-locations are Closed.
   

Step 3 – View your in-process or completed reports

These reports are dynamic and change as you take the inventory. That’s right, you can sit on the beach and watch the inventory status change as your team closes locations.

Each report includes a drop down that permits you to select the event and view the report. Additionally, each report provides an export feature so that your results can be viewed and saved in a spreadsheet format.

Reports include:

1. Event Dashboard – A high level dashboard of an event and on / off book status.
2. Location Status Overview / Location Status Detail – Two reports which allow you to see the status at a location level.
3. Scanned Not on Book – Serial Numbers that you entered that were not in your Bound Book
4. On-Book Not Scanned – Serial Numbers that were in your Bound Book but not entered.
5. Duplicate SN – A list of any Serial Numbers that were entered twice.  Why do we have this report? It helps users identify Serial Numbers that may have been entered twice vs valid duplicate Serial Numbers (i.e., Smith & Wesson 123 vs Remington 123).
6. All Counted / Scanned – A full report of your audit.
   

Congratulations!

That’s it. You’ve completed your first inventory.  If you need more help, please use the contact us form on the Orchid Online Support Portal