Before external and internal replenishment orders can be processed, they must be approved. Generally, you will not approve your own replenishment orders. However, it is important that you understand how the approval process works in case you need to approve replenishment orders for other requesters. Recall that you learned about the requisition approval process in the Requisitioning and Approval CBT and Handbook. A similar approval process is also used for both inventory requisitions and internal replenishment orders. Thus, the approval process will not be covered in detail in this course. This section will only offer key points of inventory approval. For a refresher on requisitioning approval, refer to the following step-by-step:
Approving an Inventory Requisition Step-by-Step
To practice this procedure, see Unit E of the Requisitioning and Approval CBT.
Once requesters enter external and internal replenishment orders in the NCAS, the approval process begins. Approvers must use the Requisition Approval (RAS) screen in the Purchasing module to approve or reject both internal replenishment orders and inventory requisitions. Neither type of replenishment order can be approved line-by-line. The entire internal replenishment order or inventory requisition must be approved or rejected. To access internal replenishment orders on the Requisition Approval (RAS) screen, type X in the USAGE ORDER field.
Because the normal approval process is detailed in the Requisitioning and Approval CBT and Handbook, this section will focus on approving replenishment orders with maximum exceptions.
An approver must check the Requisition Approval (RAS) screen several times a day for new orders that require approval.
Approving Maximum Exceptions
Recall that maximum exceptions occur when you order more of an item than your warehouse is allowed to have. Maximum exceptions can occur during both internal and external replenishment and, if ignored, result in a special warehouse approver being added as the first approver. This approver’s sole purpose is to approve the line(s) with the maximum exception.
If a maximum exception occurs, the special warehouse approver will be the first one to receive the order for consideration via the Requisition Approval (RAS) screen. From this screen, special approvers will need to inquire on the order to see details of the order lines. The approver can use either the Requisition Inquiry (RI1) screen to inquire on inventory requisition lines or the Usage Order Inquiry (UOI) screen to inquire on internal replenishment order lines.
Replenishment order lines with a maximum exception are marked with an asterisk (*) on the Usage Order Inquiry (UOI) and Requisition Inquiry (RI1) screens. The asterisk appears next to the quantity ordered, enabling the extra approver to quickly locate the item and quantity causing the exception.
After the order has been approved, the special approver will disappear from the process. In other words, the Requisition Approval Inquiry (RAI) and Requisition Approval (RAS) screens will have no record of the special approval. Still, the normal approvers will automatically know the exception has been approved. Otherwise, they would not have received the internal replenishment order or inventory requisition for their approval.