eSuite – Items – Manage Random Weight Items

Information

Scale-coded random weight items have the following distinctive features:

1. Digit 2 at the beginning of the UPC.
   This number tells the scanner that there could be a price-embedded bar code. 
2. Digit 2 is followed by the 5-digit product code 12345.
   When there are no five digits, the UPC will be padded with leading zeros; for example, 01234. 
3. The 5-digit code is followed by five zeros 00000.
   This is where the price information is embedded in the package sticker.

In eSuite, the Item creation table provides a tool that generates the random weight scale codes when you create a new item: the forward slash on the numerical keyboard.

For example, by typing 12345 in the Item number field and pressing the / key on the numeric pad, the code automatically becomes 0021234500000.

NOTE: The way your scale is programmed for labeling impacts your point of sale. If a lead digit in your scale is programmed to start with 02, the label can show a 5-digit price. If it begins with 2, the price is limited to 4 digits.
See your reseller to ensure eSuite is configured accordingly.

Shipping and inventory considerations for weighted items

For items sold by weight, the shipping weight field F270 must have a value of 1 for shipping and inventory accuracy. The reason for this is that eSuite takes the weight field and multiplies it by the number of units shipped or counted, which can produce erroneous results in shipping estimates or inventory counts if this field is not set to 1 for the items sold by weight.

Example

A 12-pack case of soft drinks weighs 5 pounds.

If you enter 5 in the Weight field (F270) of the Main item table for the UPC of the case of 12, eSuite multiplies the units by weight, resulting in incorrect count and shipping cost estimate.

The image below shows the Weight field (F270) of the Main item table set up with 1:

Create a random weight item

In the launcher, click the arrow in the Items entry to expand its menu.

1. Click on Master to open the Start window.
   
2. Click on New.
   
   
   
   

The Item creation table opens in the work area.
By default, the only enabled field is the item number in the General information section.

3. Enter the 5-digit scale code followed by the forward slash /.
   
4. Click Yes in the Confirm window.
   All fields of the Item creation table are now enabled for editing.
5. Enter the item details in the General, POS, Cost, and Price tables.
   Pay particular attention to the Flags section of the POS information table. 
6. The POS information table is where you ensure the system knows that the item is to be sold by weight.
   There are two ways to inform the point of sale that this is the case:
   
   a) If the entire sub-department is sold by weight and set up as such, you can leave the Follow sub checkbox selected.
   
   b) If the sub-department has a mix of items sold by the unit or by weight, you must handle this setting item-by-item directly in the POS table. Clear the Follow sub checkbox and select Scalable.
   
7. Click Save in the toolbar.

INFORMATION: If you manage perpetual inventory by weight for your scale-coded items, here's how the item weight is tracked: the system takes the price embedded on the label, divides it by the price per kg in the Price table, and calculates the weight to be removed from inventory. This is why the price per kg programmed by the scale must be the price shown in the Price table, at all shopper levels.

Review the new random weight item

To review the new random code weight item, follow these steps:

1. In the Items start page, select Items to open the Items - general list wizard. 
2. Enter the item code in the Any code field. You can enter your 5-digit item code followed by the / key on your keyboard.
   Ensure that you check Show POS, Price, and Cost if you want to see those columns in the items grid. 
3. Click Execute.  

Once you are complete with any item maintenance, Deploy changes.