Table of Contents
Purpose
There are different methods to set up and track chemical tank mixtures in Aspire. We discuss three different ways in this article.
These are:
Overview
If you are reading this article, you should have a good understanding of items and kits. As well, you should have already read:
For all chemical tank methods, you will need to create individual catalog items representing the various chemicals that will be used in your tank mixtures. When establishing allocation units for each chemical, choose a unit of measure that makes it easiest for crew members to mix formulas in the field.
For example, on new item creation, you might set purchase units to gallons because you buy chemicals by the gallon, but when entering the item in Aspire, you set the allocation units to ounces. This is because formulas used by crew members for mixing are represented in ounces.
Individual Chemical Items Method
📌 Note: Kits cannot be used on T&M estimates if you want your crews to release items in the field.
This method helps create accurate estimates and allocations of materials, but requires crews to understand the makeup of their tank mixes in order to calculate item usage for each formula outside of Aspire. Then, they can record that usage in Aspire on their phone.
This method uses individual chemicals for a mixture in the estimate. Crew members would then allocate chemicals as used per application.
Enter all individual chemical items used in mixtures into your Item Catalog as inventory items with appropriate purchase and allocation units.
Build your tank mix kits for each application round using production rates including all chemical materials and labor.
Use these kits for estimating each application round.
The Purchasing Assistant can be used to identify product requirements from all won opportunities.
Purchase all of your chemical items used in your mixes into Inventory.
You can either have the crews release all actual materials on their phone when doing the applications, or you can release materials from Inventory in the purchasing assistant.
Make Inventory on Hand quantity adjustments each month for all of the individual chemical items used in each of your tank mixes.
Mixture Item Method: Bulk Adjustment
This method helps if your company creates chemical mixtures in bulk, which are stored in Inventory until needed in the field.
Rather than estimating individual chemicals for a mixture on the opportunity, the mixture item is included in the estimate. Individual chemicals are ordered separately and used to create the mixture in bulk.
Inventory would then be adjusted during the End of Month process (EOM).
Enter all individual chemical items used in mixtures into your Item Catalog as Inventory Items with appropriate purchase and allocation units.
Add additional fictitious items into the catalog for each tank mix with a purchase and allocation unit.
Example would be 1 Gal. of Weed Control Tank Mix, with a $19 purchase cost and a allocation unit of 1 Gallon. Check the box for Inventory Item for these fictitious items.
Inventory Item should be checked, but Allocate from Mobile should not be checked.
📌 Note: The cost for these items should be calculated outside of Aspire based on the actual costs of the items that make up each tank mixture.
⚠️ Allocate from Mobile should be unchecked for these items. Reminder, checking the Allocate from Mobile checkbox allows for items to be added as costs to tickets in Crew Mobile and Time Entry. Usually, this is used for equipment during snow like a skid steer vs. a snow plow. However, this box should only be used for Items that have a $0 cost.
Add the items and your labor item to build Application Kits.
Use these kits when estimating each application round.
The Purchasing Assistant identifies gallons of tank mix that is needed for each round.
🧠 Use this information outside of Aspire to calculate actual material needs when ordering.
Purchase your actual items used for each mix into Inventory.
📌 Note: These items will never be actually released from inventory but will rather need to be adjusted against your tank mix during End of Month by inventory observation.The fictitious item will be listed under the material button on Crew Mobile for the crew to release by gallons of tank mix used on each property.
This will create an increasingly negative inventory value for this item throughout the month.
6. During the EOM process, a physical inventory count must be taken for actual material items and the tank mix, if any exist.
Enter your month end on hand quantities for each item by going to the Inventory tab and then the Allocations subsection.
Because you are zeroing out your fictitious items and increasing your actual items with the purchase receipt, the end result of your inventory adjustments should be a net of zero.
7. Review your inventory adjustment based on quantity to determine the COGS (Cost of Goods Sold) material adjustment which is required during the EOM process. If the amounts do not zero out, then review how the fictitious item has been set up.
📑 Knowledge Base Reference: To learn more about inventory reconciliation, please read the Inventory Holding Reconciliation article here.
🌟 If you are still stuck, please sign up for an available Accounting, EOM and Q&A class on Aspire Live Webinar Classes page found here.
Mixture Item Method: Individual Mix Adjustment
This method is similar to Mixture Item Method: Bulk Adjustment, but requires you to adjust inventory with every tank mixed. Opportunity estimates are based on an item representing the chemical mixture.
Individual chemicals are ordered separately and used to create the mixture in bulk but are adjusted per mix load.
Follow steps 1-5 as stated above. Enter all individual chemical items used in mixtures into your Item Catalog as Inventory Items with appropriate purchase and allocation units.
Add additional fictitious items into the catalog for each tank mix with a purchase and allocation unit.
Example would be 1 Gal. of Weed Control Tank Mix, with a $19 purchase cost and a allocation unit of 1 Gallon. Check the box for Inventory Item for these fictitious items.
Inventory Item should be checked, but Allocate from Mobile should not be checked.
📌 Note: The cost for these items should be calculated outside of Aspire based on the actual costs of the items that make up each tank mixture.
⚠️ Allocate from Mobile should be unchecked for these items. Reminder, checking the Allocate from Mobile checkbox allows for items to be added as costs to tickets in Crew Mobile and Time Entry. Usually, this is used for equipment during snow like a skid steer vs. a snow plow. However, this box should only be used for Items that have a $0 cost.
3. Add the items and your labor item to build Application Kits.
4. Use these kits when estimating each application round.
5. The Purchasing Assistant identifies gallons of tank mix that is needed for each round.
🧠 Use this information outside of Aspire to calculate actual material needs when ordering.
6. Purchase your actual items used for each mix into inventory. These items will never be released from inventory, but will rather be adjusted each time a tank mix is created.
Clicking on the receipt icon displays the purchase allocation total complete with conversion factor.
7. Each time you create a tank mix, do an inventory on hand quantity adjustment. This will increase the fictitious tank mix item and decrease your actual chemical items.
8. Make sure to click Save Quantity On Hand.
9. The fictitious item will be listed under the material button in Crew Mobile for the crew to release by gallons of tank mix used on each property.
10. During the EOM process, a physical inventory count needs to be taken for actual material items and the tank mix, if any exist. Enter your month end on hand quantities by going to the Inventory tab and then the Allocations subsection.
11. Review your inventory adjustment based on quantity to determine the COGS (Cost of Goods Sold) material adjustment which is required during the EOM process.
📑 Knowledge Base Reference: To learn more about inventory reconciliation, please read the Inventory Holding Reconciliation article here.
🌟 If you are still stuck, please sign up for an available Accounting, EOM and Q&A class on Aspire Live Webinar Classes page found here.