EXF's vs The Accumulator

[STLinMaking]

Can someone explain to me the implications of shooting and EXF for more items than the "capacity" of the location?? I am curious as I was in a situation today where I was asked to pull an EXF today and I pulled eight of something when the capacity of the shelf was 4. I am concerned that if it impacts the accumulator the way I think, this might be whats causing some major issues in our building. Thanks for your insights!

 

[StateofTarget]

As a former old school TL I can tell you what happens.

Basically EXF was used a lot "back in the day" before "outs" was even a dream in a programmers eye.

Let's say you have one location in the store of PS Vita's. It has a capcity of 5 with one facing. Let's assume it was empty and was shot with OUTS, thus resetting the accumulator. Let's assume it generated a batch of 5 and it was properly pulled and stocked.

Normally (assuming none of them are stolen) the system will automatically generate pulls to replenish them based off a number of 5. So, if someone comes in the store and buys all 5 one day the system will generated more to be pulled.

Now, let's assume your electronics TL (or your handy PS rep, i.e. ME!) decides one facing just isn't cutting it. They decide to put another facing with a capacity of 4. So, now there are 9 PS Vita's on the sales floor. Your electronics TL doesn't need 5, so they decide to shoot an EXF of 4.

Now the system "knows" that there are 9 total PS Vita's on the floor. It doesn't know where the other 4 are, but it knows they are somewhere.... just not on a planogram.

Now the system will pull as if there are 9 that need to be filled on the floor instead of 5.

Normally, this is fine. It only causes a problem if your electronics TL does something crazy.... like creates the new flex location of 4 PS Vita's in the Ipod case. Thus, when your logistics team is trying to stock them they say "WTF? There is only a capacity of 5 and I pulled too many!" because they have no idea there is a flex location in the Ipod case.

Also, it causes a problem once the flex location is eliminated. Until the item is shot with outs again, the system has no idea the flex location no longer exists.....

Other than those issues, EXF is useful.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

, read up on the store tie guide, it does tell you more stuff about accumulator & how it impacts shelf qty too.
On workbench, google search sales accumulator or
Workbench/logistics/backroom/pulling merchandise/pull process/sales accumulator.
Also, you can run the backroom qty report for items with large on-hand counts, residual ad & nop items are located.

 

[STLinMaking]

Thanks StateofTarget! Thats exactly what I thought and Hardlinesmaster, great minds much think alike as I did that today! Thanks again...... We've got some major issues issues in our store and I'm just trying to sort them out..... Thanks again!

 

[Rarejem]

, read up on the store tie guide, it does tell you more stuff about accumulator & how it impacts shelf qty too.
On workbench, google search sales accumulator or
Workbench/logistics/backroom/pulling merchandise/pull process/sales accumulator.
Also, you can run the backroom qty report for items with large on-hand counts, residual ad & nop items are located.

Have not seen the qty report but it would be awesome for filling empty endcaps - where do I find it?

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Have not seen the qty report but it would be awesome for filling empty endcaps - where do I find it?

Sorry, I forgot this.
Backroom qty report & sales floor tie report are on workbench:
Workbench/salesfloor/tools/store tie application.

 

[Rock Lobster]

Before the system update (Instocks Task List, EXFs getting moved over to MyHome)... EXF functioned in a way similar to what StateofTarget says! That is how everyone explained it to me up until our GOL came through after the new updates and told us it had changed (which from what I have seen is true)...

Essentially, it no longer does what StateofTarget says (essentially it used to change the capacities of items)... Instead it is a simple way to "add" a need to the accumulator! If you want eight, and there are eight in the backroom it works pretty easily! EXF adds a need for 8, the batch pulls 8, the need is now 0! Where EXF gets off is when you over do it! You want all of a certain item to make an endcap so you just say 50 (really the floor even with the flex endcap can hold 25)... Your backroom only has 10... That leaves a need of 40 in your accumulator! If some come in later, it just pull keep pulling and backstocking the item over and over until that need reaches 0!

As long as you are accurately using EXF it is alright... In all reality I don't think Target really cares about the EXFs effects on the accumulator (because they aren't really that large) but its what they tell us to keep us from using it! I think Target doesn't like the use of EXF because every single EXF is a reflection of something not getting done right in the replenishment process! Think about it... If a store is using alot of EXFs, it means that the truck, instocks, backroom, presentation etc aren't filling the salesfloor correctly the first time which would be the most efficient! EXF usage shows an inefficiency is a stores operations and replenishment!

 

[ptl]

Think about it... If a store is using alot of EXFs, it means that the truck, instocks, backroom, presentation etc aren't filling the salesfloor correctly the first time which would be the most efficient! EXF usage shows an inefficiency is a stores operations and replenishment!

...Which is why it's such a terrible idea to NOT let us use it! Using EXF batches fulfills the dual functions of 1) filling the floor so we can actually sell the merchandise, and 2) bringing to light the issues a store is having with the normal processes. A tool that drives sales AND helps me figure out where I can improve my store's performance? Sign me up.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

...Which is why it's such a terrible idea to NOT let us use it! Using EXF batches fulfills the dual functions of 1) filling the floor so we can actually sell the merchandise, and 2) bringing to light the issues a store is having with the normal processes. A tool that drives sales AND helps me figure out where I can improve my store's performance? Sign me up.

Store tie app is a good start, under all apps on PDA & go from there.

 

[Rock Lobster]

...Which is why it's such a terrible idea to NOT let us use it! Using EXF batches fulfills the dual functions of 1) filling the floor so we can actually sell the merchandise, and 2) bringing to light the issues a store is having with the normal processes. A tool that drives sales AND helps me figure out where I can improve my store's performance? Sign me up.

It doesn't function that way though... Target has many tools that have been streamlined to fill our salesfloor! The truck and push process, the backroom autofills and CAFs, the entire instocks process (OUTs and RSCH), Manual CAFs, POG Fills... all of these things are acceptable tools to use to fill your salesfloor! They are the most efficient use of payroll to get your salesfloor filled, and if they aren't doing the job then your store has bigger accumulator issues to deal with! The use of EXFs to fix these issues means that all of these processes aren't doing their jobs, and an EXF doesn't fix the underlying issue, it just covers it up!

 

[ptl]

The use of EXFs to fix these issues means that all of these processes aren't doing their jobs, and an EXF doesn't fix the underlying issue, it just covers it up!

That's exactly my point--it doesn't cover it up, it exposes it. If the store is doing something wrong in one of those other processes and then filling the resulting holes in the floor using some other tool, say just SUBTing when they find an out, then the store is less likely to realize there's a problem. If, on the other hand, they use EXF--which then shows up on a report--it will be easy to see that something upstream is not being done properly.

It's also more efficient than SUBTing everything individually, doesn't have a negative effect on DTK metrics like OUTS/RSCH w/Locs, is more predictable than shooting a manual CAF or POG fill (where you never really know what's gonna come out), etc. As long as you make sure people are only using it when it makes sense--and someone is pulling the Pull Type Report every week to keep track of how often EXF is being used so they can see if there's a problem--then there's no legitimate reason NOT to use it.

Not allowing the use of EXF is throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

 

[Rock Lobster]

That's exactly my point--it doesn't cover it up, it exposes it. If the store is doing something wrong in one of those other processes and then filling the resulting holes in the floor using some other tool, say just SUBTing when they find an out, then the store is less likely to realize there's a problem. If, on the other hand, they use EXF--which then shows up on a report--it will be easy to see that something upstream is not being done properly.

It's also more efficient than SUBTing everything individually, doesn't have a negative effect on DTK metrics like OUTS/RSCH w/Locs, is more predictable than shooting a manual CAF or POG fill (where you never really know what's gonna come out), etc. As long as you make sure people are only using it when it makes sense--and someone is pulling the Pull Type Report every week to keep track of how often EXF is being used so they can see if there's a problem--then there's no legitimate reason NOT to use it.

Not allowing the use of EXF is throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

You made my point in your post... If you are coming across a situation where you need to EXF an item to fill your floor, then you should be using OUTs and RSCH... the DTK metrics related to these tools is how you fix your problems! It breaks down your departments so you can see exactly where mistakes are being made and where you need to focus your attention! Using EXF instead of these tools is doing nothing but covering your mistakes and padding your DTK numbers so you look green on paper! In reality, your replenishment process isn't green and your instocks on the floor aren't getting done correctly, but your numbers don't reflect that and you just have a high number of EXFs being used (instead of it getting done right the first time, and the people wasting their time making EXFs could be doing something more productive!)...

Secondly, if you are using EXF instead of Manual CAFs and POG Fills, then that is a reflection of bad accumulator accuracy and something not getting done right in your replenishment or transition process! That is a bigger concern to me because that is a larger waste of payroll! i would be seriously concerned if you were making EXFs through an entire POG or department to fill it up instead of just dropping a manual CAF or POG fill!

I am not saying to we should throw out EXF, but best practice does say to only use it to fill the checklanes and non-POG endcaps! There is a reason for this best practice and its important to understand why we shouldn't be using EXF over the other tools!

 

[talan123]

You made my point in your post... If you are coming across a situation where you need to EXF an item to fill your floor, then you should be using OUTs and RSCH... the DTK metrics related to these tools is how you fix your problems! It breaks down your departments so you can see exactly where mistakes are being made and where you need to focus your attention! Using EXF instead of these tools is doing nothing but covering your mistakes and padding your DTK numbers so you look green on paper! In reality, your replenishment process isn't green and your instocks on the floor aren't getting done correctly, but your numbers don't reflect that and you just have a high number of EXFs being used (instead of it getting done right the first time, and the people wasting their time making EXFs could be doing something more productive!)...

Secondly, if you are using EXF instead of Manual CAFs and POG Fills, then that is a reflection of bad accumulator accuracy and something not getting done right in your replenishment or transition process! That is a bigger concern to me because that is a larger waste of payroll! i would be seriously concerned if you were making EXFs through an entire POG or department to fill it up instead of just dropping a manual CAF or POG fill!

I am not saying to we should throw out EXF, but best practice does say to only use it to fill the checklanes and non-POG endcaps! There is a reason for this best practice and its important to understand why we shouldn't be using EXF over the other tools!

That could explain why our store's accuracy has been something like 100% the last few months...