Negative stock values - RECURRING fault with MYOB

[TTO]

a)  there doesnt appear to be an inventory related topic to choose from here?

b).  I have an inventory issue.

c)  this is a RECURRING and never resolved problem with Accountright.  I move a lot of stock around in small quantities in my business.  When I move 25.2 of product X transform it into new product Y, I end up with an MYOB generated on hand number for product X of -E12345678993737373  or similar.   I can adjust, build, move, sell - doesn't matter.  Nothing works.

From that point onward I can do nothing with product X.  In particular, I cannot reduce or stock take  it to Zero because I do not have enough stock on hand!  this is a known problem with  MYOB and I have been living with it for several years.

WHEN WILL IT BE FIXED?  You make the competition look like geniuses and all you do is keep bumping up the subscription prices.  WHY can't it be fixed?  this is pretty basic stuff for a program to manage.  I have previously spent hours/days on hold and talking to technicians about this but the problem does not go away no matter how many updates come through.

[Steven_M]

Hi @TTO 

We are aware that under circumstances inventory items in AccountRight can show unusual numbers and records such as lengthy decimal places. This is typically caused by some errors in the item's history.  While this situation has been reported through to the product teams this is not something that we do have an immediate fix for and thus don't have a release date when it will be fully resolved.

In the meantime, we do have a series of scripts that we can arrange to be run over the company file. We are happy to organise these scripts to be run over the file when required for users on the Forum. The following information would need to be confirmed/posted to arrange for those scripts to be run:

• Where the company file is stored i.e. online or local
• What the LAST FOUR DIGITS of the serial number is - Setup>>Company Information
• What is the company file ID - Help>>About AccountRight

Note: The scripts do only retro-actively work. They typically remedy the previous information so the correct item information is shown. There may be cases where that situation will resurface, however, we are happy to arrange for those scripts to be run again if required.

[The_Doc]

Hi @TTO 

I do agree with you on that point! However, the problem is complex and has been there a long time - and unfortunately is not easy to fix.

From your front end perspective - Steven's solution - though only a bandaid - is about as best that can be done.

The problem stems from long ago - and wasn't such a pronlem in V19 because they did the mathematics differently - unusually - data was stored (interestingly) as text - often and converted back and forth to single/double digits and then rounded - the conversion cleaned up residual decimals ( - I worked significantly with inventory and had work arounds).

AccountRight changed everything - they fixed some problems with the requirement for increased decimal places (accuracy) (asked by users/partners) but this created other problems.

The problem is not new - if you store data in double precision maths format - and work in single precision - you are going to get exactly the problem you now see.

The problem really rears its ugly head when using the API to POST and GET from a perpetual inventory - though, knowing the problem I was able to build code around and clean this up - it is not pretty.

Unfortunately, though not in anyway defending the developer in MYOB, but as a coder myself - this is a real difficult problem.

And you fix 1 problem but create another - the API has a big problem in this precsion problem.

Solution - go with Stevens offer to run a cleanup script.

The Doc 

[TTO]

Hello Steven.  Thank you for your response.  Yes, my data file has had scripts run over it previously and it did seem to work - for a while.  This will be a recurring issue for my data unless I change my software.  I've been a user for 20 years.  Don't you guys care?  I note the reply also from @The_Doc and accept a solution isn't straight forward but as someone paying you guys every month for the privilege of using your software, I'd think that getting the adding up and taking away, was a pretty fundamental accounting software provision.  No?

My file is online.

Last 4 digits of serial #  ...8959

File ID: 17

I fully expect this issue to recur from June onwards when our harvest commences and I start having to record inward product and outward transformation to other product.  Will I have to come through the Community Forum again when I need the scripts re-run?

thank you for your prompt response.

TTO

[TTO]

Thanks for your feedback - much appreciated.  I accept it isn't a straightforward fix for the techs but really?  This is an accounting program.  If they can't get the adding up and taking away right in inventory it makes me wonder about the solidity of other areas of the program eg foreign currency, STP , payroll.  All of these use multiple decimal point calculations.

Getting this stuff correct should be foundational.

PatB (TTO) 

[Steven_M]

Hi @TTO 

Thank you for confirming that information.

I've arranged for the necessary scripts to be run for you. I do recommend closing down and reopening the company file to ensure that the changes are fully applied.

If that situation does re-appear do let us know and we would be happy to arrange for those scripts to be run again for you. We just require an indication that you are encountering a situation with item numbers have long decimal values, the last four digits of the serial number, and the company file ID to arrange for that script to be run.

[TTO]

Hello Steven,

I've just logged back in to the dataset with inventory issues.  I assume the scripts have been run because most of the stock values have reverted to zero as they should be.  However there remain several items of stock that are still showing the -E1234583 type figure as "on hand".  Any chance those scripts can be re-run and the tech or you let me know when it's done?  So I can confidently work on the data?

thank you

TTO

[Steven_M]

Hi @TTO 

I've arranged for those scripts to be run again over that company file ID 17 as requested. Do ensure that you close down and reopen the company file for those changes to be fully applied.

[TTO]

Hi again @Steven_M 

Still not fixing some of the stock.   

If, when I 'open' the stock item to look at its details, the stock with the corrupted o/hand number, displays "0" as the stock on hand in the detail area.  Can't a "mask" be put over the display in the Items List Inventoried page that says if it's < zero, display zero?  It shows up as zero in print reports and in the item detail.

TTO

[Steven_M]

Hi @TTO 

So we can investigate in more detail would you mind providing additional information into what you can see. For example a screenshot of the Item list and one of the Item's Profile tab.