Methods and systems for auditing overstock in a retail environment

• US 10,325,230 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2016
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: Brandon, Justin Lynn, Fletter, Marc Ashley
• Primary Examiner(s): Kassim, Hafiz A
• Application Number:
  US15/012,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20160224916A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are related to auditing overstock products in a retail environment. A database query is constructed to retrieve employee schedule information for a specified time period from a database. A first data structure is created that includes an audit list of employees scheduled to work during the specified time period in response to database records returned by the database in response to the submission of the database query. A pseudo-random sorting function is executed to randomize a position of the employees in the audit list. A second data structure is created that includes audit data generated in response to an overstock audit. A report is generated based on the audit data and includes at least one visual representation of the audit data.

Claims

1. A method of auditing overstock products in a retail environment, the method comprising:

constructing a database query to retrieve schedule information for a specified time period from a database;

creating a first data structure that includes an audit list of records for the specified time period in response to database records returned by the database in response to the submission of the database query;

executing a randomizer with a processing device to randomize a position of the records in the audit list via a pseudo-random sorting function;

rendering at least a subset of the audit list in a graphical user interface;

creating a selectable link for each record in the audit list;

executing an audit engine with the processing device to programmatically restrict selection of the records in the audit list to the randomized order of the records output by the pseudo-random sorting function of the randomizer during an overstock audit;

receiving a selection of the selectable link for one of the records;

upon selection of the selectable link, navigating the user to one or more further graphical user interfaces specific to the record in real-time;

receiving input from a user via the one or more further graphical user interface;

controlling a scanner to scan a product identifier associated with an overstock product to obtain product identifying information in a computer-readable format;

creating a second data structure that includes audit data generated in response to the overstock audit; and

generating a report based on the audit data that includes at least one visual representation of the audit data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via data entry areas in the graphical user interface observational data associated with one or more overstock products; and

converting the observational data into the audit data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

scanning an audit form to include observational information to convert the observational information to audit data having the computer-readable format.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

constructing a further database query including the product identifying information to retrieve inventory information associated with the overstock product from an inventory database; and

rendering the inventory information in the one or more further graphical user interfaces.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving input from the user via the one or more graphical user interface associated with one or more issues of a product display area that prevents placement of the overstock product in the product display area.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that are executable by a processing device, wherein execution of the instructions by the processing device causes the processing device to:

construct a database query to retrieve schedule information for a specified time period from a database;

create a first data structure that includes an audit list of records for the specified time period in response to database records returned by the database in response to the submission of the database query;

execute a randomizer with a processing device to randomize a position of the records in the audit list via a pseudo-random sorting function;

render at least a subset of the audit list in a graphical user interface;

create a selectable link for each record included in the audit list;

execute an audit engine with the processing device to programmatically restrict selection of the records in the audit list to the randomized order of the records output by the pseudo-random sorting function of the randomizer during an overstock audit;

receive a selection of the selectable link for one of the records;

upon selection of the selectable link, navigate the user to one or more further graphical user interfaces specific to the record in real-time;

receive input from a user via the one or more further graphical user interface;

control a scanner to scan a product identifier associated with an overstock product to obtain product identifying information in a computer-readable format;

create a second data structure that includes audit data generated in response to the overstock audit; and

generate a report based on the audit data that includes at least one visual representation of the audit data.

7. The medium of claim 6, wherein execution of the instructions by the processing device causes the processing device to:

receive, via data entry areas in the graphical user interface observational data associated with one or more overstock products; and

convert the observational data into the audit data.

8. The medium of claim 6, wherein execution of the instructions by the processing device causes processing device to:

scan an audit form to include observational information to convert the observational information to audit data having the computer-readable format.

9. The medium of claim 6, wherein execution of the instructions by the processing device causes processing device to:

construct a further database query including the product identifying information to retrieve inventory information associated with the overstock product from an inventory database; and

render the inventory information in the one or more further graphical user interfaces.

10. The medium of claim 9, wherein execution of the instructions by the processing device causes processing device to:

receive input from the user via the one or more graphical user interface associated with one or more issues of a product display area that prevents placement of the overstock product in the product display area.

11. A system of auditing overstock products in a retail environment, the system comprising:

a schedule database that includes schedule data; and

a portable audit device including a non-transitory computer-readable medium and a processing device, wherein the processing device is configured to execute instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium to;

construct a database query to retrieve schedule information for a specified time period from a schedule database;

create a first data structure that includes an audit list of records for the specified time period in response to database records returned by the database in response to the submission of the database query;

execute a randomizer to randomize a position of the records in the audit list via a pseudo-random sorting function;

render at least a subset of the audit list in a graphical user interface;

create a selectable link for each record included in the audit list;

execute an audit engine to programmatically restrict selection of the records in the audit list to the randomized order of the records output by the pseudo-random sorting function of the randomizer during an overstock audit;

receive a selection of the selectable link for one of the records;

upon selection of the selectable link, navigate the user to one or more further graphical user interfaces specific to the record in real-time;

receive input from a user via the one or more further graphical user interface;

control a scanner to scan a product identifier associated with an overstock product to obtain product identifying information in a computer-readable format;

create a second data structure that includes audit data generated in response to the overstock audit; and

generate a report based on the audit data that includes at least one visual representation of the audit data.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

an inventory database that includes inventory data for products,

wherein the processing device is configured to execute instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium to;

construct a further database query including the product identifying information to retrieve inventory information associated with the overstock product from an inventory database; and

render the inventory information in the one or more further graphical user interfaces.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the processing device is configured to execute instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium to:

receive input from the user via the one or more graphical user interface associated with one or more issues of a product display area that prevents placement of the overstock product in the product display area.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the portable audit device includes a display device, and wherein the processing device is configured to execute instructions stored in the non-transitory computer readable medium to output the report to the display device.