System and method for evaluating inventory

• US 20060169775A1
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kroger Company
• Original Assignee: Kroger Company
• Inventors: Gray, Jeffrey Scott, Shofner, James Todd
• Granted Patent: US 7,950,579 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce

Abstract

A computer assisted method for evaluating inventory is provided. The method includes receiving case composition information and case cost information for a case at a store where the case composition information identifies an item of the case and the case cost information identifies cost of the case. An item cost of the item is calculated using the case composition information and case cost information and the item cost is stored in memory. Consumer code information is received for the item and the item cost of the item is retrieved. Inventory cost data is generated using the item cost.

Claims

1. A computer assisted method for evaluating inventory, comprising:

receiving case composition information and case cost information for a case at a store where the case composition information identifies an item of the case and the case cost information identifies cost of the case;

calculating an item cost of the item using the case composition information and case cost information;

storing the item cost in memory;

receiving consumer code information for the item;

retrieving the item cost of the item; and

generating inventory cost data using the item cost.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising calculating an average item cost for the item for a pre-selected time period.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising

retrieving the average item cost of the item;

and

generating inventory cost data using the average item cost.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the time period is about four weeks.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the time period is about one week.

6. The method of claim 1 further including the step of storing the item cost in a store cost database.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the store cost database is an ordered, sequential file.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the case composition information is received from an item information database.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the item is a perishable food item.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising separating the perishable food item from the case prior to the step of receiving consumer code information for the item.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising scanning a barcode associated with the perishable food item.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising

receiving consumer code information for multiple items;

calculating an item cost for the multiple items; and

generating inventory cost data using the item costs.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the identified item is in inventory of the store.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving case code information where the case code information is a universal product code.

15. The method of claim 1, further including replacing the item cost with an override item cost.

16. The method of claim 1 further including replacing the item cost with a corrected item cost, where the corrected item cost is determined by an operator.

17. A method for evaluating inventory, comprising:

receiving cases at a store, where each case includes one or more components capable of being used to produce a variable number or type of items;

receiving case code information identifying the nature of components in the cases and case cost information;

retrieving case composition information for the received cases from a database using the case code information, where the case composition information identifies one or more types of items capable of being produced using the components of the cases;

calculating an item cost for each of the one or more types of items capable of being produced using the components of the cases, wherein the step of calculating uses the case composition information and the case cost information;

storing the item cost in a cost database;

identifying multiple items in inventory;

receiving item code information for the identified items;

retrieving the item cost of the identified items from the cost database;

associating the item cost with the identified items; and

generating an inventory report using the associated item cost.

18. The method of claim 17 further including the step of storing the item cost in a store cost database.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the store cost database is an ordered, sequential file.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the case composition information is received from an item information database.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein one or more of the items is a perishable item.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising separating the one or more perishable item from an associated case.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising scanning a barcode associated with the one or more perishable item.

24. A system for managing financial data, comprising

an enterprise mainframe;

and

one or more store workstations;

wherein the enterprise mainframe is programmed to perform the steps of;

receiving case composition information and case cost information for a case at a store where the case composition information identifies an item of the case and the case cost information identifies cost of the case;

calculating an item cost of the item using the case composition information and case cost information;

storing the item cost in memory;

receiving item code information for the item in inventory;

retrieving the item cost of the item;

generating inventory cost data using the item cost; and

transmitting the inventory cost data to the one or more workstations.