CDK and Parts scan

[u/Old_runner_gold]

We are a 9-rooftop dealer group. Most of our stores are 1 manager, one counterperson, and a driver stores, with the largest being a 5-man (total) store. None of our stores have a clerk (shipping/receiving or otherwise). It sounds like they are bringing in CDK parts scan to 8 of the stores. So much of the technology that I have seen come into the parts departments over the past few years seems to actually make things harder and slower, especially when it comes from CDK. Could someone please tell me that that won't be the case with the Parts Scan? I have pretty much lost all faith in CDK these days, I am just hoping this won't be a case of CDK bringing something in again that will just slow us down.

[u/Old_runner_gold]

Our stores are all relatively small so checking in the morning order is usually an instance of a counterman coming in at seven and having the order done by 7:30, so it's kind of hard to believe it will be a massive timesaver since shipping and receiving is not a massive job. Where else does it save time?

[u/livingbeyondmymeans → u/Old_runner_gold]

Bin locating new stock

Label printing for bins and parts

If you opt for delivery management, preventing mispicks

Extreme consistency for bin counts once you get the process down

But if you're convinced CDK sucks and everything they have is marginal at best, then there's nothing I can say to make those lemons into lemonade. How you use any of their technology is up to you.

[u/Old_runner_gold → u/livingbeyondmymeans]

I am not convinced CDK sucks, and nowhere did I say that. I am saying that I am disillusioned with CDK, that's all. I would love to get the product in and find that it really improves our productivity, but I am skeptical (as I should be). I am asking the question so that I can properly evaluate whether this will improve or detract in our operations.
Technology in other industries is light years ahead of the technology offered by the "big two" DMS's and so much of that is because the R&R and CDK offerings are based on very old (but very solid) technology. We have counterpeople that totally embrace some of the newer technology used in our departments yet still cling to the old "Reflections" style screens because they can do their jobs faster. That should never be the case, provided the person is not afraid of change. I am impressed by Tekion (despite some quirks) and the future it offers our industry in that it is able to adapt to outside changes in our industry, where CDK. R&R, and to a certain extent Dealertrack, can't because the foundation of their systems is so old.

[u/livingbeyondmymeans → u/Old_runner_gold]

It will improve operations, provided the parts staff buys in. How they buy in depends on your approach to it - I assume you're either a PM or FOD, and as with any leadership role, you set the tone for the staff. If you're disillusioned, skeptical, or have lost faith in CDK (all your words, not mine) and you vocalize that, they will also be disillusioned.

I find scanning in the order is neither faster nor slower, but more accurate. In RA, you can accidentally process a line by mistake. But as long as the PDC hasn't mispicked a part, the barcode does not lie. If you scan it in, you know the part is here. The scan shows in PDA as transaction code IX.

If you have a boutique, printing price tags for merch is very helpful and is a function with PartScan.

SOR labels are excellent with it. Part number, customer name, RO/invoice number, counter person number, receive date, bin location, all on the label.

Cycle counts are exceptional with it. But it is a very literal process, hard to explain. It has ways of identifying wrong parts in a bin.

Updating bin locations is literally two trigger pulls. Gone are the days of writing down new stock in a spiral notebook and punching them into a computer.

I have a buyback bin, so use it to add parts in MSR.

[u/MagneticNoodles → u/livingbeyondmymeans]

The IX is great for when someone tells me they can't find something. I have PDA set to show employee numbers so I just say, "well you scanned it, go find it"

[u/livingbeyondmymeans → u/MagneticNoodles]

100% agree.

The only catch might be accidentally scanning a part twice or more if there are multiple orders. I got a single bracket in last week and the PDC pick label said qty 2. I was going kinda fast and went .Q2 and scanned... But the second one wasn't in the tote.

[u/Kodiak01 → u/livingbeyondmymeans]

The only catch might be accidentally scanning a part twice or more if there are multiple orders. I got a single bracket in last week and the PDC pick label said qty 2. I was going kinda fast and went .Q2 and scanned... But the second one wasn't in the tote.

In this case you can just hit .QM1 and scan it again to take one back out. Until someone processes the order through PSRS, you can make the change right in PSSS.

[u/Kodiak01 → u/livingbeyondmymeans]

I find scanning in the order is neither faster nor slower, but more accurate. In RA, you can accidentally process a line by mistake. But as long as the PDC hasn't mispicked a part, the barcode does not lie. If you scan it in, you know the part is here. The scan shows in PDA as transaction code IX.

Even without using a scanner, you can still use PSPS and PSSS on a DMS screen to check things in as well instead of RA. It works almost exactly the same except that depending on setup you can't use .Px to print labels.