Principles of Maintaining Stationery Stock

Transcription

1 Unit 6: Unit code: QCF Level 2: Principles of Maintaining Stationery Stock Y/601/7643 BTEC Specialist Credit value: 1 Guided learning hours: 8 Unit aim This unit provides learners with an understanding of how to maintain stationery stock. Unit introduction Administration soon grinds to a halt if stationery stocks are not available in the right place at the right time. If stationery stocks are not controlled then the stocks may be lost or spoiled or items may fall into the wrong hands. In this unit learners explore why it is important that stationery stocks are maintained and controlled. They then go on to examine the different factors which affect the future level of demand for stationery items. They also consider the importance of obtaining value for money when ordering stock and the consequences of wasteful purchasing for an organisation. Learners will investigate what triggers a stationery order, how to make the order and then go on to receive, store and dispose of stocks. Finally they learn how to carry out a stock-taking exercise. The unit is delivered and assessed in a practical way based on the needs of a chosen organisation. 69

2 Learning outcomes and assessment criteria In order to pass this unit, the evidence that the learner presents for assessment needs to demonstrate that they can meet all the learning outcomes for the unit. The assessment criteria determine the standard required to achieve the unit. On completion of this unit a learner should: Learning outcomes 1 Understand why stationery stock needs to be available 2 Understand how to maintain stationery stock levels Assessment criteria 1.1 Explain the purpose of making sure stationery stock is maintained and controlled 1.2 Describe factors that may affect the future level of demand for stationery stock 1.3 Explain the purpose of making sure value for money is obtained when ordering stock 2.1 Describe how to order, receive, store and dispose of stationery items 2.2 Explain how to carry out a stocktake of stationery stock items 70 BA Specification Edexcel BTEC Levels 2 and 3 Award/Certificate

3 Unit content 1 Understand why stationery stock needs to be available Stationery: consumables to support the administration of a business, eg paper, including headed paper, pens, pencils, erasers, paper clips, staplers and staples, CDs, memory sticks, print cartridges, toner for photocopiers, envelopes, adhesive tape, paper files, plastic wallets, paper diaries, calendars, notepads, glue-sticks; company literature, eg flyers, leaflets, business cards, brochures; company forms, eg order forms, advice notes, despatch notes, sales invoices, expense claim forms Purposes of maintaining stationery stocks: enables continuous workflow; prevents bottlenecks; assists in meeting timescales/deadlines; helps to maintain quality standards; maintains efficient operations, eg time cost of running out of stationery items, potential loss of sales through running out of stationery items Purposes of controlling stationery stocks: to ensure adequate supplies; to guard against theft; to avoid obsolescence; to prevent spoiling of stock; to ensure only authorised people have access, to ensure that out-of-date stock is not used; to guard against wasteful use of stocks; to ensure that use data is accurate; to ensure the organisation is not misrepresented through fraudulent use of headed paper; to guard against fraudulent use of order forms; expense claims and receipt forms; to make sure stationery is handled safely, eg complying with manual handling regulations, complying with regulations relating to fire and hazardous substances; main health and safety hazards arising from uncontrolled use of stationery, eg lifting, tripping, items falling on people, fire, harm from hazardous substances Internal factors affecting future demand for stationery stock: business plans; projects; changes, eg company name, livery, branding, personnel names, technological developments External factors affecting future demand for stationery: changes in technology and/or processes; changes in trends/demand for company products or services; changes in legislation Purpose of making sure value for money is obtained: value for money defined as obtaining maximum benefit from the money spent; purpose, eg save money to meet organisational objectives, help organisation to be competitive; factors to take into consideration when considering value for money, eg quantity needed over future period, whether package or batch size is compatible with organisational requirements, quality of performance, longevity of performance, ease of use by relevant staff, time spent handling orders and packaging, potential for damage to other company property, whether robust or easily broken, storage space Small value or infrequently needed items: cost of time spent researching best purchase may exceed amount that could be saved 71

4 2 Understand how to maintain stationery stock levels Ordering stationery: need to follow organisational guidelines; systems for determining when and how much to order, eg re-order level when stock reaches pre-set minimum level an order is made, regular stock reviews stock is measured on a pre-determined date and an order made to raise stock levels to pre-determined maximum, fixed order quantity same quantity always ordered; select suppliers from approved suppliers; sort requirements by supplier; collect details for each order, eg contact details of supplier, items of stationery required, suppliers catalogue number for each item, required quantity of each item, date needed, place to be delivered, prices agreed, order quantities for each item, payment terms, name of person who is responsible for authorising order; prepare order, send to person authorising order, ensure that arrangements for receiving goods are in place, ordering systems, eg manual, electronic Receiving stationery stocks: checking goods against delivery note and order; checking for damage; correct items and quantity of each item; if damages or discrepancies found record details on both supplier s and own organisation s copies of delivery note before signing for goods Storing stationery stocks: suitable location for stationery store, eg access to users, space for handling deliveries and distribution, dry, clean atmosphere, secure environment; storage equipment, eg cupboards, shelves, boxes, files; handling equipment, eg office steps, trolley, gloves; storage system, eg labelled, items arranged to reduce hazards to health and safety, items arranged for efficient handling, packaging or stationery storage equipment used to prevent spoilage from dirt, light or handling; items arranged to ensure that oldest stocks used first to prevent wastage, stock records updated, stock records, eg manual, electronic, with or without bar coding Disposing of stationery items: reasons for disposal, eg distribution to users, disposal of obsolescent items, disposal of used stationery Distribution to users: delivery to users or collection by users, eg follow safe handling regulations, update stock records, deliver to or allow collection only by authorised person Disposal of obsolescent items: reasons for obsolescence, eg unforeseen changes to company literature or headed paper, unforeseen changes in use of technology, over ordering of stationery; check with authorised person to agree disposal decision and method of disposal, update stock records, review purchase decision to see if obsolescence could have been avoided Disposal of used stationery items: protection of data when disposing of used stationery, data to be protected, eg sensitive organisational information, personal data about individuals, information about other organisations; method of protecting data, eg shredding stationery, wiping memory sticks and rewritable CDs, destruction of other CDs; recycling arrangements, eg classification of items into paper, card, plastics, glass, identification of items to be returned to manufacturer for recycling; recycling through re-use, eg refillable printer cartridges, re-chargeable batteries, re-using files and plastic wallets, re-writable CDs 72 BA Specification Edexcel BTEC Levels 2 and 3 Award/Certificate

5 Stock-take of stationery items: stock-take definition eg making an itemised list of merchandise or supplies on hand; purposes eg to check usage levels, to check for obsolescence, to check for theft, to check whether more supplies are needed; process for carrying out stationery stock-check eg set date and time, ban orders and deliveries, count or estimate quantity of each item of stock, make record of stock level of each item 73