Key Concepts¶
Understanding these concepts will help you navigate Knosc and interpret data correctly across all modules.
Item vs. Item-Location¶
Knosc tracks inventory and orders at two levels of granularity:
Item level - aggregates all quantities across every warehouse. Use this to see total demand, total stock, and total supply for an item regardless of where it sits physically. If an item exists in multiple locations, it appears on a single row.
Item-Location level - breaks quantities down per warehouse. If an item exists in three different warehouses, it appears on three separate rows - one per location. Purchase Orders, Sales Orders, Manufacturing Orders, and Forecasts are also split per location at this level. Use this when you need to understand stock positions at specific sites, plan warehouse-level replenishment, or investigate a shortage at a particular location.
Most screens let you switch between these levels with a toggle. The Planning screen supports both simultaneously - you can view item-level reorder recommendations and drill into individual warehouse positions from the same view.
Note
Custom columns and saved views are independent at each level. A view saved at Item level is not visible when the screen is switched to Item-Location level.
Order Structure: Documents and Lines¶
Every order type in Knosc (purchase orders, sales orders, forecasts, manufacturing orders) follows the same two-tier structure:
Order Document (header)
├── Line 1: Item A, 100 units, delivery 2026-04-01
├── Line 2: Item B, 50 units, delivery 2026-04-15
└── Line 3: Item A, 25 units, delivery 2026-04-22
Document (also called Order List) - the parent record. Contains counterpart information (supplier or customer), the order reference number, and document-level dates.
Line (also called Order Details) - the individual item quantities and delivery dates within the document. A document can have one or many lines. Planning, allocation, and inventory calculations operate at the line level.
This distinction is reflected in the custom columns screen (custom columns are associated with either the document or the line table) and in the create/edit form (header fields are separate from line fields).
Document Status¶
The document status is automatically derived from the aggregate status of its lines. You cannot manually set a document status - it is always calculated.
Order lines can be Open, Shipped, or Received. Suggested and planned reorder lines carry additional statuses. The document status is derived using the following priority rules:
| Condition | Document Status |
|---|---|
| All lines are Planned Reorder | Planned Reorder |
| Any line is Planned Reorder | Partially Planned Reorder |
| All lines are Suggested Reorder | Suggested Reorder |
| Any line is Suggested Reorder | Partially Suggested Reorder |
| All lines are Received | Closed |
| Any line is Received | Partially Received |
| All lines are Shipped | Shipped |
| Any line is Shipped | Partially Shipped |
| None of the above apply | Open |
Demand vs. Forecast¶
Knosc recognises two types of incoming demand signals:
| Sales Orders | Forecasts | |
|---|---|---|
| Nature | Firm commitment from a customer | Estimated future demand, subject to change |
| Certainty | High - a real order exists | Lower - may be revised or cancelled |
| Impact on planning | Always included in demand calculations | Included based on planning settings |
| Archiving | Moves to archive when fulfilled or cancelled | Moves to archive based on delivery date |
In general, sales orders represent final agreements that must be served, while forecasts represent tentative predictions. Beyond this distinction, they are largely interchangeable to the planning engine - many calculations are performed for both, or use one as the fallback quantity when the other is absent.
The Planning screen uses the greater of sales order demand or forecast demand when calculating reorder quantities (configurable). Some organisations have automated workflows that convert forecast to demand under specific conditions; others maintain a strict separation. The approach is determined by individual business requirements.
The Forecast vs Sales dashboard shows historical accuracy between what was forecast and what was actually ordered.
Inventory Position¶
Knosc calculates inventory position dynamically, not just from a static snapshot:
Inventory Position = Quantity In Stock
+ Expected Supply (open POs + MOs due before runout date)
- Demand (open SOs + forecasts due before runout date)
This forward-looking calculation drives the Planning screen's reorder recommendations. A red or orange planning status indicates the position will reach zero before the next expected supply arrives.
Planning Status¶
Every item (or item-location) on the Planning screen carries a status that summarises its supply/demand balance:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| OK | Inventory position is healthy through the planning horizon |
| Refill Scheduled | A purchase order or manufacturing order already covers the need |
| Reorder Level | Stock is approaching the reorder point; a suggested order has been generated |
| Run Out Level | Stock will reach zero before the next supply arrives |
| Out of Stock | Stock is already at zero with open demand |
| Overstocked | Inventory exceeds the target level |
| Inactive | No active demand or supply; item not actively planned |
Statuses are recalculated each time the planning engine runs (configurable frequency, typically hourly).
Suggested Purchase Orders¶
When the planning engine determines that an item requires replenishment, it automatically generates a Suggested Purchase Order. These appear on the Planning screen and in the Purchase Orders screen (flagged as Suggested).
Suggested orders are recalculated on each planning run and are read-only until accepted. Once accepted, they become standard purchase orders that can be edited and transmitted to suppliers. A suggested order that is promoted to Planned becomes a firm order and is not replaced by subsequent planning runs.
Warning
Accepting a suggested order is irreversible from the UI. The order becomes a live purchase order immediately. Review the quantity, supplier, and delivery date before accepting.
Saved Views¶
A saved view captures the current state of a screen - which columns are visible, their names, their order, and any active filters - and lets you reload that exact configuration with one click.
Views are accessed and managed via the Advanced Menu (three-dot icon) on each screen. Views can be shared with other users in your organisation.
Use saved views to create role-specific or workflow-specific screen configurations without affecting what other users see by default. The system remembers the last selected view per screen and restores it automatically on your next visit.
See UI Reference - Saved Views for full instructions.
Change Tracking¶
Knosc can monitor changes in forecast or demand data and alert users when changes exceed configured thresholds. This is useful for identifying unexpected demand swings that require a planning response.
Thresholds are set in Settings → Change Tracking and can be defined in absolute units or as a percentage change, over a configurable aggregation period.
Custom Columns¶
Administrators can define additional columns beyond the system defaults. These appear on the relevant screen once activated and can be used in Advanced Search filters (when applicable to the data context) and included in data uploads.
Custom columns are associated with a specific database table - either the order document or the order line - and must be configured at the appropriate level.
See Administrator → Custom Columns to manage these settings.