JPH05258183A - Product management method and system - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] It is intended to provide a product management method and its system which have flexibility for changing the structure of a sales floor and the products handled in each sales floor. [Configuration] A computer at each site such as a store has an input device, an output device, and a storage device. The storage device includes a correspondence table indicating information about a product and a storage area for processing unique to the product and a correspondence relationship between the name of the product and the storage area.
Store the bull. The product name is input from the input device, and the computer refers to the corresponding table in the storage device to obtain the storage area corresponding to the input product name. Subsequently, the information about the product and the process about the product are read from the storage area, the read process is executed based on the read information about the product, and the execution result is output to the output device. .. [Effect] It will be possible to efficiently construct a product management system according to the products handled at each sales floor.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a product management method in a business entity having a plurality of distributed stores and a headquarters function for integrated management of the stores, such as a supermarket and a convenience store. Involved in that system,
The present invention relates to a merchandise management method and system effective for merchandise management operations starting from a sales floor such as an assortment plan, a display plan, ordering and inventory management.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The product management business to which the present invention is directed is composed of the following elemental businesses. That is, assortment /
These include product display planning work, ordering work, processing quantity planning work, and sales performance analysis work. Conventionally, a computer system that supports a part of the elemental work has been proposed. Such a system includes a plurality of workstations, a host computer that is connected to them and integrally manages them, and a plurality of POSs (Point O) that are connected to the host computer.
f Sales) terminal. The host computer is
It has a storage device and stores POS data (actual information (time-series information) such as sales performance information, order performance information, order performance information) obtained from a POS system centered on a POS terminal. The computer system that supports these elemental tasks is described below. There is a product placement determination system as a computer system that supports the product assortment / product display planning work. The product placement determination system is discussed in The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan, Volume C, Volume 110, No. 8, 1990, pp. 463 to 472. This product placement determination system uses the knowledge of product placement determination obtained from the expert, placement policy (addition / deletion of products, setting / change of display position and display quantity) entered by the planner, and POS data. Based on, the product placement plan is automatically determined and the result is output to the output device. As a computer system that supports the ordering business, there is an application program “Hitoderder, a replenishment ordering system for mass retailers” by Hitachi, Ltd. This system runs on a computer installed at the headquarters. This computer has two storage devices. The first storage device stores order data of each product transmitted from a plurality of stores. The second storage device stores order data of each commodity to a plurality of customers. This system classifies the order data in the first storage device according to the customer and stores it in the second storage device. As a computer system that supports processing planning work, a fresh food processing amount planning system is available from the Society of Systems Control Information, Vol. 34, No. 6, 1990,
Discussed on pages 18-25. This system is based on the processing amount decision knowledge acquired from the expert, the cosal data (weather, sales promotion of competitors, etc.) and POS data, and the processing amount of each product during each opening time. Is automatically determined and the result is output to the output device. As a computer system that supports sales / profit analysis work, a perishables profit management system is available from pages 214 to 21 of Proceedings of the Spring Conference of Operational Research Society, 1988.
Discussed on page 5. This system determines the optimal allocation method for allocating purchase costs to each individual product, based on the purchase costs (purchase cost) of raw materials and POS data, in an interactive manner with the manager. , Calculate the profit of each single item by using the determined allocation method.

[0003]

The product management business to which the present invention is directed has at least the following two characteristics.
The first feature is that the structure of the sales floor and the products handled in each sales floor differ depending on the characteristics of the store (store size, customer segment, conditions of competing stores, etc.). In addition, the frequency of product replacement is frequent, which often changes the sales floor for individual products. However, such a conventional system separates the information about the product and the processing related to them, and makes the database of each information and the programming of each processing. Therefore, it is effective when there is little change in the processing related to the product, such as replacement of the processing related to the product or transfer to a sales floor where the processing related to the product is the same. However, if there are many changes in the processing, there is no guarantee that a prompt response can be made.
The second feature is that one person in charge is in charge of a plurality of elemental tasks. Then, the range of elemental work handled by one person in charge differs depending on the scale of the store and the ability of the person in charge. However, such a conventional system has a separate man-machine interface, and no consideration is given to this feature. Therefore, there is no guarantee that the operability is ensured for the person in charge. An object of the present invention is to provide a merchandise management method and system having flexibility for changing the structure of a sales floor and the products handled in each sales floor. Another object of the present invention is to provide a merchandise management method and a system thereof, which are provided with a man-machine interface for ensuring compatibility with a person in charge.

[0004]

[Means for Solving the Problems] Attention is paid to the fact that the starting point of the target product management work is in the sales floor, and the above object is achieved as follows. A computer system installed at each site such as a headquarters or a store has an input device, an output device, and a storage device. The storage device stores a storage area for information about a product and processing unique to the product and a correspondence table indicating a correspondence relationship between the name of the product and the storage area. The product name is input from the input device, and the computer refers to the corresponding table in the storage device to obtain the storage area corresponding to the input product name. Then, from that storage area,
Read the information about the product and the processing related to the product,
The read-out process is executed based on the read-out information about the product, and the execution result is output to the output device. Further, the above-mentioned computer receives, from another computer, data in which the name of the product is added to the information about the product and the process related to the product. Then, if the name of the product included in the received data is stored in the corresponding table, this computer obtains the storage area corresponding to this product based on the corresponding table. .. If not stored in the correspondence table, a storage area having no correspondence with any product is obtained. Then, in the storage area, the data
Stores information about products included in the data and processing about products. On the other hand, the operation of the computer at the site for transmitting the above-mentioned data is as follows. The calculator on this site
The name of the product is input from the input device of the computer of this site, the corresponding table in the storage device of this site is referred to, and the storage area corresponding to the name of the product is obtained. Then, the information about the product and the process about the product stored in the area are read out, and the name of the input product is added to the information and the other computer transmits the information. At any of the sites, if the input of the name of the product is made to be selected by the input device, for example, the pointing device from the product display diagram output to the output device, the operator can easily use it. Therefore, a display position table indicating the correspondence between the name of the product and the display position of the product on the display shelf is stored in the storage device, and the display position table is displayed based on the contents of the display position table. The product display diagram showing the display state of the product is output to the output device. The name of the product is input by designating the product on the displayed display and referring to the display position table to obtain the name of the product.

[0005]

With the above-mentioned structure, the following operational effects can be obtained. Information about products and processing related to the products that are managed at each site such as the store or the headquarters that controls them are given the names of the corresponding products as their keys, so at each site (computer), Manages various information and processing by using the name of the product as a common key, for example,
It can be stored in the storage device, retrieved, and processed. This produces the following effects as a derivative. In many cases, the products sold at the individual sales floors differ depending on the characteristics of each store (customer segment, store scale, etc.). Therefore, if the file structure of the storage device that stores information about products is the same at every store, you have a file that can store information about products that you do not handle. There will be more loss. When the present invention is carried out, it is sufficient that the storage device has necessary information, that is, information regarding the products being handled, and the storage device at each site can have a small capacity. Further, since the information about the product and the processing about the product are stored in the storage device as a pair and managed, the addition or the change of the product to be handled requires the addition of the information about the product or the processing on the storage device. And it can be dealt with by replacing. Further, since the name of the product is managed as a key, it is not necessary for the user to be aware of the address of the storage device, and the file structure can be dynamically changed according to the change of the product handled. Since the interface between the operator and the computer is a product display diagram showing the display status of the products on the display shelf, the operator can easily understand the correspondence with the actual display status of the store, for example. The operator's operation through the product display is also executed by using the product name as a key, so that the operator can perform an operation with a sense of reality. Summarizing the above, by implementing the present invention, it becomes possible to efficiently construct a product management system according to the products handled in each sales floor.

[0006]

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described below. Figure 1
Shows the device configuration of the present embodiment. The two computers 1 and 2 which are distributed are connected by an information communication network 3. The computer 1 includes an output device 11, an input device 12, and a storage device 13. The computer 2 includes an output device 21, an input device 22, and a storage device 23. As shown in FIG. 2, the storage devices 13 and 23 have a table 131 showing correspondence between product names and storage areas, and a table 135 for storing information about products and processing about the products. FIG. 2 shows the above
It is a block diagram of the bull 131 and 135. Table 13
5 includes a storage column 137 for information about products and a storage column 136 for processing about products. The table 131
Is a storage field 132 for the name of the product and the
It is composed of a pointer storage field 133 indicating the storage location of the bull 135. In the present embodiment, for each product stored in the storage field 132, the table 135 is stored in order to store a plurality of processes and information relating to the product in the table 135.
The bull 135 is divided into a plurality of partial areas, and this partial area is assigned to each product. Therefore, the pointer storage field 133 is composed of a pointer 1331 indicating the head position of the partial area and a pointer 1332 indicating the tail position of the partial area.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart showing the operation of this embodiment. The product management method by the computer 1 will be described with reference to this figure. << Step 101 >>: Input of Product Name First, the computer 1 receives the product name from the input device 12. The name of the product in charge of the business person can be specified in advance. As a method of inputting such information, (1) key
There is a method of inputting as character string information from the board, (2) a method of outputting a product name to an output device and picking it up by a pointing device. In the present embodiment, a method of outputting a product display diagram showing the display position and the number of products displayed on the display shelf to the output device, selecting the product with the pointing device, and inputting the information about the product from the keyboard. To adopt.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing this input method.
FIG. The input method will be described with reference to this figure. <Step 1011>: Reading of product display information (1) Dimensions of fixtures for displaying products, which are stored in advance in the storage device 13 to create a product display diagram, (2)
The size and position of the shelf of the furniture, (3) the size and display position of each product, and the number of displays are read. FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of the table 270 that stores the dimension information of the furniture. The table 270 includes a furniture name storage field 271, a width dimension storage field 272, a height dimension storage field 273, and a depth dimension storage field 274. One furniture consists of multiple display shelves. FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the table 280 that stores the dimension information and the position information of the shelves. This table 28
0 is a storage field 281 for the name of the shelf, a storage field 282 for the height of each shelf from the floor, a storage field 283 for the width dimension of the shelf, and a height dimension from the shelf to the shelf immediately above. Memory column 284,
It is configured from a storage field 285 of the depth dimension of the shelves. Products are displayed on each shelf. FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a table 290 that stores size information, display position information, and display number information of products. This table 290 has a storage field 29 for storing the product name.
2. Storage field 29 for the name of the shelf on which the product is displayed
1. Width storage field 293 of the product, height dimension storage field 2
94, depth dimension storage column 295, display quantity storage column 2
It consists of 96. The above information is stored in this table sequentially from the product on the left side of the shelf to the product on the right side. <Step 1012>: Output of Product Display Diagram The product display diagram is output to the output device 11 with reference to the information read above. FIG. 8 is an output example of a product display diagram. First, the furniture 111 is output with reference to the dimension information of the furniture. Next, each shelf is output with reference to the dimension information and position information of the shelf. The shaded portions on the furniture 111 are individual shelves. Finally, referring to the dimension information, the display position information, and the display number information of the products, the individual products 112, 11
3 is output. <Step 1013>: Selection of Product The product 112 is picked up by the pointing device 122. <Step 1014>: Determination of Product Name The product name picked up is specified from the pick-up position of the pointing device 122 with reference to the product size information, display position information, and display number information. In this embodiment, an example in which the product name is specified as "rinse" will be described.

<< Step 102 >>: Selection of Storage Area Corresponding to Inputted Product Name FIG. 9 shows an example of the table 131 and the table 135 included in the storage device 13. The name of the product matching the product name “rinse” specified above is extracted from the storage field 132. The pointer 1322 to the pointer 1323 stored in the record 1321 where the name is located are the storage positions in the table 135. In this embodiment, the value of the pointer 1322 is “1”, and the pointer 1
The value of 323 is “3”. Therefore, the first record 1351 to the third record 1 of the table 135
Reference numeral 353 is a storage position of processing and information regarding the product. << Step 103 >>: Read information from product and storage area for processing First record 1351 to third record of table 135
The information and processing stored in the storage location of the th record 1353 are read into the main memory of the computer. << Step 104 >>: Execution of Process Regarding Product The process read above is executed with reference to the information read above. If a plurality of processes have been read, the name of the process to be executed is accepted from the input device 12. As a method of inputting this name, there are (1) a method of inputting as character string information from the keyboard 121, (2) a method of outputting the name of the process to an output device and picking it up by the pointing device 122. .. In this embodiment, a method is adopted in which the names of the processes read above are output to the output device in the form of a list, and the pointing device 122 selects the processes. The list 114 of FIG. 10 is an output example of the above list. The processing 115 is picked up by the pointing device 122. The name of the picked-up process is specified from the pick-up position of the pointing device 122. In this embodiment, an example in which the product name is specified as "daily sales transition" will be described. << Step 105 >>: Output of Information about Product Output the execution result of the above-specified process to the output device 11. A graph 116 of FIG. 11 is an example of the output of the process, that is, the daily sales performance transition of the product “rinse”. Solid line 1
Reference numeral 161 is a polygonal line graph showing the sales record transition of the current month, and broken line 1162 is a line chart showing the sales record transition of the same month of the previous year. The "close" button 1163 is picked up by the pointing device 122. Calculator 1
Stops the execution of the process. According to the present embodiment, since the product display diagram is a man-machine interface, it is easy to detect and instruct the product. Since information and processing are managed based on the product name, the structure of the storage area for managing the information and processing related to the product and the structure of the correspondence table that associates the relationship between the product and the storage area are calculated by the computer. It can be changed for each. That is, each site (headquarters or store) where the computer is installed can have a table having a configuration according to the actual situation. Of course, the contents of the table are easy to match the actual situation of the site. Therefore, it is easy to change the structure and contents of the table.

Next, an embodiment of a method of transmitting and receiving information about a product and a process between products for each site (computer) will be described. FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing the operation of this embodiment. A method of transmitting and receiving information about products and processing between the computers 1 and 2 will be described with reference to FIG. << Step 201 >>: Input of Product Name First, the computer 2 receives the product name from the input device 22. In the present embodiment, a method of outputting a product display diagram showing the display position and the number of displays of the products on the display shelf to the output device, selecting the product by the pointing device, and inputting the information about the product from the keyboard. To adopt. The method of inputting the name of the product by this method is the same as that in step 101, and the description thereof is omitted here. In this embodiment, an example in which the product name is specified as "rinse" will be described. << Step 202 >>: Selection of Storage Area Corresponding to Inputted Product Name FIG. 13 is a table for storing a correspondence table 231 included in the storage device 23, product-related information, and product-related processing.
This is an example of the bull 235. Since the structure of the table is the same as that of each table stored in the storage device 13, it is omitted here. The name of the product matching the product name “rinse” specified above is extracted from the storage field 232 of the table 231. Pointer 2 from pointer 2331 stored in record 2321 where the name is located
Up to 332 are storage locations in the table 235. In this embodiment, the value of the pointer 2331 is “4” and the value of the pointer 2332 is “6”. Therefore, the fourth record 2351 to the sixth record 2353 of the table 235 are the storage locations of the processing and information regarding the product. << Step 203 >>: Reading from the storage area for information and processing relating to the product The fourth record 2351 to the sixth record 2351 of the table 235.
Information and processing relating to the product stored in the storage position of the second record 2353 are read from the table 235. << Step 204 >>: Transmission of the name of the product and the information and process relating to the read-out product. The data relating to the process and information relating to the read-out product and the product name "rinse" are added to the computer via the information communication network 3. 1
Send to. A description of the data transmission procedure using the information communication network 3 will be omitted. This is because many computers in recent years have a communication interface, and the communication procedure is not related to the essence of this embodiment. According to the normal communication procedure, the data frame transmitted to the information communication network 3 is transmitted.
In addition to the transmission data itself (data section), the header includes a header section containing control information and the like. FIG. 14 is a structural diagram of the data part of the transmission data. The transmitting unit is mainly composed of two fields. The first field is a product name field 41, which stores the product name "rinse". The second field is a field for information about products and processing. In the fields 42 and 43, the processing relating to the product read from the fourth record 2351 of the table 235, "Order :: Order (Name,
..) {... It stores the information about the product and the process about the product read from the fifth record 2352 of the table 235. The fields 46 and 47 store the sixth information of the table 235.
The information regarding the product and the process regarding the product read from the th record 2353 is stored.

<< Step 106 >>: Receiving of the name of the product and the information and the process relating to the read product FIG. 9 is a table 135 for storing the corresponding table 131 in the storage device 13 and the information and the process relating to the product. It is a figure which shows the structural example of. First, the computer 1 receives the data transmitted from the computer 2. << Step 107 >>: Selection of a storage area corresponding to the name of the received product based on the corresponding table. The name "rinse" of the product stored in the first field 41 of the received data is selected. The name of the matching product is stored in the product name storage field 132 of the table 131 of the storage device 11.
Extract from. Record 13 in which the name is stored
The value “1” of the pointer 1322 to the value “3” of the pointer 1323 stored in 21 indicate the storage position (address) in the table 135 of the received information and processing. << Step 108 >>: Storing of information about the received product and processing about the product in the storage area Processing about the product stored in the second field 42 of the received data "Order :: Order (Name, ...)
{... ·} ”and information about the product stored in the third field 43“ Order file :: = {[Order name:
...]} is the first record 1 of the table 135
351. Similarly, the process related to the product stored in the field 44 and the information related to the product stored in the field 45 are stored in the second record 1352 of the table 135. The third record 135 of the table 135 is used for processing the merchandise stored in the field 46 and information on the merchandise stored in the field 47.
Store in 3. According to the present embodiment, since the information and the process are transmitted with the name of the product as a key, it is possible to have a product management system for each site (store) where the computer is installed according to the actual situation. Of course, the contents of the processing are easy to match the actual situation of the site. Therefore, the process can be easily changed.

[0012]

According to the present invention, it becomes possible to efficiently construct a product management system according to the products handled in each sales floor. Further, since the product display diagram is a man-machine interface, it is easy to detect and instruct the product. Since information and processing are managed based on the product name, the structure of the storage area for managing the information and processing related to the product and the structure of the correspondence table that associates the relationship between the product and the storage area are calculated by the computer. It can be changed for each. That is, each site (headquarters or store) where the computer is installed can have a table having a configuration according to the actual situation. As a result, the contents of the table can be easily adapted to the actual situation of the site, and therefore, the structure of the table and the change of the contents can be easily made. Furthermore, since information and processing are transmitted by using the name of the product as a key, it is possible to have a product management system for each site (store) where the computer is installed in accordance with the actual situation.
As a result, the contents of the processing can be easily adapted to the actual situation of the site, and therefore the processing can be easily changed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a device configuration diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a storage area corresponding to a product name and a correspondence table between the product name and the storage area.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a product management method.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a procedure for accepting a product name.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a size table regarding the size of the furniture.

FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a shelf table regarding the dimensions of the shelf.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a display product table relating to the arrangement and size of products.

FIG. 8 is an example of an output screen of an output device for inputting a product name.

FIG. 9 is an example of a storage area corresponding to a product name and a correspondence table between a product name and a storage area.

FIG. 10 is an example of an output screen of an output device for inputting a process regarding a product.

FIG. 11 is an output example of an execution result of processing related to a product.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing a procedure for delivering information about a product and a process for processing a product between sites.

FIG. 13 is an example of a storage area corresponding to a product name and a correspondence table between a product name and a storage area of a site that transmits information about a product and processing related to the product.

FIG. 14 is a configuration diagram of data in which information about a product and a process related to the product are given a name of the product (a data unit in a transmission frame format).

[Explanation of symbols]

1,2 Computer 11,21 Output device 12,22 Input device 13,23 Storage device 3 Information communication network 131 Product index table 135 Product information / processing table 111 Product of output device for inputting product name Display

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Mitsuo Sudo 890 Kashimada, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa Hitachi Business Systems Development Center

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A computer having an input device, an output device, a storage device for storing information about a product and a process for the product, and a storage device including a correspondence table showing a correspondence relationship between a product name and the storage region. In the conventional product management method, the computer inputs the name of the product from the input device, refers to the corresponding table in the storage device, and obtains the storage area corresponding to the name of the product. Reading the information about the product corresponding to the name of the product and the process about the product from the obtained storage area, executing the read process based on the information about the read product, and A product management method comprising outputting an execution result to the output device. 2. The product management method according to claim 1,
The storage device further displays a display position table indicating the correspondence between the name of the product and the display position of the product on the display shelf.
Inputting the name of the product from the input device, the product display diagram showing the display state of the product on the display shelf is output to the output device with reference to the display position table. A commodity management method for obtaining the name of the commodity by referring to the display position table on the basis of designation of the commodity on the displayed display from the input device. 3. The product management method according to claim 1,
The computer receives, from another computer, data in which the name of the product is attached to the information about the product and the process related to the product, and based on the corresponding table, the data included in the data is received. By obtaining a storage area corresponding to the name of a product and storing the information about the product and the processing about the product contained in the received data in the storage area, the information about the product and the processing about the product, A product management method characterized by obtaining a correspondence between the name of the product and the storage area. 4. The product management method according to claim 3,
The data transmitted by the other computer is the name of the product by referring to the corresponding table in the storage device of the other computer based on the product name input from the input device of the computer. To obtain a storage area in the storage device of the other computer, read information about a product corresponding to the name of the product and processing related to the product from the obtained storage area, and read the information and A product management method, characterized in that the process is data in which the name of the product is added. 5. A product management system using a computer, comprising: an input device for inputting a product name; an output device; a storage area for information about the product and processing for the product; and a product name and the storage area. The computer has a storage device including a correspondence table showing a correspondence relation, and the computer refers to the correspondence table in the storage device based on the name of the product input from the input device, A means for obtaining the storage area corresponding to the name of a product, a means for reading the information about the product corresponding to the name of the product and a process for the product from the obtained storage area, and information about the read product. And a means for executing the read processing and a means for outputting the execution result to the output device. 6. The product management system according to claim 5, wherein the storage device further has a display position table indicating a correspondence relationship between the name of the product and a display position of the product on a display shelf, Based on the name of the product input from the input device, the computer refers to the display position table to display a product display diagram showing a display state of the products on the display shelf to the output device. Output means, means for obtaining the name of the product by referring to the display position table based on the designation of the product on the displayed display from the input device. Commodity management system. 7. The product management system according to claim 5, wherein the computer is connected to another computer via a transmission / reception means, and the product name is included in the information about the product and the process about the product from the other computer. Means for receiving data marked with, and means for obtaining a storage area corresponding to the name of the product contained in the data based on the corresponding table; and the received data in the storage area. By storing the information about the product and the processing about the product included in
A product management system comprising: information about the product, processing related to the product, and means for obtaining a correspondence relationship between the name of the product and the storage area. 8. The commodity management system according to claim 7, wherein the other computer has a corresponding table in a storage device of the other computer based on the name of the commodity input from the input device of the computer. With reference to the means for obtaining a storage area in the storage device of the other computer corresponding to the name of the commodity, the storage area for obtaining information about the commodity corresponding to the name of the commodity and processing regarding the commodity A merchandise management system comprising means for reading out the information and transmitting the data with the name of the merchandise added to the read out information and processing.