differences in inventory levels is estimated to be approximately $1,269 worth of parts that need
to be added to the Faster system.
Recommendation
We recommend that Fleet Management Administration emphasizes to its warehouse
personnel the importance of accurately and timely recording transactions in the Faster System
for parts received and issued. The methodology used for dispensing and estimating length
and volume of parts not issued in exact units should be evaluated to reduce the quantity
discrepancies. We further recommend that work orders completed be verified the same day
parts are issued to ensure they are properly recorded and charged-back to the departments
requiring their use. Periodic test counts should be made of selected part numbers, in a
rotating basis, to ensure inventory transactions are being properly recorded and accounted for.
Management's Response
Fleet Management agrees with the recommendations.
The current warehouse team is very aware they are to stock sufficient automotive parts to
maintain a high level of service for our customers. The inventory is being continuously
monitored and tracked, as to which items are 'moving' and which may soon become obsolete
and must be returned. The warehouse staff has recently placed measuring devices as well as
log sheets in close proximity to parts which are not issued in exact units (ex: wire, hoses and
sash cord). This will help to ensure better accuracy and reduce discrepancies. The Fleet
Service Representative and Operations Supervisor are reviewing Work Orders on a daily
basis for accuracy. Fleet has implemented a cyclical inventory which is currently in the fourth
cycle and reconciles the inventory daily based on purchases and issues of all parts.
3. Finding - Policies and Procedures
We reviewed the policies and procedures for the Fleet Management Warehouse, which
included: Physical Inventory Pre & Post Preparation, Fiscal Year End Inventory on Inventory
Day Instructions, FasterCS Fiscal Year End Inventory Process, and Special Orders. All of the
policies and procedures were provided in draft form, except for the one on Special Orders, and
in general were not dated, or did not indicate the year. We also noted the following procedure
specific deficiencies:
a) Physical Inventory Pre & Post Preparation: includes several references to the Internal
Audit Department inventory procedures that are no longer applicable.
b) Fiscal Year End Inventory on Inventory Day Instructions consists of procedures for
Inventory Counter, Prepare the PDA (personal digital assistant) for Inventory, PDB
(program database) Converter, and Fleet Analyst. We noted that the Inventory Counter
procedure describes instructions for inventory counters in teams of two; however,
although two counters were used they worked independently.
c) The Special Orders procedure references a form used for this purpose, but some of the
information on the form provided does not correspond with the procedure.
We also requested the policies and procedures used for the daily operations of the parts
warehouse, but only received PDF files of the Faster System manual for Parts Processing and
Parts Inventory.
Recommendation
We recommend that Fleet Management perform any necessary updates to the policies and
procedures of the Fleet Management Warehouse, in order to complete and formalize these
documents. All procedures should reflect the most recent revision with month/date/year. In