Learn what an input is and how to define them in Fusion.
Time: 8:30
In the realm of Fusion, we refer to an "input" as something you provide to either groups of animals or individual animals that doesn't neatly fall into the "feed" or "drugs" categories. Bedding is an example of an input given to a group of animals—usually a pen. A tag is an example of something given to an individual animal. If you want to keep track of inventory or charge for something that isn't feed or a drug, it likely makes sense to make it an input.
By the way, an input isn't limited to physical items. For example, chute charges or post-mortem charges can also be tracked as inputs. Now, let's delve into the process of defining a new input in Fusion.
To get started with adding a new input, let's open up the Inputs list window. It's conveniently accessible right from the Fusion Setup Assistant window. You can also find it on the Fusion Admin menu bar under the Setup menu. We'll walk you through by creating a record for Straw Bedding. Click the New button to start.
We'll first give the input a name. Then we let Fusion know whether this input applies to individuals, groups, or both. Since bedding is only given to pens, we'll leave the individual checkbox turned off.
You'll notice there are two fields for units. In many cases, you use and charge for the item in the same units. Take tags, for example. You put a tag on an animal, and you charge for it per tag. So, for these types of inputs, you'd enter the same unit in both fields, like "tag."
On the other hand, some inputs, like bedding, are distributed in one unit but charged in another. In this case, you might distribute bedding as bales but charge for it by the ton. We'll show you later in this video how to let Fusion know the equivalence between these two units.
Typically, you'll keep the Billing Method field set to "Lookup." This means Fusion will figure out what to charge based on its pricing attribute system, just like it does for commodities or drugs. However, in rare cases, you might have an input with an irregular price that isn't used very often. In those instances, you can change the field to "Direct." When you use it, you'll need to provide the charge price at that moment.
The Distribution Method field comes into play when you're giving the input to pens. If a pen has multiple lots in it, Fusion can divide up the billing amount for the input among the lots based on head count or relative weight. For most scenarios, you'll leave it at "Head Count".
In the Guide to Defining Billing Categories video, we covered what billing categories are all about. The next field is where you can enter the default billing category for this input. Remember, it is only a default and each time you use this input, you can override the billing category if needed. However, setting a default category is handy when it's likely to be the same most of the time. If there isn't a clear default, no worries—you can also leave this field blank. This way, it ensures that whoever is entering the data takes a moment to select the right billing category during the input event.
Now, let's shift our attention to the "Track Inventory" checkbox. Typically, you'd want Fusion to keep tabs on inventory for physical items like tags or bales. But it wouldn't make much sense to track inventory for inputs like chute charges, which don't have a physical presence. So, for something like bedding, you'd keep this checkbox checked. Later in this video, we'll show you how to link an input's inventory to a commodity's inventory. This comes in handy for those unique cases, like with straw, where the same item might serve as both a commodity and an input.
Everything we've talked about so far applies across all your locations if you happen to have multiple ones. Now, let's take a closer look at the location-specific settings. When you select a location, the fields on the right change to show values specific to that location.
The first three fields come into play when Fusion generates inventory-related reports. In the first field, you can set a quantity that triggers a low inventory warning. It is unlikely that a input will have a maximum capacity like commodities do, but you could enter it in the second field if it did. Normally just leave it at 0. The third field tells Fusion how many past days to consider when estimating your input usage pattern. For everyday, consistent use, a low number like 30 days usually works best. But for irregular use, you'll need a higher number like 180 or 365. You can fine-tune these numbers as you go, based on your needs. Fusion uses this value to predict when you'll run out of a input.
Now, let's chat about the markup fields. Fusion doesn't automatically apply a markup when billing. Instead, it offers ways to set your pricing periodically. One option is to create a new billing price based on some markup formula from the cost. When you go with that option, these markup fields come into play. You have three choices for the markup type: None, Percentage, and Dollar. With "None," no markup gets added. With "Percentage" and "Dollar", a markup based on the value in the Markup Amount field is applied.
Select the next location, if you have more than one, and set the values for that location as well. One thing to remember is that if you add a new location in the future, you'll need to revisit this window for each input to set these values for the new location.
Once you're all set, hit Save, and then go ahead and repeat the process for any other inputs you need to add. You can also set up pricing for this input by creating new input attributes or using the Bulk Attribute Change window, but this doesn't have to be done until you're ready to send out invoices. If you do decide to do it, just follow the same pattern we explained in our Guide to Defining Commodities.
Even if you don't jump right into setting up pricing for your inputs, there are two other important attributes you should configure when creating new inputs, where applicable.
The first one is the equivalency attribute, and it's a must for inputs with different distribution and billing units. Take our example of straw bedding. Bedding is distributed as bales but billed in tons. To tackle this, we'll create a new input attribute. Start by adding your new input. We'll keep the location and date fields as they are. If you have multiple locations, create an equivalency attribute for each. Next, select "Equivalency" from the "Change Attribute" field. Finally, enter your equivalency value and hit "Save."
Remember, if you ever switch to heavier or lighter bales in the future, create a new input attribute. Don't just edit the existing one, because Fusion needs to see how things have changed over time.
Now, let's talk about the second attribute you should consider. It's for inputs that play a dual role as both a commodity (added to rations) and an input (given directly to pens). Our straw bedding example fits this scenario. To set it up, create a new input attribute and choose "Straw Bedding" for the Input field. Leave the Location and Change Date fields as they are. Set the "Change Attribute" field to "Inventory Link" and enter "Straw" in the New Value field. With this configuration, Fusion will manage straw inventory in one place—on the commodity side. It won't matter if you add straw to a ration or use it for bedding; Fusion will keep track.
Now, here's a crucial point: ensure that the billing unit for the input matches the billing unit for the commodity, and make sure the input equivalency is set up correctly. Otherwise, your inventory numbers won't add up. Also, keep in mind that an input should only be linked to one commodity, and vice versa. If you ever need to unlink an input from a commodity in the future, create a new Inventory Link attribute with the New Value field left blank. This indicates that the input is no longer linked to any commodity from that date forward.
If you run into any questions, don't hesitate to click the help button for documentation or reach out to us for assistance.
