Aircraft Parts and Inventory Management

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Manage Aircraft Parts and Inventory With Location, Traceability, and Cost Control

Vista-Suite Enterprise helps aviation parts and MRO teams manage inventory locations, part relationships, serial numbers, unit details, time and cycle data, and lifecycle visibility in one connected workflow.

Teams can use clean screens, labels and documents, cost and pricing tracking, dashboards, and user-defined fields to manage aircraft parts inventory with more clarity and control.

Parts and Inventory Management

Warehouse management can be challenging when you need the right inventory management system. Vista-Suite Enterprise allows you to assign specific bin and warehouse locations to inventory records which are used throughout the system on documents and for other functions. The ability to print location barcodes will enable you to take advantage of the powerful mobile app features to validate inventory locations, move Inventory, allocate Inventory, and other time-saving features.

Vista-Suite Enterprise has powerful inventory stocking management tools that allow you to create min, max, and re-order points for different groups of inventory conditions for your different warehouses. Available reports and browses give you the data you need to make replenishment decisions quickly and easily.

If inventory is received against the wrong part, or if an item has been upgraded to a new part number, Vista-Suite Enterprise supports inventory part transfer activity. It records the activity in audit logs so users can see the who, what, and when of the inventory change.

Managing Inventory can be challenging, especially when it is consumables or similar multi quantities inventory records. With Vista-Suite Enterprise, you can easily split single inventory records into multiple lines, print new labels, and manage the records as new independent lines. All this activity is tracked in the audit logs to trace back to the original event.

Vista-Suite Enterprise is a real-time inventory costing system, so the ability to track costs and suggested pricing is crucial. We recognize that each inventory record can be unique, and no cost or price fits all. These costs and prices can update orders as the Inventory is allocated, making it easy and quick to build transactions.

Managing units of measure, especially for liquids, can be a challenge. Vista-Suite Enterprise's inventory module allows you to identify the preferred unit of measure on the part master record and the UOM at the inventory level, so users can more clearly tell whether an inventory record is a box, can, or another unit type. You no longer have to set up new part master records just because you want to track the same product under different UOMs.

Obsolete parts? Lost paperwork? Damaged? Whatever the reason, you can quarantine inventory records and provide notes supporting the decision to quarantine a given item. When items are quarantined, it illuminates a signal. Hence, users know the status of the Inventory immediately.

Scraping Inventory is often overlooked by inventory management systems, but with Vista-Suite Enterprise, you can quickly scrap items with a single click. Upon scrapping any quantity of the Inventory, the application will record the quantity you scrapped, make entries in the audit logs and adjustment logs, and keep track of when and who performed the action.

A powerful feature available throughout Vista-Suite Enterprise is the capability of unique user-defined fields. You can create as many user-defined fields as you need to track data elements, from notes to selection lists, currency, numbers, or even dates. Presented in a spreadsheet-like fashion promotes fast data entry, and the fields can be pulled into reports for powerful data analytics. Colored tabs provide quick identification of UDF values being filled in partially, entirely, or not at all.

Audit logs are important for aviation software. Vista-Suite Enterprise provides a primary log that shows the date, time, and user that modified records, along with a secondary audit log that tracks other activities like adding a note or applying an alternate part.

Inventory Pools ( Lots )

Inventory lots, or pools as we call them, is a common and complex inventory management technique. Vista-Suite Enterprise shows you the pools to which any given inventory record is assigned and provides tools to move items in and out of different pools. But we understand some of the pitfalls of managing inventory pools, so we alert you during specific events to prevent mistakes and let you manage the costs of those items against the pools. To learn more, refer to the Inventory Pools section.

Consignments and Customer-Owned Inventory

Today's modern aviation parts trading companies utilize many different business models. Among them are inventory consignments. Vista-Suite Enterprise has powerful consignment management tools that quickly and easily identify consigned Inventory, alert you when using consigned Inventory for piece parts, and can even calculate consignment commissions. Learn more about this in the Inventory Pools section.

Dealing with Inventory that you do not own can be complex and cumbersome. Vista-Suite Enterprise lets you identify the owner of the goods and illuminates a particular signal visible throughout the system. But we don't paint you in a corner with customer-owned property by restricting you from doing transactions with it. We understand you have to work with that Inventory like any other, so we give you the flexibility to send it on repair or issue it to the customer's work order. Simple, flexible, and effective.

Master Part and Inventory Details

Managing salesperson and agent assignments can be as complex as managing the Inventory itself. If you are looking for a way to assign groups of parts to be managed by specific sales staff, or external sales agents, Vista-Suite Enterprise has the solution. We allow you to not only assign these staff members but also automatically add them to transactions to track sales and commissions. Ask your sales representative about the powerful salesperson and agent management tools to learn more.

Part master records and inventory records can have an image applied to the record for easy and quick identification of the goods. We call these banner images. The mobile application helps users identify each part and inventory record while taking photos, without relying on file transfers or flash drives.

The manufacturer's list price is often used as the primary reference to establish your sell price or buy cost. This list price can be tracked at the part master level, and you can record the date and even the currency the price was in. This list price information is then made available in different parts of the system for easy reference when making critical buy or sell decisions.

The inventory application provides separate cost-tracking audit logs for financial tracking. Anything that impacts inventory cost, such as a quantity or cost adjustment up or down, is recorded in an audit log for easy access. Vista-Suite Enterprise shows the cost impact of each adjustment, not just the audit log entry.

Freight and other charges can be applied directly to inventory records so users can show auxiliary costs associated with the inventory and update related cost details in the workflow.

Users can create condition levels, or condition code groups, for similar condition codes, such as new (NE) or Factory New (FN), to a group. This is great for reporting, allocations, replenishments, and other inventory activities.

Tracking part relationships in the aviation industry can get messy. Vista-Suite Enterprise provides flexible tools to manage part relationships such as alternates, higher or lower assemblies, superseded parts, and other cross-reference types.

Dedicated fields to manage critical data elements are essential in any credible inventory management system. Those dedicated fields allow you to search, sort, report, and act on these important characteristics that are so important to aviation companies.

Recording accurate and relevant data for aircraft parts is one of the things that sets Aviation ERP and MRO software apart from other industries. Vista-Suite Enterprise provides a wide variety of industry-specific fields and tables so you can record the essential and unique data elements that aircraft parts require.

Vista-Suite Enterprise can track inventory expiration dates and let you mark part master records as requiring data upon receipt of Inventory. Still, we recognize that an expiry date is not the only way to track shelf life. Many components have expiry dates based on the original manufacturer's date. Vista-Suite Enterprise lets you define those manufacturer expiration days and automatically calculates the expiration date for you. This is supported by expired signals and helps you avoid costly mistakes by restricting the use of expired goods.

Aircraft parts have many unique data elements that are used for various purposes. For example, Intensely Managed Units (IMU) are a common identifier for flight-critical parts. Or you manage Parts Manufacturer Approval ( PMA ) parts. These unique characteristics can be tracked, searched, and reported on within your inventory system. In many cases, these identifiers can drive specific behavior of the part or inventory records or turn on or off signals.

Time and Cycle management tracking of Inventory for aircraft parts is crucial. The value of Inventory is often driven by the times or cycles remaining, as well as repairs and overhauls. Vista-Suite Enterprise allows you to specify max limits for times and cycles on the part master record, then calculates the remaining times and cycles for you at the inventory level. These fields can be displayed on all your inventory browses system-wide.

Aviation has some unique data elements that need to be tracked, and not all companies are the same. Vista-Suite Enterprise has industry-unique data fields to help you track that critical information for part sales, repair, overhaul, or even aircraft maintenance.

Hazardous material is often a part of business in aviation. Whether batteries, squibs, or oxygen cylinders, you can record all the critical hazmat identifiers in a dedicated area of your part master records. Combining this with the hazmat signals throughout the system, dangerous goods forms, and the ability to attach MSDS sheets to the part records, you can feel confident in your hazmat management capabilities.

Advertising your Inventory on the industry marketplaces is essential. Vista-Suite Enterprise lets you quickly identify which Inventory you wish to advertise with flags and displays that status using signals on your inventory grids.

With the powerful mobile app features, you can validate an inventory record against a location as a confirmation that the Inventory was in a specific bin at a particular time and verified by a human. The validations are reset if an inventory record is moved to a new location to avoid giving you misleading data.

Each inventory record shows you the original order details, the last order details, its previous inventory location, and the date and time the inventory record was last validated. This convenient historical snapshot makes researching Inventory fast and easy, often avoiding the granular audit log research.

Quotes, Repair Orders, and Other Transactions

Aviation parts trading and repair and overhaul businesses are, in fact, parts-centric businesses. In many cases, your starting point is in the parts and inventory areas of the system. We allow you to launch customer quotes and repair orders directly from the part and inventory records, so you don't have to leave the screen to create those transactions. Intuitive features let you quickly add to existing orders or create new ones to build those transactions right from within the parts application.

There are many reasons why you might want to place an alert on a part that displays when a user creates a transaction with that part. You may want unique text to be applied to your transaction documents each time that part is applied to a transaction. You can do both in Vista-Suite Enterprise with its powerful clauses and warning system.

Each part number can be assigned default values for inventory receiving, quotes, purchasing, sales, and more. This convenient feature makes data entry consistent and fast. Data integrity is critical, and this can help you ensure you maintain good discipline across your inventory and part records.

Does your software require you to go to a global menu, then historical browses, and then stock reservations just to see what Inventory is reserved or allocated? With Vista-Suite Enterprise, you can see a historical snapshot of all allocations against an inventory record with just one click. This helpful view shows you every order that touched the Inventory and even lets you manage the current allocations, all in one place.

Transactions can be complex, requiring Inventory to be shipped out, received, issued, removed, credited, or returned. Managing the ins and outs of Inventory on transactions can be confusing and cumbersome. Vista-Suite Enterprise helps you track these activities by separating the Inventory associated to transactions with Outbound, Inbound, Stock On and Stock Off tabs. This makes it easy to see the movements of Inventory driven by different types of transactions.

Work Orders and Kits

Many companies bundle multiple parts into a single part ( or SKU ), making it easier for their customers to get what they need. Kit building is a common practice, and Vista-Suite Enterprise lets you identify the parts you have designated as kits and track all of the items required to assemble the kit. These "kit lists" are easily applied to a special kit work order for quick assembly and turn into Inventory.

This unique and powerful feature we call "auto add" allows you to create pre-build transaction line items to be added to a transaction when you add the part. This is useful when you want to automatically add hazmat charges or multiple pricing options for different types of transactions or services. This time-saving tool helps you save money by not missing those import fees or required secondary parts such as wiring harnesses or mounting brackets.

Reports and Analytics

Vista-Suite Enterprise comes with dozens and dozens of ready-to-use forms, reports, and dashboards. Parts and Inventory are no exception. In some cases, we can even give you automated reports, notifications, or business-related documents to help streamline your processes. We have provided a few samples to showcase this powerful part of Vista-Suite Enterprise, but don't worry if you don't see what you are looking for. You can build your own or ask our talented staff to create what you need.

Many systems on the market have integrated dashboards. But those systems require you to access a completely different software section or use a third-party tool. Vista-Suite Enterprise gives you an integrated dashboard viewer that is smartly positioned with your other historical data. You can create endless dashboards to help you analyze part-specific data, making your real-time decisions easier and more informed.

Digital File and Data Management

Vista-Suite Enterprise supports file management for part and inventory records through mobile uploads or direct file attachments. Those records are available from relevant areas of the system, and a master file library helps users search file attachments system-wide.

Data is everything, and that's why we built tools to help you access that data. You may have different divisions or a sister company and want to see their data on your Vista-Suite Enterprise screens. You may have your own collection of data for reference when making business decisions, and you want that visible on your screens. Vista-Suite Enterprise can connect to ODBC-compliant data sources to pull that data into your part master and company screens or even a data research center. We recognize that not all data can or should be stored in your ERP / MRO software. It's just a fact of life. Now, you have options to make that data accessible to your users!

Vista-Suite Enterprise allows you to transfer historical records from one part to another. Often, duplicate records can be created, and this tool helps you manage those situations. Unlike other systems, the history transfer tool lets you select what groups of transactions you want to transfer from one part to another.

System Navigation and Research

Our system is designed by aviation professionals who have used nearly every popular system in the aviation aftermarket sector. Our screen designs are tailored to fill the generational gap, making them easy for the new generation to adopt and familiar to the older generation. We put the industry standard fields in front of you in organized ways that make sense. That's why Vista-Suite Enterprise was nominated as a finalist in the prestigious UX/UI design awards in 2023.

Vista-Suite Enterprise offers a proprietary signaling system throughout the software to alert users to certain conditions. Eleven different signals for parts and Inventory quickly show you the status or disposition of a given part or inventory record. These signals can be displayed or hidden depending on your preference.

We put everyday actions right on the browse grids for quick access. Reducing one or two clicks can add up over the year and cost you money, so understanding how our users operate in their jobs daily is critical to providing efficient software. Letting you perform common actions without opening the records reduces clicks, saves you time, and, most importantly, saves you money.

Vista-Suite Enterprise embeds inventory records in one browse that allows you to turn on or off the visibility of alternate stock, Inventory that is pending receipt, and even the primary stock record for inventory pools (also called lots ). This helps avoid opening multiple screens to get the inventory data you need.

Vista-Suite Enterprise's powerful browse grids offer quick visibility to child records. For example, when searching for parts, you don't even have to open the part record to view its Inventory. Just click the sub-browse and have full access to all the Inventory on the spot.

Interactive search grids allow users to research historical data while maintaining focus on the part record. Historical data is available across the system in convenient places so users can reach it when needed.

Most software is clunky and restrictive when it comes to finding data. Vista-Suite Enterprise uses powerful browse grids that let you search and sort by nearly any column on the browse. With options like contains, starts with, ends with, equals or greater than, less than, and more than, you can refine your search results quickly and easily. No more "F for Find" or "S for Search". It's all right there in the grids!

Various user-defined tables are available for both parts and Inventory, allowing you to create meaningful groups or tiers of your parts and Inventory so you can quickly find what you want. These part and inventory identifiers can combine for powerful research and reporting to help you manage your Inventory. Group by aircraft, rotatable or expendable, slow-moving, or exchange and outright. It's up to you how you want to organize your data; we give you the tools to do it.

Internal Notes System

Vista-Suite Enterprise's pinned notes system lets users categorize notes, record who entered them and when, search by keyword, and attach files to a specific note.

Want to identify certain inventory records on your browses? You may want to highlight slow-moving inventory records or quarantined records. With Vista-Suite Enterprise's unique inventory pins, you can create as many colored pins as you want and then "pin" the Inventory with colors so it stands out in your inventory browses.

Customs and Export Compliance

Importing large packages often requires source-of-origin documentation for many parts. Vista-Suite Enterprise lets you record a manufacturer's complete address details and assign those manufacturers to parts. The system can support import customs clearance documents, reducing the need to build separate spreadsheets.

Import and export-control data can be tracked by part number, including commercial ECCN, military ITAR classifications, Schedule B and Harmonized Tariff codes, customs values for different transaction types, and the source of classifications for internal review.

Barcode, Printing, and Labeling

Quick print icons on browse grids allow users to print default documents without drilling into multiple system layers.

Vista-Suite Enterprise provides out-of-the-box labels for your location bins and your inventory records. But we know not all inventory items are the same. So, we give you standard labels, consumable labels and compressed labels. These all work in tandem with our robust mobile applications. Still, we went even further. With Vista-Suite Enterprise, in most cases, we can recognize your old inventory barcode labels with the mobile, too. That means you won't have to relabel your Inventory to take advantage of the powerful mobile tools.

Part Master View

Immediate access to essential fields and flags means easy navigation with no confusing menus.

Part Master Inventory Lines

Each inventory line has a quick-action menu and signals that indicate line item characteristics.

Inventory Add/Edit View

The open card style layout makes data entry and other changes easy to accomplish.

Standard Reports Include:

Master Parts and Inventory

Part and Inventory Combination Report: Displays master part numbers along with all associated inventory lines and details.
Parts List Export Report: Exports a complete list of master part numbers and their details.
Part History Report: Details a specific part's transaction and usage history.
Part Expiration Tracking Report: Identifies parts nearing or past their expiration date.
Inventory Detail Report: Provides an in-depth list of inventory items and attributes.
Zero-Dollar Inventory Report: Lists inventory items recorded with no dollar value for cost analysis.
Intensely Managed Unit (IMU) Inventory Report: Details the inventory designated with the IMU attribute.
Marketplace Advertising Inventory Report: Lists inventory items designated for advertising on online marketplaces.

Labeling and Other Activities

Item Inventory Barcode Label: Generates a label for inventory item identification with essential details and space to track up to two location/bin changes.
4x3 Inventory Label Template: Generates a larger 4x3-inch label for inventory identification with more details and space to track up to six location/bin changes.
Item Location Label: Creates a list of location/bin labels for all selected inventory items.
Fillable Part Removal Tag: A template for tagging and documenting removed parts.
Fillable Parts Discrepancy Form: Documentation for discrepancies in part condition, quantity, documentation, etc.
Authorized Release Certificate: FAA Form 8130 and 8130-3 Airworthiness Approval Tags are prepopulated and printable.
Aircraft Part Destruction Report: Lists destroyed inventory to help conform with FAA Order 8120.11, guiding the proper disposal of aircraft parts.
Physical Inventory Audit Report: Lists inventory alongside a checklist for conducting a physical inventory count.
48-Hour Receiving Activity Report: Tracks all inventory received within the past 48 hours.

Samples:

Detailed Inventory Label

The layout is both informative and useful; complete with QR code, unique signal icon, and space to keep track of location changes.

Print an FAA 8130 Certificate

Multiple documents can be selected for batch printing such as a prepopulated FAA Form 8130-3 Airworthiness Approval Tag.

Hazardous Materials Inventory Report

As an included standard report, all hazardous materials designated as hazmat inventory are listed to help ensure regulatory compliance, workplace safety, and mitigation of dangerous conditions.

Zero Dollar Inventory Report

All inventory with a zero dollar cost is listed to identify potential issues like incorrect or missing cost information.

Inventory Expiration Report

Optimize inventory utilization by monitoring inventory that is approaching its expiration and proactively plan for possible liquidation or removal items.

Mobile App for Aviation Parts and Inventory Management:

Parts and Inventory Management:

Move inventory from one location to another
Move the entire location from one location to another
Validate inventory locations
Display location contents
Search parts and inventory
Print inventory labels and forms
Review audit logs
Research parts transaction history

Photo Capture and Digital File Management:

Photo capture
Upload photos as single files or single pdf
Select photos for banner images
Crop, straighten, and combine photos
Take photos on tasks or work order
Browse photos and files on tasks

Shipping and Receiving:

Browse all shipments or pending shipments
Mark inventory as picked, inspected, and packed
Change shipment status
Initiate shipment
Record notes against a shipment
Browse files on a shipment
Retrieve shipments with a barcode scan

Customer Quote:

Manage existing customer quotes
Create new customer quotes
Research all quotes
Print and email customer quotes

Work Order Management:

Browse all work orders
Manage work order tasks assigned to me
Complete work order checklists
Update work order tasks
Create work order non-routines / squawks
Record mechanics notes on tasks
Record internal notes on tasks
Review required equipment on a work order
Review technical manuals attached to work orders
Create a bill of materials
Allocate and issue a bill of materials
Digital task sign-off designed to align with FAA AC 120-78B guidance
Digital work order sign-off designed to align with FAA AC 120-78B guidance

Labor Recording and Management:

Labor recording
Labor browse
Record labor manually or via barcode
Record labor on any record
Record labor on common tasks

Samples:

Warehouse Tools

Conveniently manage inventory locations, validations, receiving, photos and more.

Inventory QR Code Scanner

QR codes are shown throughout the system online and are also printed on labels. By request, this scanner may also be used for traditional barcodes.

Inventory Record Retrieval From a QR Code

Scanning an inventory QR code results in an item summary and quick access to other inventory management options.

Viewing Parts and Inventory Records

The details of parts and inventory records are fully represented and found by scrolling the page and navigating the available tabs.

Part Master Main Browse

Review part records, inventory lines, status signals, and key details from the main browse.

Part Master Search - DK120

Search part records quickly by part number, description, or other available filters.

Part Record - Details

View part details, flags, identifiers, and other fields used to manage aircraft parts.

Part Record - Inventory

See inventory lines tied to the part record, including quantities, locations, conditions, and signals.

Part Record - Part History

Review part history so your team can research prior activity without leaving the record.

Software development moves fast, and features evolve over time. While we strive to keep this and other pages accurate, some information may not reflect the most recent changes. For the most current details, we recommend scheduling a live demo at ambryhill.com/demo.

Back to Core Features List

Aircraft Parts and Inventory Management

Manage Aircraft Parts and Inventory With Location, Traceability, and Cost Control

Parts and Inventory Management

Manage your Inventory by warehouse and bin location

Build minimum stocking levels by warehouse and condition level for restocking parts

Easily transfer Inventory from one part to another

Quickly adjust or split inventory records to manage anomalies

Track cost and suggested pricing at the inventory level

Track unit of measure at the part master level and the inventory level

Quarantine Inventory with dedicated remarks

Scrap Inventory with one easy click and track it in the audit logs

Unlimited user-defined fields are available on master parts and Inventory to track additional information

Integrated audit logs for primary and secondary activities

Inventory Pools ( Lots )

Group and manage Inventory inside of pools (Lots)

Consignments and Customer-Owned Inventory

Track and manage consigned Inventory

Quickly identify and manage customer-owned Inventory

Master Part and Inventory Details

Assign salespeople or Agents to specific part numbers

Both part numbers and inventory records can have banner images for identification

Track manufacturer list price

Stand-alone cost impact logs to track increases or decreases in inventory costs with pre-calculated adjustment cost impacts

Apply Charges Directly to Inventory Records

Group conditions by condition level for easier inventory management

Alternate, cross-reference, higher/lower assembly part identification

Manages inventory serial numbers, conditions, and other unit-specific data

Include FAA critical data elements such as tagged by, trace to, and certificate number quickly and efficiently against inventory records

Expiration dates, batches, and manufacturer's expiration with easy-to-see signals

Identification flags on parts for IMU, Significant End Item, PMA Parts, Hazmat, Kits, Electrostatic, and more

Time and Cycle data capture on inventory items with life remaining calculations

Track ATA Chapter, Figure, Aircraft Model, and other data elements on the part records

Complete Hazmat data tracking by part number

Built-in flags to manage inventory advertising extracts

Inventory validations when stowing parts in the bins

Quick history recap feature for fast research

Quotes, Repair Orders, and Other Transactions

Create customer quotes or repair orders from the inventory and parts screens

Create clauses and warnings for specific parts to appear in your transactions

Set up default transaction values by transaction type for each part

Inventory allocations and linked orders are readily accessible for all orders.

Inbound Inventory and outbound Inventory are separated on transactions to track goods easily

Work Orders and Kits

Track kits and kit component lists for easy kit building through the work order

Create lists of pre-build transactions of parts or charges to be automatically added to an order

Reports and Analytics

Over ten out-of-the-box forms and reports

Integrated dashboards for real-time analysis, aiding the transaction level real-time decision-making process

Digital File and Data Management

Powerful file management system allows for file attachments against parts and Inventory.

Access external data sources from your local network

Historical transaction transfer functionality

System Navigation and Research

Thoughtful user interface with clean, organized screens

An integrated signal system shows the state of parts or Inventory for critical elements such as expirations, customer property, etc.

Action menus are available on the browses for quick actions like printing, editing, transfer, and more

One-click toggles to view alternate Inventory, pending inbound shipments, and inventory pool main items

Embedded sub browses on the part master browse to easily view Inventory without opening the part record

Easy to use historical data views with searchable grids

Search and sort embedded into all part and inventory grids for powerful ad-hoc searches

User groups, categories, tiers, and pins can be used to easily segregate and search for parts and Inventory.

Internal Notes System

Pinned note system to record and report on categorized notes

Color-coded pins can highlight inventory records to draw user's attention