The difference between products and services is that products have stock and services have no stock. The similarity between products and services is that both have flows.
Table of Contents
Introduction¶
The meaning of movements of product R between Node A and Node B is:
The meaning of movements of service R between Node A and Node B is:
The difference between products and services is that products have stock and services have no stock. The similarity between products and services is that both have flows.
If we wanted to follow a pure inventory approach, we would consider labour as a form of energy (ie. a bit like oil in car) and we would apply the standard ERP5 model.
However, if that would lead to situations in which people which benefit from service get stocks of services and people which provide service must be refilled with enegery.
This is in a sense compatible with reality (one has to sleep and eat in order to keep on working) but is equivalent to saying that as soon a service is provided,
it must be consumed (by the one who receives it) and refilled (by the one who provides it).
It is therefore easier to consider that service movements are simply not indexed in the stock table of ERP5.
Examples¶
Let us analyse a few cases.
Case 1: teaching
- In this case, a teacher T teaches to 3 students S1, S2, S3. There are 3 flows - outgoing from T (source) - incoming to S1, S2, S3 (destinations) -
which transfer 1 (Q) lesson (R)
Case 2: cleaning
- A worker W cleans an office O. There is 1 flow - outgoing from W (source) - incoming to O (destination) - which transfers 1 (Q) cleanup (R)
Case 3: replacing a door
- A worker W repairs a door D at an office O. There are 2 flows: One flow of repair service provision: - outgoing from W (source) - incoming to O (destination) -
which transfers 1 repair service One flow of door provision (we need to provide the door): - outgoing from Vendor (source) - incoming to O (destination) -
which transfers 1 door One flow of door usage (because we do not keep stocks of doors): - outgoing from O (source) - incoming to nothing (destination) -
which transfers one door
Rules for accounting for labour¶
Rules of Labour Accounting:
- - no stock of service
- - no MRP on service
- - One can provide service
- One can receive service
- But service can never be consumed
- - Labour can be provided only once
Related Articles¶