Tracking Fuel Inventory in RTA

Using the RTA Fleet Management Software to track the fuel inventory for your pumps and tanks can help you get a handle on fuel leakage, theft, or reporting problems. To track fuel inventory, add fuel types, tanks, and pumps as needed. Then follow the eight steps to fueling.

Eight Steps to Tracking Fuel Inventory

1. Record fuel purchases.
2. Record fuel transactions (up to the time of the stick and meter readings). Refer to "Fuel Entry" for instructions.
3. Review open fuel transactions.
4. Make corrections as needed.
5. Process open fuel transactions (i.e., post to pumps and tanks).
6. Record pump meter readings.
7. Record tank stick readings.
8. Review variance reports.

Tips for Tracking Fuel Inventory

• Set a specific cutoff point and perform steps 6 and 7 at the same time. For example, set a schedule to gather meter and stick readings at 10:00 a.m. daily or weekly every Monday. Keeping a consistent schedule simplifies the process.
• Make sure the entries for fuel purchases and fuel transactions don't extend beyond the cutoff point.
• Follow the eight steps in order.
• Repeat steps 1 – 3 as many times as needed to record entries up to the cutoff point. For example, if you're not able to input all fuel transactions before the end of the day, you can come back to step 2 the next day to enter the remaining fuel transactions.
• Process steps 4 – 6 one time only prior to checking for fuel variances.

Recording Fuel Purchases

Fuel purchases are recorded in RTA through the Tank Deliveries option or through purchase orders in the Part Inventory module. Recording fuel purchases updates tank inventories and prices per gallon. It's important to enter purchases immediately after the actual fuel drops are made or as soon as possible thereafter in order to keep the quantity in inventory and fuel price as up-to-date as possible. The tank average price is calculated as follows:

Tank Deliveries

To manually enter a fuel purchase, do the following:

1. Select Fuel > Pump/Tank Proc > Tank Deliveries from the RTA main menu (FPT).
2. Enter a tank number or press F1 to select a tank from the lookup list.
3. Read the message displayed and choose OK to continue.
4. Review the tank information displayed.
5. Enter the fuel quantity delivered, cost per gallon, delivery date and choose OK to post the entry.

Purchase Orders

If you're using the Part Inventory module, you can order fuel through requisitions and purchase orders (PPC). When the fuel is received, the RTA system automatically creates a tank delivery transaction and updates the tank inventory and average price per gallon. To use requisitions and purchase orders for fuel purchases, the following must be set up:

1. 
   

   Set up a part record for each tank record. If you have two tanks, you'll need to add two part records. Part records can be added through *\[Part\] File Maintenance* (MPM) or "on-the-fly" through *Tank Maintenance* (MUM). Refer to "Adding a Part"for instructions if necessary.

2. Specify the part number, reorder point, and reorder quantity in each tank record (MUM).

Once set up, each time a pump meter reading is updated, the system checks the tank inventory. When the tank inventory drops below the reorder point, a requisition is generated (as long as it's not already on requisition or on order). From this point, the process is the same for ordering fuel as it is for ordering any other partcreate a purchase order (or use an existing one), order the fuel, and receive the fuel when it's delivered. Refer to "Requisitions and Purchase Orders" if neccessary.

Reviewing Open Fuel Transactions

Fuel transactions entered remain open and are placed in a pending file until processed. Although vehicle records have already been updated with costs and usage and applicable data files have been updated for fuel taxes and fuel billing, pump and tank records don't get updated until the open transactions are processed. Open fuel transactions should be reviewed for accuracy prior to being posted to pumps and tank.
The exception to this is if you're using EFI AND have the "Auto Post Open Fuel" switch set to YES (SSM, Fuel Parameters tab , switch 9); in which case, the fuel transactions processed immediately update pump and tank records and are placed in the closed fuel transaction file.
To review open fuel transactions, select Fuel > Fuel Entry > Transaction Lists > Open from the RTA main menu (FFLO).

1. Select a radio button to specify whether to sort the output by date or vehicle number. If you allow cross-facility fueling (SSM, Fuel Parameters tab , switch 31), this item is very important because the output may vary depending on which option is selected-even if the specified date and vehicle ranges are the same. If Date is selected, only transactions from the current facility are included in the output. If Vehicle is selected, all fuel transactions for the specified range of vehicles are included in the output regardless of the facility from which they received fuel.
2. Enter the starting and ending date(s) or press F1 to select the date(s) from the calendar.
3. Enter the starting and ending facility and vehicle number(s) or press F1 to make the selection from a lookup list.
4. If the Vehicle radio button was selected in step 1, a Subtotal by vehicle checkbox is provided to allow the option of including subtotals for mileage, fuel quantity, fuel cost, and part cost for each vehicle on the report.

TIP: This report also includes tank transfers (FPP) and tank deliveries (FPT) if they fall within the search criteria range. To print a list of tank transfers, specify TRANSFER as the starting and ending vehicle. Likewise, to print a list of tank deliveries, specify DROP as the starting and ending vehicle number.

Correcting Fuel Transactions

The RTA system is a real-time system. Once a transaction is entered, data is immediately updated. Original entries can't be modified; however, additional entries can be made to offset and correct erroneous transactions posted. If you find an error, the easiest way to make corrections is through the Quick Fuel Entry option (FFQ). When posting a correcting transaction, be sure to use the same fueling date and mileage as the original transaction so both the original transaction and correction will appear on reports generated by date (Closed Fuel Transactions, Fuel Billing statements, etc.)

Processing Fuel Transactions

Processing open fuel transactions entered through Many States, Quick Fuel Entry, TriCoder Input, or Electronic Fueling posts fuel usage to pumps and tanks. Pump records are updated with the total gallons from the fuel entries. These figures are compared with stick and pump meter readings to determine if there are any fuel variances. When the process is complete, the fuel transactions are closed and moved from the pending transaction file to the fuel history transaction file. Changes or deletions that need to be made to pump records must be done at this point, before new transactions are entered. To process fuel transactions, do the following:

1. Select Fuel > Fuel Entry > Post to Pump/Tanks from the RTA main menu (FFP).
2. Read the message displayed.
3. Enter the starting and ending facility number(s) to process or press F1 to make the selection from a lookup list.

Recording Pump Meter Readings

Recording a pump meter reading updates tank usage and decreases inventory. If you've set up tank records to interface with the Part Inventory module, the system also checks the inventory level and creates a requisition if the fuel quantity drops below the specified reorder point in the tank record. The difference between the new and previous meter readings is compared to the gallons from the fuel entries posted to determine if there is a variance between the fuel that was accounted for versus the fuel actually pumped. To record a pump meter reading, do the following:

1. Select Fuel > Pump/Tank Proc > Pump Meter Readings from the RTA main menu (FPM).
2. Enter a pump number or press F1 to select a pump from the lookup list.
3. Enter the new pump meter reading.

Correcting Pump Meter Readings

If too high of a pump meter reading was recorded, the fuel usage will be overstated and tank inventory be lower than it actually is. To lower a pump meter reading that was incorrectly input, do the following:

1. Select Fuel > Pump/Tank Proc > Pump Meter Readings from the RTA main menu (FPM).
2. Enter a pump number or press F1 to select a pump from the lookup list.
3. Enter the correct pump meter reading.
4. Read the warning displayed and choose Yes to continue.
5. Choose No at the "Is this a new or overflow meter reading" prompt.
6. Notice the Fuel used field displays a negative fuel quantity; the pump and tank records will be updated with this figure. Choose OK to accept the correction.

Adjusting Pump Meter Readings

To adjust a pump meter reading when a meter rolls over or is replaced, do the following:

1. Select Fuel > Pump/Tank Proc > Pump Meter Readings from the RTA main menu (FPM).
2. Enter a pump number or press F1 to select a pump from the lookup list.
3. Enter the new pump meter reading, which will be lower than the previous reading.
4. Read the warning displayed and choose Yes to continue.
5. Choose Yes at the "Is this a new or overflow meter reading" prompt.
6. Calculate and enter the number of gallons pumped.

Rollover: (Max. meter reading possible – Previous reading) + New reading
Replacement: (Final meter reading – Previous reading) + Gallons pumped while meter broken + Gallons pumped on new meter

Recording Tank Stick Readings

The purpose of recording stick readings is to compare the fuel usage accounted for through pump meter readings to the actual inventory in the tank to determine if there is a variance. Stick readings should be done at the same time pump readings are done to ensure the most accurate fuel variance reporting. To record a stick reading, do the following:

1. Select Fuel > Pump/Tank Proc > Tank Stick Readings from the RTA main menu (FPS).
2. Enter a tank number and fuel type or press F1 to select a tank from the lookup list.
3. Enter the new tank stick reading.