Why Is a Part Showing as Unavailable When It Is Still Physically in Stock?

In Navigator, a part may show as unavailable even though it is physically still at your dealership.

This can happen when the part has already been booked out to a workshop job. Once allocated to a job, Navigator no longer treats it as available stock, even if the part has not physically been fitted to the vehicle.

If the workshop job remains open and the work has not been completed or invoiced, the associated parts costs may also remain in Work in Progress (WIP).

This guide explains why this happens, how to investigate it and what action may be required.

Why is the part showing as unavailable?

When a part is booked out to a workshop job, Navigator records it as being allocated to that job.

This means the part is no longer considered available for general stock use.

For example:

A technician books a part out to a workshop job, but the repair is subsequently cancelled.

Although the part may still be sitting on a shelf in the workshop, Navigator continues to associate it with the original job until the appropriate action is taken.

As a result, the part may appear unavailable when checking stock, despite being physically present.

How does this affect Work in Progress (WIP)?

When parts are booked out to a workshop job, their costs may be included in the job's Work in Progress balance.

If the job remains open and is never completed or invoiced, these costs may remain outstanding in WIP.

This can result in:

• Parts costs remaining against old workshop jobs.

• WIP balances that have not been cleared.

• Stock appearing unavailable despite parts still being physically present.

• Costs being recorded against jobs without the corresponding customer invoice or income.

Regularly reviewing outstanding WIP helps identify jobs that may require further attention.

How to investigate an unavailable part

Step 1: Review the WIP report

1. Open the Work in Progress (WIP) report in Navigator.

2. Review the outstanding workshop jobs.

3. Identify any older jobs with parts costs that have not been cleared.

4. Locate the workshop job you wish to investigate.

Pay particular attention to jobs that have remained open for an extended period or where the expected work was not completed.

Step 2: Check the parts booked to the job

1. Open the relevant workshop job.

2. Navigate to the Parts tab.

3. Review the parts booked out against the job.

4. Identify any parts that may still be physically present in the workshop.

This allows you to establish whether the part has already been allocated to a job rather than remaining available in stock.

Step 3: Confirm whether the part was used

Before making any changes, establish what happened to the part.

Check with the workshop to confirm whether the part was:

• Fitted to the vehicle: The part was used as part of the repair.

• Not fitted: The part was booked out but never used.

• No longer required: The part needs to be returned to the supplier, where applicable.

The action required will depend on what physically happened to the part.

What should I do next?

If the part was fitted to the vehicle

If the part was genuinely used during the repair, it should normally remain allocated to the workshop job.

The workshop should review the job and complete the appropriate invoicing or release process, as applicable.

This ensures the associated costs are processed correctly rather than remaining unnecessarily in WIP.

If the part was not used

If the part was booked out but never physically fitted, the workshop should follow the appropriate process to remove the part from the job and return it to available stock.

This ensures the stock records reflect the part's actual location and availability.

Once the relevant job and stock movements have been processed, review the remaining WIP balance.

If the part needs to be returned to the supplier

If the part is no longer required and is being returned to the supplier, follow the appropriate parts return and supplier credit procedure.

This ensures the stock movement and any associated supplier credit are recorded correctly.

Should I post a journal to clear the WIP balance?

Do not post a nominal journal simply to clear the WIP balance without first investigating the associated workshop job and parts movements.

A direct accounting adjustment may change the nominal balance without correcting the underlying stock allocation or workshop job.

The correct approach is to identify why the part remains allocated and process the appropriate job, stock return or supplier credit transaction.

If you are unsure which process applies, contact the Navigator Helpdesk before making any adjustments.

How can I prevent this happening?

We recommend reviewing your WIP report regularly to identify older workshop jobs and outstanding parts costs.

Where a job has been cancelled, postponed or left incomplete, check whether any parts remain allocated.

Ensure that unused parts are returned to stock through the correct process and that completed work is invoiced or released as appropriate.

Keeping workshop jobs and parts movements up to date helps maintain accurate stock availability and WIP balances.

Summary

A part can appear unavailable in Navigator even when it is physically at your dealership because it has already been allocated to a workshop job.

If the job remains incomplete or uninvoiced, the associated cost may also remain in Work in Progress.

To investigate:

1. Review the WIP report and identify the relevant workshop job.

2. Open the job and check the Parts tab.

3. Confirm whether the part was physically fitted or remains unused.

4. Complete the appropriate job, stock return or supplier credit process.

5. Recheck the outstanding WIP balance.

The key is to correct the underlying workshop and stock transactions rather than simply adjusting the accounting balance.