Purge

Purge

n. To periodically delete all INVENTORY records (i.e., OVERSTOCK STORE CODES and quantities) from the computer, so that they may be refreshed with current, more accurate data. —n. The result of such action: “They did a purge last week.”

NOTE: Purges are done as a matter of routine every six weeks or so.

At first glance it might seem crazy to routinely just all that information out and start over. I mean, STOCK CLERKS take a lot of time and trouble to record STORE CODES from SHELF TAGS onto CASES of OVERSTOCK and transfer them onto the SHEET so they can be entered into the GUN. Or at least, they're supposed to.

And that's the rub. Consider how easily and quickly all that “official” information can become wrong. Suppose, for instance, someone...

• transcribes a wrong number, or
• puts a CASE into BACK-STOCK without a number, or
• works OVERSTOCK to the SHELF without MINUS-ING it on the SHEET, or
• Etc., etc.

These types of things go on all day long, day in and day out, every day of the week. It's one reason why PICK LISTS aren't always accurate.

So, instead of relying on corrupt data that's continually becoming even more corrupt, it's best to admit the system is flawed by nature. To accommodate that fact, the STORE routinely Purges the system and makes a fresh start, before all the data wanders too far off into the weeds to be useful.