Cabrillo Warehouse
Administrative Program Plan and Review
September 2013
Section One: Program Overview
The Warehouse primary functions are to receive and ship materials, supplies,
equipment and merchandise; to maintain records and control its inventory; to stock and
maintain District stores; to inventory and tag District fixed assets; and to manage the
District records storage and destruction systems. The Warehouse is part of the
Purchasing Department of the Administrative Services Division, and is staffed on one
Storekeeper, supplemented by staffing support from the mailroom, College Driver, and
Purchasing staff. The Warehouse staff is supervised by the Director of Purchasing,
Contracts, and Risk Management.
A fundamental check and balance feature of purchasing involves the formal receipt and
logging of goods purchased and/or returned. Without a formal receiving and tracking
system, the potential to misuse District funds for personal gain is unchecked; despite
following appropriate purchasing procedures, without a formal receiving function the
opportunity for employees to personally abscond with merchandise, equipment,
supplies, etc. would be significantly magnified.
The Purchasing department’s core value is:
to serve the Cabrillo community with efficient processes that ensure compliance with
regulations and provide vital oversight/checks and balance functions; these processes
will provide proper stewardship of public education expenditures for construction,
equipment, supplies, and contracting for services and insurance, and comply with
recommended risk management standards.
In its receiving, inventory control, and records storage functions, the Warehouse plays a
key role fulfilling this core value. The Warehouse interfaces directly with faculty, staff
and students throughout the college who are engaged in purchasing and record
keeping.
Section Two: Planning and Outcomes
The Warehouse has one Administrative Unit Outcome:
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Cabrillo staff, faculty and students will be able to receive purchases
delivered in a timely manner and effectively store records.
The following table indicates the key specific services and functions of the
Warehouse, the staff who perform these services and functions, and the legal
and/or District mandates that guide departmental practices and procedures:
Key Warehouse
Functions/Responsibilities
Central Receiving: incoming
packages are received daily.
Packages with PO designation,
are open and physically inspected.
Items are received in Datatel in
order to pay invoices.
Responsible for tracking all
packages incoming to the District,
tagging and maintaining receiving
system database, and tracking
packages being delivered on
campus.
Shipping: packages are shipped
out weekly using various carriers.
Provides and prepares packages
for shipping to avoid damage;
coordinates pick up with respective
carrier.
District Stores: Maintains District
stores of supplies. Organizes,
shelves, delivers, and maintains
inventory of store’s supplies.
Records Retention and
Destructions: Records boxes are
received ongoing throughout the
year to be archived. They are
logged-in, numbered and shelved;
The retention form is sent to the
department for future reference on
the location of their records. The
Who
Performs
This
Legal
Mandate
Storekeeper
with direct
oversight by
the Director
Audit
Requirements
for
accountability
purposes and
District Policy
Storekeeper
with direct
oversight by
the Director
District Policy
and
Administrative
Regulations
Storekeeper
with direct
oversight by
the Director
District Policy
and
Administrative
Regulations
Storekeeper
with direct
oversight by
the Director
Ed Code and
Title 5; District
Policy and
Administrative
Regulations
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Storekeeper maintains the
database of these records.
Records are destroyed every year,
after the retention period has
expired. A list is prepared for
Board approval to destroy and the
record's log is updated with the
destruction date.
Fixed Asset Tagging: Equipment
and furniture valued at $5,000 or
higher must be tagged for tracking
purposes. Normally items are
tagged in the receiving area prior
to delivery to the final destination,
however, sometimes the item is
dropped shipped to the final
destination or the item requires
installation/assembly prior to
tagging. In these circumstances,
the District Warehouse Services
Clerk must take the time to go out
to the various areas to tag these
items, as needed.
Storekeeper
with direct
oversight by
the Director
GASB 34/35;
District Policy
and Audit
requirement
In the fall of 2012 an AUO online survey of the Warehouse was carried out. Out of a158
respondents, 35 % to 71% responded “Never Used/Don’t Know” to four questions about
the effectiveness of Warehouse services or its website. 37% indicated the same on the
AUO statement question. It is possible that a significant number of respondents do not
interface with the District Warehouse and its functions, in that they do not directly make
purchases, order supplies, or store records. This would be in direct contrast to, for
example, the fact that 100% of respondents use the campus facilities and grounds,
which explains why, in contrast therefore, only 1-2% of respondents to questions about
the cleanliness of facilities and grounds answered “Never Used/Don’t Know” in the
FPPO survey section. It is therefore worthwhile to analyze the data removing the
respondents who answered “Never Used/Don’t Know” to questions about the PCRMD.
When the response data is analyzed removing respondents who answered “Don’t
Know” the overall ratings of the department are exceptionally positive. 73.5% of the
remaining respondents are “satisfied” to “very satisfied” with the prompt receipt of
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purchases. 72.5 of the remaining respondents % are “satisfied” to “very satisfied” with
the helpfulness and attitude of the Warehouse staff.
In terms of the survey of department’s AUO, after removing the “Don’t Know”
respondents, 71% “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement “I am able to receive
purchases delivered in a timely manner and effectively store records.” When the
“neutral,” “agree,” and “strongly agree” responses are combined, this yields a composite
response of 96% responding on the spectrum of from “neutral” to “in strong agreement”
with the AUO.
Section Three: Goals and Recommendations
Based on the assessment data related to the AUO and the department’s functions, it is
not anticipated that major transformations will be envisioned and planned within the next
five to seven years. Two goals are suggested:
Goal 1: to effectively integrate rapidly changing technological advances in the receiving,
inventory tracking, and fixed asset tagging and tracking processes to yield greater
oversight, tracking and efficiency. (Compliance/Mandates; Staff Development;
Equipment; Technology)
Strategy: Increase staff development opportunities to expand use of existing Datatel,
Vertere, Excel, and other currently used software functions. Provide staff the opportunity
to visit other Community College warehouse/receiving/shipping operations for field
study of comparative methods.
Timeline: FY2014/15 and ongoing.
Cost: $8200 to $13,200 depending on software tool implemented, and training as well
as release time hours for training required.
Goal 2: to upgrade the existing photocopy machine to a more modern integrated fax,
copier, scanner.
Strategy: to replace existing photocopier with the current Purchasing machine when that
department upgrades in FY13/14.
Cost: no cost.
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