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Inventory Management

Track stock levels, monitor movements, and manage your warehouse inventory with real-time accuracy.

Overview

The Inventory Management system helps you:

  • Track stock quantities across locations
  • Monitor item movements and transactions
  • Set low-stock alerts
  • Generate inventory reports
  • Manage product information

Access inventory features from the Warehouse tab.

Adding Inventory Items

Quick Add

The fastest way to add a single item:

  1. Navigate to the Warehouse tab

  2. Tap the + button

  3. Fill in required information:

    • Item Name: Product description
    • Item Code/SKU: Unique identifier
    • Stock Quantity: Current on-hand quantity
    • Unit Cost: Cost per unit
    • Category/Type: Product classification

  4. Optional fields:

    • Serial number
    • Barcode
    • Stock threshold (for low-stock alerts)
    • Location/Zone
    • Product image

  5. Tap Save

Barcode Scanning

Add items by scanning product barcodes:

  1. Tap the QR Scan button
  2. Point your camera at the barcode or QR code
  3. If the item exists in your database, details auto-populate
  4. If it's a new item, enter the product information
  5. Verify the details
  6. Save the item

Supported Formats: EAN-13, EAN-8, UPC-A, UPC-E, Code 39, Code 128, QR Codes, Data Matrix, PDF417

Bulk Import

Import multiple items at once from Excel:

  1. Tap the Import button (document with arrow icon)
  2. Select Import from Excel
  3. Choose your Excel file (.xlsx or .xls)
  4. Map spreadsheet columns to fields:
    • Item Code → SKU
    • Name → Product Name
    • Stock → Quantity
    • Cost → Unit Cost
  5. Review the import preview
  6. Tap Import to complete

The system will show any errors or duplicate items before finalizing.

Managing Stock Levels

Viewing Stock

Browse inventory in list view showing:

  • Item name and code
  • Current stock quantity
  • Unit cost and total value
  • Category
  • Last updated timestamp

Use search and filters to find specific items quickly.

Adjusting Stock

Update stock quantities for any item:

  1. Tap on an inventory item

  2. Select Edit or Adjust Stock

  3. Choose the transaction type:

    • Transfer: Move between locations
    • Sales: Reduce stock for customer orders
    • Return: Add returned items back
    • Adjustment: Manual correction for counts
    • Consumption: Used for internal purposes
    • Production: Created from raw materials
    • Maintenance: Reserved for repairs
    • Sample: Given out as product samples
    • Gift: Promotional giveaways
    • Disposal: Damaged or expired items removed

  4. Enter the quantity change

  5. Add notes explaining the adjustment

  6. Save the transaction

Stock updates immediately and creates an audit trail.

Stock History

View the complete transaction history for any item:

  • All stock movements (in and out)
  • Transaction dates and times
  • Who made each change
  • Quantity changes
  • Running balance
  • Transaction notes

This provides full visibility and accountability.

Low Stock Alerts

Setting Thresholds

Configure automatic alerts when stock runs low:

  1. Edit an inventory item
  2. Set the Stock Threshold field
  3. Enter the minimum quantity before alert triggers
  4. Save the item

When stock falls below this level, the item appears in pending tasks and optionally triggers a notification.

Viewing Low Stock Items

Filter inventory to show only low-stock items:

  1. Navigate to Warehouse tab
  2. Tap Filter button
  3. Select Low Stock
  4. Review all items below threshold

You can then create purchase orders or restock tasks.

Inventory Analytics

Accessing Statistics

View detailed analytics for your inventory:

  1. Navigate to Warehouse tab
  2. Tap Statistics button (chart icon)
  3. Select date range:
    • Today
    • This Week
    • This Month
    • This Quarter
    • This Year
    • All Time
    • Custom Range

Available Metrics

Stock In vs Stock Out Line chart showing inventory additions and removals over time.

Top Moving Items Items with the most transaction activity.

Stock Value Trends Total inventory value over time.

Category Breakdown Pie chart showing stock distribution by category.

Transaction Volume Daily, weekly, or monthly activity levels.

Turnover Rate How quickly inventory moves through your system.

Chart Options

Customize your view:

  • Line charts with moving averages
  • Bar charts for comparisons
  • Cumulative vs period-based views
  • Interval grouping (day/week/month/quarter)

Exporting Inventory Data

Export Options

Share or analyze inventory data externally:

  1. Tap Export button (document with arrow up icon)

  2. Choose format:

    • CSV: For Excel or Google Sheets
    • PDF: For printing or sharing reports
    • Excel: With formatting and formulas

  3. Select items to export:

    • All inventory
    • Current filtered view
    • Selected items only

  4. Share via:

    • Email
    • AirDrop
    • Messages
    • Save to Files app

Print Labels

Generate and print barcode labels:

  1. Select one or more inventory items
  2. Tap Print Labels
  3. Choose label template
  4. Preview labels before printing
  5. Print to AirPrint-enabled printer

Useful for warehouse organization and product identification.

Dispatch Tracking

Viewing Active Dispatches

Track inventory that's been shipped:

  1. Navigate to Warehouse tab

  2. Tap Tracking button (truck icon)

  3. View all active dispatches by status:

    • Pending: Not yet shipped
    • In Transit: With carrier
    • Delivered: Confirmed received
    • Returned: Came back to warehouse

  4. Tap any dispatch for full details including:

    • Items shipped
    • Destination
    • Tracking number
    • Carrier information
    • Expected delivery date

Learn more about dispatch management

Inventory Best Practices

Naming Conventions

Use consistent naming:

  • Include brand, model, and key specifications
  • Example: "Dell XPS 13 Laptop - 16GB RAM - 512GB SSD"
  • Use SKU format: [CATEGORY]-[BRAND]-[MODEL]
  • Example SKU: LAP-DELL-XPS13-16-512

Regular Stock Counts

Maintain accuracy with periodic counts:

  • Weekly spot checks for high-value items
  • Monthly cycle counts by zone or category
  • Annual full inventory audit
  • Investigate and document variances

Setting Smart Thresholds

Base low-stock alerts on:

  • Lead time from supplier
  • Average sales velocity
  • Seasonal demand patterns
  • Minimum order quantities

Review and adjust thresholds quarterly.

Using Categories

Organize inventory effectively:

  • Create meaningful category names
  • Group similar items together
  • Use categories for reporting and filtering
  • Keep category structure simple

Common Workflows

Receiving New Stock

When stock arrives:

  1. Scan barcodes or manually find items
  2. Use "Adjustment" transaction type with positive quantity
  3. Add notes with supplier and PO reference
  4. Verify quantities match packing slip
  5. Update item location if needed

Preparing for Orders

Before dispatching:

  1. Check inventory availability
  2. Filter by location to pick efficiently
  3. Update stock levels as items are pulled
  4. Create dispatch records
  5. Update order status

Monthly Inventory Review

Regular maintenance:

  1. Export inventory report
  2. Identify slow-moving items
  3. Check for obsolete stock
  4. Review low-stock alerts
  5. Adjust thresholds as needed
  6. Plan restocking

Troubleshooting

Stock Count Doesn't Match

If physical count differs from system:

  1. Use "Adjustment" transaction type
  2. Enter the correct quantity
  3. Add detailed notes explaining the discrepancy
  4. Investigate the cause to prevent future variances

Can't Find an Item

If an item doesn't appear in searches:

  • Check spelling and alternative names
  • Search by SKU or barcode instead
  • Verify you're not filtering by category or status
  • Check if item was archived or deleted

Import Fails

If bulk import encounters errors:

  • Ensure Excel file format is .xlsx or .xls
  • Check that all required columns are mapped
  • Verify SKUs are unique
  • Remove special characters from product names
  • Check that quantities are numbers, not text

Next Steps