Create Inventory

The Create Inventory page is used to create a new inventory item. Creating a new inventory item defines a new type of item that will be managed by the inventory module and makes that item available for inventory transactions. It does not update the actual number of items that are stored in a warehouse; the item count is modified by performing inventory transactions.

Once an item has been created, you can further define it and associate it with a warehouse on the Material Item Details page.

To create an inventory item:

1. Under Inventory, select Create Inventory.

   The Create Material Item page opens.

2. In the Part Number field, enter a part number for the item.

   The part number must be unique within the warehouse. 

3. In the Item Description field, enter a name or description of the item.

4. In the FIN field, enter the functional identification number.

   A functional identification number may be used by the manufacturer to identify an item and can typically be found on the item or box the item was shipped in.

5. Select a value in the Material Class field to indicate the group that the item should be classified in, for example, automotive or lighting.

6. In the Unit Cost field, enter the cost per item.

   This is the default cost value for the item. A warehouse-specific unit cost can be entered when the item is added to a warehouse. The warehouse-specific cost overrides the default unit cost entered here.

   (Advanced Inventory Only) If your system is using the moving average cost method for calculating the unit cost for inventory items, the value you enter here will be ignored. The unit cost will be re-calculated by the system every time a receipt, return, or transfer transaction occurs.

7. In the Contra Account field, enter the account number of the general ledger account that will be used to offset the value of the item.

8. In the Manufacturer field, enter the name of the company that makes the item.

9. In the Model field, enter the model name of the item.

10. In the Unit of Measure - Issue field, select how this item is packaged or counted for inventory purposes, for example, each, per foot, or case.

11. In the Item Type field, select either Stock Item or Non-Stock Item.

    Stock Items are items whose quantities are managed by the inventory module. Non-Stock items are common supplies that may be billed through a work order, but whose quantities are not tightly controlled through inventory. Non-Stock items cannot be reordered through the Advanced Inventory Reorder process.

12. (Advanced Inventory Only) In the Lot Controlled field, select Yes to indicate that the item is lot controlled.

    For lot controlled items, the inventory module tracks the lot number and expiration date. It is usually used for hazardous materials or materials that expire.

13. (Advanced Inventory Only) In the Lot Shelf Life (Days) field, enter the number of days before this item expires.

    This value is used for lot controlled items only to calculate the expiration date.

14. In the Condition field, select a value indicating the state of the item, for example, new or reconditioned.

15. In the Size field, enter the size of the item, for example, large or small.

16. In the Ignore Markup field, select Yes to indicate that a markup percentage should not be added when this item is billed to a work order.

17. In the Warehouse field, select the warehouse in which the item will be stored.

18. Click the Select link to define the Bin within the selected warehouse where the item will be stored.

    The Bin Select link is not active until a warehouse has been selected. You can either select a bin or place the item in the default bin for this warehouse.

    If you have the appropriate security rights, the Create New link appears, allowing you to create a new bin in the selected warehouse where the item can be stored. To create a new bin:

    1. Click the Create New link.

       The Create Material Bin dialog box opens. Since you are creating a new bin in the selected warehouse that you are going to associate with this item, the Warehouse field is set and the bin is made Active. These values cannot be modified.

    2. Enter values in the Bin Loc1, Bin Loc2, Bin Loc3, and Bin Loc4 fields to define the physical location of the bin.

       You do not need to define values for all of these fields, only the ones that are appropriate for your warehouse.

    3. In the Bin field, enter a name for the bin.

       The bin name can contain alphanumeric characters, punctuation, and spaces, and can be up to 20 characters long. Each bin name must be unique within a warehouse.

    4. In the Max Quantity field, enter a value indicating the maximum quantity of items this bin can hold.

       This value provides a quantity as a guideline; it is not enforced by the system.

    5. Click OK.

       The new bin is created and selected as the location for this item.

19. In the Comments field, enter any comments about the item.

20. Click OK.

The item is added and the Material Item Details page opens. From this page you can edit the item, associate the item with a warehouse, and define a supplier for the item.

The Create Inventory page also provides a Find Item link that provides a shortcut to locating an item and opening it on the Material Item Details page.