How inventory works
One product in one store is one stock record. The model the rest of inventory builds on.
Inventory rests on one rule: a product in a store is a stock record. The product is the business-wide catalogue entry, with its name, price and tracking settings. A store's stock of that product is a separate record. It is created when you link the product to that store. One product sold in three stores means one catalogue entry and three separate stock records, each with its own quantity, batches and availability.
Who can do this: the Administrator and the Admin, Store Admin and Inventory Manager roles can change stock. Cashiers and Reports Viewers can look at it. Stock always belongs to one store, so inventory pages need a store selected in the top bar. All Stores can show reports, but stock work happens inside one store.
Product
Added once to the catalogue.
Linked to a store
Gives it a stock on hand count there.
- Sold An order takes stock out.
- Returned Restocked, quarantined or written off.
- Quarantined Held aside and not for sale.
- Written off Removed for good.
The life of stock#
- A catalogue product is linked to a store. Its stock starts at zero.
- You add stock on hand with an intake or an adjustment.
- Stock leaves when it is sold, and can come back when an order is cancelled or a sale is returned.
- Suspect stock can be quarantined: still counted, but not for sale.
- Stock that is lost, damaged or expired is written off with an adjustment.
The three numbers on every row#
- Stock on hand (SOH): everything physically in the store.
- Hold: units set aside. They are committed to open orders, or held in quarantine.
- Available: what can be sold now. Available = SOH minus Hold.
A product can show plenty on hand and still not sell, because held stock is counted but not for sale. Each product's stock page shows this sum in its Stock summary.
Measured stock#
A product with Allow fractional quantities turned on is counted in its unit, not in whole pieces. Stock can be 12.75 kg, a sale of 2.55 kg takes exactly 2.55 kg, and adjustments accept decimals. All numbers, thresholds and history for that product are shown in its own unit. See Creating a product.
What changes stock#
- Sales and their reversals. An order takes stock. A cancellation, a removed order line or a return can bring it back.
- Intake. Receiving deliveries, into a batch when the product tracks batches.
- Adjustments. Recounts, corrections, damage, theft and expiry. See Adjusting stock.
- Quarantine. Holding and settling suspect units.
If your plan includes stock history, every one of these writes a line to the stock history. Editing the product itself, such as its price or name, is a catalogue change and does not touch any store's stock.
Behind the scenes#
- Bundles have no stock of their own. Selling a composite product takes stock from its parts. See Product types.
- Some products have no stock. Pre-order and customized products never track stock.
- Columns appear when they are needed. Stock, hold and expiry columns, and the Low stock warning and Expiring products tabs, show only when this store has products that use them.
Watch out#
Troubleshooting#
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The inventory page asks you to pick a store. | The top bar shows All Stores. | Select one store. |
| A product shows stock on hand but will not sell. | The units are on hold for orders or in quarantine. | Check Hold on the row, and the Quarantine page. |
| A product is missing from the store's inventory. | It is not linked to this store. | Link it on Link products. |
Related pages#
Core concepts · Linking products to stores · Adjusting stock