Inventory Management

This guide covers the day-to-day operations of managing inventory in TimberCloud, from setting up inventory items to handling stock adjustments and transfers.

Understanding the Inventory Structure

Product Attributes and Options

TimberCloud's inventory is organized around Product Attributes and Product Options:

Inventory Fields

Within a Product Attribute, you define parts (fields). A part can be designated as an inventory type:

Product Attribute: "Hardwood Lumber"
├── Species (dropdown: Oak, Walnut, Maple...)
├── Grade (dropdown: Select, #1 Common...)
├── Nominal Size (dropdown: 1x4, 1x6, 1x8...)
└── Stock BF (type: inventory) ← Tracks board feet in stock

Each product option inherits these fields and has specific values, including the inventory quantity.

Setting Up Inventory Items

Step 1: Create a Product Attribute

1. Navigate to Products → Attributes
2. Click Create New Attribute
3. Enter basic information:
   • Name: Descriptive category name (e.g., "Hardwood Lumber")
   • Description: Optional notes
4. Add Parts (fields) for your attribute:
   • Click Add Part
   • Enter Name (e.g., "Stock BF")
   • Select Type → Inventory
   • Configure additional parts as needed (dropdowns, text, numbers)
5. Click Save

Step 2: Create Product Options

Product Options are the actual inventory items:

1. From your Product Attribute page, click Add Option
2. Enter values for each part:
   • Name: Display name (e.g., "Red Oak 1x6 Select")
   • Field values: Species, Grade, Size, etc.
   • Inventory field: Initial stock quantity
3. Click Save

Bulk Creation: Import multiple options via CSV:

1. Click Import CSV on the attribute page
2. Upload a CSV with columns matching your parts
3. Review and confirm the import

Step 3: Sync Inventory to Locations

When you save product options with inventory fields, TimberCloud automatically creates inventory records for all active locations. You can also manually sync:

1. Go to Products → Attributes → Select your attribute
2. Click Sync Inventory to ensure all locations have records

Managing Stock Levels

Viewing Inventory

Shop Inventory Page

1. Navigate to Shop → Inventory
2. Select a location from the dropdown (or "All Locations")
3. Browse the inventory grid

The grid shows:

• Product Option Name — The inventory item
• Category — Product Attribute name
• Stock Level — Current quantity
• Low Stock Indicator — Visual warning if below threshold

Filtering and Sorting

Use the control panel to filter:

• Search: Find items by name or category
• Stock Level Filter:
  • All — Show everything
  • In Stock — Items with quantity > 0
  • Low Stock — Items below threshold
  • Out of Stock — Items with quantity = 0
• Sort By: Name, Stock Level, Category

Updating Stock Levels

Manual Adjustment

1. Click on an inventory item in the grid
2. In the detail modal, edit:
   • Current Stock: Update quantity
   • Low Stock Threshold: Set alert level
3. Click Save

Bulk Updates

Update multiple items at once:

1. In the inventory grid, make inline edits to multiple items
2. Changes are saved automatically or via bulk save

Purchase Order Flow

The purchasing workflow is the primary method for adding inventory:

Create a Purchase Order

1. Go to Purchasing → Purchase Orders
2. Click Create New PO
3. Fill in header information:
   • Vendor: Select supplier
   • Location: Receiving location
   • Expected Date: When items should arrive
4. Add PO Lines:
   • Select Product Option (or enter custom item)
   • Enter Quantity Ordered
   • Enter Unit Cost
5. Save (Draft) or Send to vendor

Receive Goods

When shipment arrives:

1. Go to Purchasing → Receipts
2. Click Create Receipt
3. Select the Purchase Order
4. For each line, enter Quantity Received
5. Review and Post the receipt

What happens when posted:

• Inventory is added to the specified location
• PO Line quantity_received is updated
• PO status updates (Partially Received / Fully Received)

Void a Receipt

If a receipt was posted in error:

1. Open the receipt
2. Click Void

What happens:

• Inventory is deducted from the location
• PO quantities are reversed
• Receipt is marked as Void

Inventory Audits

Audits help verify physical inventory matches system records.

Types of Audits

Creating an Audit

From a Purchase Order

1. Go to Purchasing → Audits → Create
2. Select Purchase Order as source
3. Choose the PO
4. Audit lines are generated from PO lines
5. For each line, enter Actual Quantity found
6. Complete the audit

From a Location (Cycle Count)

1. Go to Purchasing → Audits → Create
2. Select Location as source
3. Choose the location
4. Optionally select specific product options
5. For each line, enter Actual Quantity counted
6. Record any discrepancies

Audit Workflow

1. Pending — Audit created, lines not yet counted
2. In Progress — Some lines have been verified
3. Completed — All lines verified, discrepancies recorded

Stock Adjustments

For corrections outside the purchasing flow:

Positive Adjustment (Found Inventory)

When you find more inventory than expected:

1. Open the inventory item
2. Update the Current Stock to the correct (higher) amount
3. Add a note explaining the adjustment
4. Save

Negative Adjustment (Lost/Damaged)

When inventory is missing or damaged:

1. Open the inventory item
2. Update the Current Stock to the correct (lower) amount
3. Add a note explaining the reason
4. Save

Best Practice: Always document the reason for adjustments. Consider performing an audit for significant variances.

Low Stock Management

Setting Thresholds

Configure when to receive low stock alerts:

1. Open an inventory item
2. Set Low Stock Threshold (e.g., 50 BF)
3. Save

When current stock falls below this threshold, the item shows a low stock indicator.

Low Stock Indicators

In the inventory grid:

• Red badge — Out of stock (0 quantity)
• Yellow badge — Low stock (below threshold)
• Green badge — Healthy stock level

Filtering Low Stock

1. Go to Shop → Inventory
2. Select Low Stock in the Stock Level filter
3. View all items needing attention
4. Create Purchase Orders as needed

Inventory Transfers

Move stock between locations:

Transfer Workflow

1. Identify source and destination locations
2. Select the product option to transfer
3. Enter transfer quantity
4. Execute transfer

System behavior:

• Stock is deducted from source location
• Stock is added to destination location
• Both updates happen atomically

Note: Transfers are immediate. For tracked shipments between locations, create a transfer order through the purchasing system.

Order Integration

Automatic Deduction

When orders are fulfilled, inventory is automatically deducted:

1. Order is placed with configured products
2. System calculates inventory impact:
   • Simple products: Direct quantity deduction
   • Configurable products: Formula-based calculation
3. Inventory is deducted from the assigned fulfillment location

Formula-Based Deduction

For products with dimensions or complex configurations:

Customer orders: 10 custom panels at 24" x 48"
Formula: Square Feet × qty × 1.10 (waste factor)
Calculation: (24 × 48 ÷ 144) × 10 × 1.10 = 88 sqft deducted

See Inventory Calculations for formula setup.

Best Practices

Accuracy

1. Receive promptly — Post receipts as soon as goods arrive
2. Cycle count regularly — Verify high-value or fast-moving items frequently
3. Investigate variances — Don't ignore discrepancies
4. Document adjustments — Always note reasons for manual changes

Organization

1. Consistent naming — Use clear, consistent product option names
2. Meaningful categories — Organize attributes logically
3. Regular cleanup — Archive obsolete product options

Stock Levels

1. Set realistic thresholds — Based on lead time and velocity
2. Review regularly — Adjust thresholds seasonally
3. Monitor trends — Watch for changing demand patterns

Troubleshooting

Inventory Not Showing

Problem: Product options aren't appearing in inventory view.

Solutions:

1. Ensure the Product Attribute has an inventory type field
2. Verify the location is Active
3. Click Sync Inventory on the attribute to create records
4. Check you're viewing the correct location

Incorrect Stock After Receipt

Problem: Stock level doesn't match after posting a receipt.

Solutions:

1. Verify the receipt was actually Posted (not Draft)
2. Check the receipt's Location matches where you're looking
3. Review the receipt lines for correct quantities
4. Check if another receipt or adjustment affected the same item

Formulas Not Working

Problem: Inventory deduction not calculating correctly.

Solutions:

1. Verify the inventoryFormula is configured on the Product Attribute
2. Check field mappings in the formula match your data
3. Test with known values to verify formula logic
4. See Inventory Calculations for formula debugging

Related Topics

• Multi-Location Inventory
• Inventory Calculations
• Purchase Orders
• Receiving
• Audits