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.

Plan availability: Inventory management is part of TimberCloud's advanced product features, included on the Build plan and higher. Tracking stock across multiple locations (multi-warehouse transfers) and running inventory audits are Production plan (and Enterprise) features. The dedicated Shop → Inventory dashboard also lives inside the Shop section, which requires Production. See Subscriptions & Plans for the full breakdown.

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

Tip: You can also build out an entire attribute's options from a spreadsheet or PDF catalog with the AI Product Builder, which proposes an editable mapping before anything is created.

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

The Inventory Dashboard

The inventory dashboard lives under Shop → Inventory (a Production-tier surface). It gives you a single place to see and manage stock across your catalog.

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

At the top, metrics cards summarize your inventory at a glance — total items, in-stock, low-stock, and out-of-stock counts. Clicking a card filters the list to that group (for example, click the low-stock card to jump straight to items that need reordering).

You can view items three ways:

• Grid view (default) — visual cards, one per inventory item
• List view — a compact table
• Card view — larger detail cards

Each item shows:

• Product Option Name — The inventory item
• Category — Product Attribute name
• Stock Level — Current quantity (per the selected location)
• Low Stock Indicator — Visual warning if below threshold

Filtering and Sorting

Use the filter bar to narrow the list:

• Search: Find items by name or category
• Category: Limit to a single Product Attribute
• 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

Results are paginated, so large catalogs stay fast to browse.

Updating Stock Levels

Manual Adjustment

1. Click an inventory item to open its detail modal
2. Edit:
   • Current Stock: Update quantity (per location)
   • Low Stock Threshold: Set the alert level
3. Click Save

Batch Inventory Update

To set stock for multiple items across locations at once, use the Batch Inventory Update flow:

1. Select the inventory items you want to update
2. Open Batch Inventory Update
3. Enter the new stock values per active location for each inventory field
4. Review the affected items and locations, then save

This is the fastest way to load opening balances or reconcile several SKUs after a count.

Purchase Order Flow

The purchasing workflow is the primary method for adding inventory. Purchasing (purchase orders, receipts, vendors) requires the Build plan or higher — see Purchasing.

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

For the full receiving walkthrough, see Receiving.

Inventory Audits

Audits help verify physical inventory matches system records.

Plan note: Inventory audits are a Production-tier feature (distinct from general purchasing, which is available on Build).

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

See Audits for the complete audit reference.

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 dashboard, items are flagged by stock health:

• Out of stock — 0 quantity
• Low stock — below the configured threshold
• Healthy — at or above the threshold

Filtering Low Stock

1. Go to Shop → Inventory
2. Select Low Stock in the Stock Level filter (or click the low-stock metrics card)
3. View all items needing attention
4. Create Purchase Orders as needed

Inventory Transfers

Move stock between locations. Multi-location transfers require the Production plan (or Enterprise) — see Multi-Location Inventory.

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, inventory deduction is driven by a step-based formula built in the Formula Builder:

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 and the Formula Builder for the full measurement and operand reference.

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
5. Confirm your plan includes inventory management (Build+, with the Shop → Inventory dashboard on Production)

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 inventory deduction formula 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

• Inventory Overview
• Multi-Location Inventory — Production-tier
• Inventory Calculations
• Purchase Orders
• Receiving
• Audits — Production-tier
• Subscriptions & Plans