Your quick guide to adding a new inventory item.
Name the Item
Begin by entering a descriptive name for the item in the Name field. This can range from a specific product name (e.g., "Chicken of the Sea" 3.5 oz can tuna) to a more general term (e.g., Tuna).
Assign an Inventory Type
Next, choose an appropriate Inventory Item Type for the item. Utilizing Inventory Types enables you to categorize your inventory into subcategories, such as sorting Bananas under the "Fruit" or "Produce" category. For more details on setting up Item Types, please refer to the Inventory Item Types section.
Configure Where the Item is Visible
Make sure that the boxes for Show on Visit and Active are checked. By default, the following options are enabled:
- Active: This checkbox can be unchecked to deactivate an item in your inventory, which will prevent its use in any visits or receives. Note: Inactivating an item instead of deleting it will maintain historical records.
- Show on Visit: Unchecking this box will hide the item from view in the Client Visit screen. While you will still be able to receive and transfer this item, it will not be visible for client pick-up.
- Show in Kiosk: Relevant only if you are using the Express Kiosk mode for client intake, unchecking this box will hide the item from the Kiosk screen.
- Show in Store: Applicable only if you are utilizing the Client Portal, this checkbox can be unchecked to prevent the item from being used in the Client Portal screen. However, if Show on Visit is checked, the item can still be distributed during a traditional visit.
Optional: Assign the Item a Number
If your pantry employs its own serial numbers or other identifiers for goods and services, feel free to replace the default item number with your own. The default number is an integer that increments by one from your current highest item number, and it is important that Item Numbers remain unique.
Assign the Item a Unit
From the drop-down menu, select a Unit to designate how the item is counted. Available default units include Bag, Bottle, Box, Can, Each, Ounces, and Pounds; this list can be customized through the editing of the Inventory Units picklist in Question Picklists. For more information on this topic, see Picklists.
Assign the Item a Value / Unit
The Value/Unit field is primarily for reporting purposes, allowing you to aggregate the total monetary value of the item distributed. If your organization does not monitor value, you may enter '0'; however, for proper record keeping, a value must be entered. Note: Some organizations track the monetary values of purchased items in this field, assigning a value of 0 to donated items.
Assign the Item a Weight / Unit
Similarly, the Weight/Unit field is used mainly for reporting and helps you aggregate the total weights of distributed items. If your organization does not track distributed weight, feel free to enter '0'; however, a value must be provided for record keeping purposes.
Optional: Configure the Item's Online Store Options
The following options pertain specifically to the Client Portal. If you do not utilize this feature, you may skip to the next step.
Assign a Limit Per Visit to the Item
Input a number that specifies the maximum quantity of the item that can be selected in the online store.
Assign an Out-of-Stock Threshold
This field allows you to set a minimum inventory threshold to ensure that in-person shoppers can access items available on the client portal consistently.
Assign a Symbol (icon or image) to the Item
Choose a Symbol Type from the drop-down menu to select either a preloaded icon or a downloaded image (compatible with most common image file formats) to display on the inventory card.
- Icon: To select an icon, choose Icon from the drop-down menu and then click on the subsequent drop-down menu. You can navigate through pages using the arrow keys or search for a specific icon by name in the Search Icons field.
- Image: To use an image, select Image from the drop-down menu and click the pencil icon to Add or Edit a photo. This action will open a window for you to browse and select an image.
Once you've selected your image, click Open. It will load in the app's built-in image editor.
You can rotate the image using the arrows located at the bottom left. Choose Delete to remove the image and return to the Inventory Type screen or select Replace to open a new browser window for a different image. Click Save to confirm any changes and exit or cancel to leave without saving any changes.
Enter a Description for the Item
In the Description field, provide a detailed description of the item. This description will appear in a pop-up on the Client Portal when a client selects the item.
Save the New Item
Finally, click Save and Exit to return to the Inventory Item table, where your newly added item will be displayed at the bottom of the table, organized by Item Number