Inventory Tracking
Product variants (colour, size, strength…) and batch and expiry tracking for your stock — what it does, the key terms, and where to find everything.
In this guide:
Getting started ·
Item attributes ·
Variants ·
Tracking profiles ·
Item tracking ·
Batch Allocation ·
Reports ·
Worked examples ·
Troubleshooting
What is Inventory Tracking?
Inventory Tracking adds two capabilities to the existing Stock && Inventory module, without changing how the existing screens work:
- Variants — one product in many versions: a T-shirt in 3 colours × 4 sizes, paracetamol in 2 strengths × 2 pack sizes. Each version is a normal item with its own code, stock, price and barcode, created for you from a template.
- Batch and expiry tracking — the stock of an item is also kept per batch (with expiry and production dates) in every branch. Sales take the batch that expires first, expired stock can be blocked, and every movement of every batch can be traced.
Purchases, sales, transfers and stock documents are still created in their usual screens. Batches are entered or picked afterwards in one new screen, Batch Allocation, which also posts the document.
Video coming soon
Inventory Tracking in 3 minutes
This video will show: what variants and batches are, the menu, and one item going from purchase to sale with its batch.
Key terms
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Attribute | A property of items, of one of three kinds (below) | Colour, Size, Strength, Fabric |
| Option | One value of a list attribute | Colour → Black, White, Navy |
| Variant attribute | Splits a product into separate items, one per combination | Colour × Size → TSHIRT-BLK-M |
| Tracking attribute | Recorded per batch, set on a tracking profile | Gross weight of a gold lot |
| Descriptive attribute | Information about an item; no effect on stock | Generic name, Brand, Halal certified |
| Variant template | A reusable set of variant attributes and options | Tablets: strength × pack |
| Item variants | One item set up to produce variants from a template | DOLO → DOLO-500-10T, DOLO-650-20T… |
| Batch | A quantity received together, with its own number and dates | P2610A, expiry 2027-06-30 |
| Lot no | A reference kept with the batch, e.g. the supplier's lot | SUP-LOT-778 |
| Tracking profile | The rules for how an item is tracked | Batch + expiry |
| Unassigned | System batch holding stock that existed before tracking started; used first when stock goes out | Unassigned · 10 |
| FEFO / FIFO | Issue order: first expiry first out / first in first out | FEFO sells the batch expiring soonest |
The menu
All screens are under Inventory Tracking:
| Group | Screen | Use it to |
|---|---|---|
| Masters | Item Attributes | Define attributes and their options |
| Tracking Profiles | Define tracking rules | |
| Variant Templates | Define reusable sets of variant attributes | |
| Items | Item Variants | Turn an item into a product with variants |
| Item Attribute Values | Fill descriptive values, set tracking, see batch stock | |
| Bulk Tracking Profile | Give many items the same tracking profile at once | |
| Transactions | Batch Allocation | Enter or pick batches on documents and post them |
| Reports | Variant Stock Matrix | Stock of all variants of a product as a grid |
What stays the same
- Item Master, purchase, sales, transfer and stock screens work exactly as before.
- Items that are not tracked behave exactly as before, everywhere.
- Total stock per item and the existing stock reports are unchanged; batch stock is a breakdown underneath them.
Coming next
Batch split (turn "Unassigned" into real batches after a stock count), batch stock and expiry reports, expiry alerts, barcode labels, counting by batch, and serial numbers / IMEI. This guide is updated as each one is released.