Item Records


This document will go through the features and functions of an item record, and also covers item types, categories, and item tabs. This document has been created to give you a better understanding of creating item records. It is recommended when adding inventory into your system that you do so through the Purchase Order module. Adding inventory through purchase orders will automatically update the item record's purchase history, last purchase price, and other key fields within the item record.  This article will go through the steps of adding inventory manually into your software.

Topics in this article include

• Creating an Item Record

• Item Record Fields

• Classification

• Item Record Tabs

• Item Function Keys

Creating an Item Record

Item Record Fields

Description

Within the description box are eight informational fields used to describe the item being added to your inventory. 

Classifications

The classification of the item record helps us determine the type of record the item will become. You can make the item either a rental or a sale item. You will also be able to determine which type of rental or sale item it will become. There are three main classifications that an item will need.

 
Type

This determines whether the item will become a rental or a sale and its functionality when entering it onto a contract. Select the drop-down menu to display the different rental or sale types.

Category

This allows you to assign individual record types to a particular category. You can have as many individual record types under a category. Since individual record types produce income, any inventory records listed under a particular category will account for the overall income towards that category. When searching for inventory, you can search by either the individual record or select the category it has been assigned to through the Inventory Selection Screen.

To add categories that can then be assigned, follow the paths below:

• Expert: Program Menu > Configuration > Item Configurations > Item Categories
• Elite: Configuration Gear > App Configurations > Item Configurations > Item Categories

Department

Mostly used for reporting purposes. This lets each department know what they need to pull and stage for outgoing orders, for example, load slips.
 

Home Location vs Current Location

An item's home location is the store where it was purchased and where the inventory value is held in the Equipment Asset account. Additionally, this is the store where expenses and depreciation will be calculated. If an item has a home location designated as 001, then 001 is the owner's location.

Item Record Tabs

These are function tabs used when setting up the item record. You can use seven tabs to define information on the item record: Details, Pictures, Asset, Purchases, Income, Options, and Certifications.

• Details Tab - This tab displays information about the item rates, whether the item is a rental or a sale item. You can enter the rental rates or the sale price of the item. You can also add deposits and set a percentage for the Damage Waiver or Road Tax, as well as add fuel to the item.

     

• Sell Price - This field allows you to enter the amount the item would cost if it were to be sold or bought.

     

• Damage Waiver - This percentage field allows you to charge a percentage of the rental if the item is damaged, lost or stolen. If no damage waiver is assigned to the item then the customer would be responsible for its full cost. 
     

• Deposits - This is a flat fee to be collected as part of the contract when the item is added.  

     

• Period hours -  are designated for rental items and can be entered in different formats, such as hourly, weekly, or monthly, along with the corresponding rates. 
     

• Pictures Tab - This tab allows you to add three pictures of the item. Adding pictures in this field will allow you to see pictures through Item Availability, Web pages, Price Lists.
     

• Asset Tab - Allows you to set up your depreciation. You can mark whether you are capitalizing or bought the item used. You can also add any additional information (GPS no, EIN info, Vehicle type, or web link), License information, Manufacturer, model no, and model year. 
  You may also enter vendor information. You can select up to three vendors to add to the inventory record. Right-click on the vendor name and either enter the vendor's information or select the button to see all vendors.
     

• Purchase Tab - This tab allows you to track your purchase history. When items are added to stock, the purchase line displays the date, vendor, PO#, QTY, sold, and any extra cost associated with the item. It also lists the last purchase price along with other purchase expenses, replacement costs, and book value.

     

• Income Tab - Will display the income history of the item. This will include Month to Date, Year to Date, and lifetime to date. Other features include Times out by the month, year, and lifetime. The income tab can also be used to see repair costs by month to date or lifetime to date and you can assign a GL account number to the item record as well as any commission level. You can hide this information from employees' view through your security settings.

  • If the item record is a metered item, then you can see the last contract info to include the meter in/meter out and the last date and contract associated with the item.

• Option Tab - Under this tab, you can set any other functionality for the item. Some features include: setting a rate engine or assigning a base rate, setting web groups or message codes, and setting default sort orders or linking one item record to another. 
     
  • You can also add instructions, reorder amounts, set critical inventory levels, set up installation time, or assign related headers. Additionally, you can mark the item record as bulk. If the box is left unchecked, it will consider the item serialized, suppress its availability, fail to print the item on contracts, fail to set discounts, and make the item either transferable or inactive. 
       
  • Lastly, the options tab allows you to set the length, width, and height, along with the cubic size, weight, and fuel capacity, to ensure your items will fit on the vehicle when loading.

• Certification Tab - This field allows you to enter any certifications needed for this inventory item. For example, if the item was a forklift and required any special certification, you could enter it under this field.  Certifications must be created before they can be assigned to items under the Certifications tab.  Refer to the Employee Setup Certification article to learn how to first set up certifications under employees.

Item Function Keys

The function keys located at the top of the item record allow you to make changes, see history, run reports, set maintenance, and add attachments to the item record. Let’s take a closer look at some of these options.

• Function - This allows you to make changes to the item record. Changes could include Modifying, Copying, or deleting the item record. We do not recommend deleting any records. We suggest you make the item inactive instead. This will suppress the item record and remove it from view until needed.
    
• History - This allows you to see the history of the item record. History can include Transactions, Repairs, Cost of Goods Sold, Depreciation, Edits, Missed Rentals, and Purchase History. 
  
  
• Tools - This tab allows you to see the following related to this item: serialized items, headers, groups, and pictures. You can also see package items and kits, set special rates and daily pricing, and mark an item for sale. You can also print out instructions or tear sheets. 
   
• Analysis - This allows you to see income history, trends, hours, daily, and days of the week analysis. You will also be able to see the Top 5 customers based on their percentage of total income.
    
• Maintenance - Allows you to set maintenance schedules, create repair costs, set quick repair costs, see maintenance history, internal repair, service, maintenance order, and inspection history.
   
• Item Maintenance Scheduler - Allows you to set up your maintenance schedules. Maintenance schedules can be set as either one-time or set intervals. You can select Edit Descriptions located at the top corner of the page and add a new maintenance description.