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The Item Master

The item master says what each item is: how it is counted, costed, tracked and planned, and which accounts its stock lives in. Once a company has items, every stock movement, structure and order line must use one of them, so a mistyped code can no longer create a phantom item.

Where to find it

Architect Panel → ERP - Operations:

  • Items — the console: the item list, each item's stock, lots, transactions, where used and cost history
  • Item Groups — families of items sharing a default type, costing method and accounts

Architect Panel → ERP - Reference Data:

  • Units of Measure — the units items are counted in

Admin Panel → Inventory & Production:

  • Items — the same console for inventory staff

Who can use it

ERP: Inventory, ERP: Reporting, ERP: Finance and ERP: Administration can open it. Creating and changing items needs ERP: Inventory or ERP: Administration. Item group accounts are set by ERP: Finance or ERP: Administration.

Switching validation on

Until a company has an item, stock movements may name any code, and the list shows Item validation is not on yet for this company. Creating the first item for that company, or a group item shared by every company, switches validation on. From then on a movement naming an unknown, inactive or another company's item is refused. Load your items before you start recording stock.

Creating an item

  1. Open Items and click New item.
  2. Under The item, enter the Item code and Name. Choose the Company (All companies (group item) shares it with every company), the Item type (Stocked item, Non-stock item, Service, or Kit), the Unit of measure and, optionally, an Item group and Barcode.
  3. Under Inventory and traceability, set Lot / serial control, Shelf life (days) (sets a lot's expiry on receipt) and the Default location (used by work orders and replenishment).
  4. Under Costing and accounts, set the Costing method (blank uses the group or company default), Standard cost, List price, Currency, the sales and purchase tax codes, and any accounts that differ from the group. A blank account falls back to the item group, then the company's stock settings.
  5. Under Planning, set Make or buy (blank decides from the bill of materials), Lot sizing, Lead time (days), Reorder point, Reorder / fixed lot quantity, Safety stock, Minimum order quantity and Maximum stock.
  6. Leave Active (may be received and issued) ticked and click Create item.

An item's own Reorder point applies only at its default location; a location's reorder policy on the Stock console wins over it.

Reading an item

Open an item for its On hand, Available, Reserved, Stock value and costs, and the tabs Stock by location, Lots & serials, Transactions (the latest 50), Where used, Structure and Cost history.

What is fixed once stock has moved

  • The code, company and unit cannot change. Create a new item instead.
  • Lot control cannot change: count the stock out, change it, and count it back in by lot.
  • The costing method cannot change while stock is on hand, and the type cannot become non-stock.
  • An item with history is Deactivated rather than deleted: it stays readable but can no longer be received, issued or put in a structure. An item with no history can be Deleted. To reactivate, edit it and tick Active.

Item groups

Click Item groups on the Items console, then New item group. Give it a Code and Name, a Costing method, and under GL accounts the inventory, cost of sales, revenue, purchases and variance accounts its items fall back to. A group is shared by every company, so each account must exist in every trading company's chart.

What goes wrong

  • "Item X already exists.": codes are unique.
  • "Account X is not in the chart of accounts for this company." or, for a group item, not in the chart of every company.
  • "Changing the item master needs the ERP: Inventory role."
  • There is no import on the console: create items on the form, or have an architect load them.

Worked example

A distributor creates group RAW with FIFO costing and accounts 1300 and 5100, and group FG with standard costing. It then creates item SEAL-40 in RAW as a stocked item counted in EA, lot-tracked with a 365-day shelf life, default location UK-MAIN, reorder point 500 and lead time 14 days. That first item switches validation on, and the next stock movement naming "SEAL40" by mistake is refused instead of creating a stray item.

Recommendations

  • Create item groups first so items inherit accounts and costing.
  • Load every item before recording stock; the first one switches validation on.
  • Decide lot control up front; it is fixed once the item moves.
  • Use group items for anything more than one company stocks.