Inventory Management

The Inventory Management module helps you track and manage all inventory items in your institution:

• Product Management: Add, edit, and delete products with detailed information
• Category Management: Organize products into categories for easy management
• Store Management: Manage multiple stores or locations for inventory
• Supplier Management: Maintain a database of suppliers with contact information
• Unit Management: Define units of measurement for products
• Purchase Management: Record and track all purchase transactions
• Sales Management: Record and track all sales transactions
• Issue Management: Track items issued to departments or individuals

The Product Management feature allows you to maintain a comprehensive database of all inventory items:

Adding a New Product

1. Navigate to Inventory > Products
2. Click on "Add New Product"
3. Fill in the product details:
   • Product Name
   • Product Code/SKU
   • Category
   • Unit
   • Description
   • Specifications
   • Minimum Stock Level
   • Maximum Stock Level
   • Purchase Price
   • Sale Price
   • Product Image (optional)
4. Click "Save" to add the product to the inventory

Managing Existing Products

You can perform the following actions on existing products:

• Edit: Update product information
• Delete: Remove products from the inventory
• View: See detailed product information including stock levels and transaction history
• Print Barcode: Generate and print product barcodes
• Export: Export product data to CSV or Excel

Categories help you organize your inventory items for easier management and reporting:

Adding a New Category

1. Navigate to Inventory > Categories
2. Click on "Add New Category"
3. Enter the category name and description
4. Select a parent category if applicable (for sub-categories)
5. Click "Save" to create the category

Managing Categories

You can perform the following actions on categories:

• Edit: Update category information
• Delete: Remove categories (only if they have no associated products)
• View Products: See all products in a specific category

Category Hierarchy

You can create a multi-level category hierarchy to organize your inventory more effectively:

• Main Categories: Top-level categories (e.g., Stationery, Electronics, Furniture)
• Sub-Categories: Second-level categories (e.g., under Stationery: Pens, Notebooks, Paper)
• Sub-Sub-Categories: Third-level categories (e.g., under Pens: Ballpoint, Gel, Fountain)

The Purchase Management feature allows you to record and track all inventory purchases:

Creating a Purchase Order

1. Navigate to Inventory > Purchases
2. Click on "Create Purchase Order"
3. Select a supplier from the dropdown list
4. Enter the purchase date and expected delivery date
5. Add products to the purchase order:
   • Select a product from the dropdown or scan barcode
   • Enter the quantity
   • Enter the purchase price (pre-filled with default price)
   • Add any discount if applicable
   • Click "Add Product" to add it to the order
   • Repeat for all products in the order
6. Add any additional notes or reference numbers
7. Select the payment method and payment status
8. Click "Save" to create the purchase order

Receiving Purchases

When you receive the ordered items, you need to record the receipt:

1. Navigate to Inventory > Purchases
2. Find the relevant purchase order and click "Receive"
3. Verify the received quantities against the ordered quantities
4. Update quantities if necessary (in case of partial delivery)
5. Add any notes about the receipt
6. Click "Confirm Receipt" to update the inventory

Managing Purchase Returns

If you need to return items to a supplier:

1. Navigate to Inventory > Purchase Returns
2. Click on "Create Return"
3. Select the original purchase from the dropdown
4. Select the products to be returned and enter the return quantities
5. Enter the reason for return
6. Select the return date
7. Click "Save" to process the return

The Issue Management feature allows you to track items issued to departments or individuals:

Issuing Items

1. Navigate to Inventory > Issues
2. Click on "Create New Issue"
3. Select the issue type (Department or Individual)
4. Select the recipient (department or staff/student)
5. Enter the issue date
6. Add products to be issued:
   • Select a product from the dropdown or scan barcode
   • Enter the quantity to be issued
   • Add any notes specific to this item
   • Click "Add Product" to add it to the issue list
   • Repeat for all products to be issued
7. Add any additional notes or reference numbers
8. Click "Save" to process the issue

Managing Returns

When issued items are returned:

1. Navigate to Inventory > Issues
2. Find the relevant issue and click "Return"
3. Select the products being returned and enter the return quantities
4. Enter the condition of the returned items
5. Add any notes about the return
6. Click "Confirm Return" to update the inventory

Tracking Issued Items

You can track all issued items and their status:

• Current Issues: Items currently issued and not yet returned
• Issue History: Complete history of all issues and returns
• Department-wise Report: Items issued to each department
• Individual-wise Report: Items issued to each staff member or student