⏱ Estimated time: 10 minutes

👤 Role: Retail Manager, Inventory Controller, System Administrator

What you'll learn:

• How to create a single retail product from scratch.

• How to categorise products and link them to approved suppliers.

• Understanding the difference between Standard items and Variant-based items (e.g., sizes/colours).

When should I use this?

Once your foundational data—such as Stock Locations, Suppliers, Categories, and Brands—is in place, you can begin building your product catalogue.

Key Logic: Building a product profile correctly ensures that your financial reporting is accurate and that stock levels are tracked against the correct physical locations. Using the different tabs (Organisation, Suppliers, Inventory) allows you to create a "digital twin" of your physical stock.

Before you start:

• Ensure all Categories, Brands, and Suppliers are already created in the system.

• Have your SKU codes, Barcodes, Cost Prices, and Selling Prices ready.

• Consult your Finance department to confirm the correct Financial Analysis Code for the item.

Step-by-step

1. Initialise New Product

Navigate to the Settings menu and select Products under the Retail section. Click the + Add New button to begin.

2. Enter Primary Details

Complete the basic product identity fields:

• Product Name: The name as it should appear on receipts and reports.

• Product Type: Select "Product" from the dropdown.

• Description: Enter customer-facing or internal details about the item.

• Financial Analysis Code: Select the code provided by your finance team to ensure sales are mapped to the correct nominal ledger.

• Image (Optional): Upload a high-quality photo to help staff identify the item at the Till.

Click Create Product to generate the record.

3. Organise and Categorise

Select the Organisation tab. Here, you can assign the product to its relevant Categories and Attributes. You may select multiple options if the product fits into more than one area. Click Save to apply these filters.

4. Link Suppliers

Switch to the Suppliers tab. Select the vendor(s) you will purchase this product from.

Key Logic: Linking suppliers here makes the procurement process easier, as the system will know which vendors to suggest when the item runs low on stock. Click Save to confirm.

5. Configure Inventory Logic

On the Inventory tab, determine how the system should track this item.

• Manage Stock Levels: Enable this if you need to track exact quantities (e.g., high-value retail).

• Standard Item: If you have thousands of an item (like branded pens) and do not need to track individual units, you may choose to leave intensive tracking off.

Click Save after making your selection.

6. Set Pricing and Variants

Select the Variants tab to define the "selling" version of your product.

Option A: Single Entity (No Variants)

If the product has no different sizes or colours, leave variants disabled. Enter the SKU, Barcode, Cost Price (what you pay), and Price (what the customer pays).

Option B: Multiple Variants (Size/Colour)

Enable variants to add options. Enter a Variant Title (e.g., Size) and add Values (e.g., 100ml, 250ml). Once added, you must enter a unique SKU, Barcode, and Price for each individual value.

Click Save to finalise the product.

Best practice:

• Barcodes: Always use the manufacturer's barcode where possible to allow for quick scanning at the Till.

• Accurate Costing: Ensure your Cost Price is accurate; the EMS uses this data to calculate your profit margins and the total value of your stock on hand.

• Consistency: Use clear, consistent naming for variants (e.g., always "Small" rather than "Sml" or "S") to keep your reports clean.