Inventory Management

Inventory Management

The Inventory section helps you keep track of all the metal you have in stock. You can add new stock, update quantities, and view details about each bar.

[SCREENSHOT: Inventory page with list of metal bars]

Understanding Your Inventory

What You’ll See

The Inventory page shows a table with all your steel bars. Each row represents a different type or batch of steel.

Common columns you’ll see:

  • Material - The type of metal (e.g., Steel Grade 250)
  • Diameter - Thickness of the bar in millimeters
  • Length - How long each bar is in millimeters
  • Quantity - How many bars you have
  • Type - Classification of the metal
  • Mill Certificate - Associated quality certificate (if available)

[SCREENSHOT: Inventory table with columns labeled]

Adding Inventory

When new stock arrives at your facility, you need to add it to the system.

Adding a Single Item

  1. Click the + Add Inventory button at the top right
  2. A form will appear

[SCREENSHOT: Add Inventory form]

  1. Fill in the details:

    • Material - Select the steel grade from the dropdown
    • Type - Choose the category
    • Diameter - Enter the bar diameter in mm
    • Length - Enter the bar length in mm
    • Quantity - How many bars you’re adding
    • Mill Certificate (optional) - Link to the quality certificate

  2. Click Save to add the inventory

Important: Double-check your numbers before saving, especially quantity and dimensions.

Uploading Multiple Items

If you have many items to add, you can upload them from a spreadsheet:

  1. Click the Upload button
  2. Download the template file if you don’t have one
  3. Fill in your spreadsheet with inventory details
  4. Upload your completed file
  5. Review the preview to make sure everything looks correct
  6. Click Confirm to add all items

[SCREENSHOT: Upload dialog with template download]

Tip: Keep a copy of your uploaded file for your records.

Updating Inventory

Editing an Item

When you need to change details or update quantities:

  1. Find the item in your inventory list
  2. Click the Edit button (pencil icon) on that row
  3. Update the information you need to change
  4. Click Save

[SCREENSHOT: Edit inventory form]

Common updates:

  • Adjusting quantity after usage
  • Correcting entered information
  • Adding a mill certificate reference

Note: We don’t allow decimal numbers for quantity. Please enter whole numbers only. If you have a piece of metal that should go back into stock but has different dimensions, add it as a new inventory item instead. You can categorise it as scrap or an offcut to track it’s status.

Deleting an Item

If you need to remove an item completely:

  1. Find the item in the list
  2. Click the Delete button (trash icon)
  3. Confirm you want to delete it
  4. The item will be removed

Warning: Deleted items cannot be recovered. Make sure you’re deleting the correct item!

Searching and Filtering

When you have lots of inventory, finding specific items is important.

  1. Look for the search box at the top of the inventory table
  2. Type in what you’re looking for:
    • Material grade (e.g., “Grade 250”)
    • Diameter (e.g., “20”)
    • Length (e.g., “12000”)
  3. The list will filter as you type

[SCREENSHOT: Search box with example search]

Using Filters

For more specific searching:

  1. Click the Filter button
  2. Select criteria:
    • Material type
    • Diameter range
    • Length range
    • Quantity available
  3. Click Apply
  4. Your list will show only matching items

[SCREENSHOT: Filter panel open]

Tip: Clear your filters when you’re done to see your full inventory again.

Sorting Your Inventory

You can organize your inventory list by clicking column headers:

  1. Click any column header to sort by that column
  2. Click again to reverse the order
  3. Use this to:
    • See what’s running low (sort by Quantity)
    • Group similar materials together (sort by Material)
    • Find longest or shortest bars (sort by Length)

[SCREENSHOT: Column header with sort arrow]

Video Tutorial: Managing Inventory

Video Script:

“Let’s learn how to manage your inventory in GoSmarter.

From the dashboard or sidebar, click on Inventory. You’ll see a table showing all your steel bars in stock.

Each row represents a different type or batch of steel. You can see the material grade, diameter, length, and quantity.

To add new inventory, click the Add Inventory button at the top right. A form opens up.

Let’s say a delivery just arrived - you have 50 bars of Grade 250 steel. Select Grade 250 from the Material dropdown. Choose the type. Enter the diameter - let’s say 20 millimeters. Enter the length - let’s say 12,000 millimeters, which is 12 meters. Enter the quantity - 50 bars. If you have the mill certificate reference, you can add it here too. Click Save.

Your new inventory now appears in the list. You can see your 50 bars of Grade 250 steel.

If you need to adjust the quantity later - maybe you used some bars - click the Edit button next to that item. Change the quantity to reflect what’s left. Click Save.

To find specific items quickly, use the search box at the top. Type in what you’re looking for - maybe ‘16’ to find all 16mm diameter bars. The list filters as you type.

For more detailed filtering, click the Filter button and set your criteria.

That’s the basics of inventory management. Remember to keep your inventory updated so your cutting plans are accurate.”

Common Questions

What happens if I enter the wrong quantity?

You can edit the item and update the quantity at any time.

Can I see who added or changed inventory?

This is coming soon! Talk to us at feedback@nightingalehq.ai if you need this feature urgently.

How do I know when I’m running low on a material?

Sort by quantity to see items with low stock, or ask your administrator about setting up alerts.

What if I receive the same material multiple times?

Add each delivery as a separate inventory item. This helps with traceability and mill certificate matching.

Next Steps

Now that you understand inventory:

Remember: Accurate inventory is the foundation of efficient production planning!