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Managing Inventory and Daily Operations with GoSmarter

Table of Contents

This guide is designed for inventory managers, store personnel, and operations managers responsible for stock control and daily operational data. Learn how to use GoSmarter’s Inventory Management capabilities to track materials, suppliers, and orders in one place, replacing manual inventory spreadsheets with GoSmarter’s simpler, real-time interface.

Overview

The Challenge

Managing inventory in metals manufacturing traditionally involves juggling multiple spreadsheets, manual stocktakes, and disconnected systems. Finding out what raw materials are on hand, where they are located, and allocating them to jobs can be time-consuming and error-prone.

How GoSmarter Helps

GoSmarter provides a centralised, real-time inventory management system that:

  • Tracks all materials, suppliers, and orders in one place
  • Provides instant visibility into current stock levels
  • Links mill certificates to inventory items for full traceability
  • Enables multiple team members to access data simultaneously
  • Reduces inventory errors and saves time compared to manual checking

Key Benefits

GoSmarter can be used standalone or alongside existing systems. Benefits include less inventory error, significant time savings vs. manual checking, and improved traceability for compliance.

When you open the Inventory section, you’ll see the Inventory dashboard - your central hub for all stock management activities.

Adding and Updating Stock Items

Adding New Stock

When new materials arrive at your facility, you can add them to your inventory:

  1. Click the + New Item button at the top right of the Inventory page.

  2. Complete the fields in the Add Inventory Item form:

    • Name* — A clear item name (e.g., S355 Plate 10mm or Rebar 12mm).
    • Heat Code — Enter the heat/batch number if available.
    • Material* — Select the material grade (e.g., A36, S355, Aluminium 6061).
    • Type — Choose the product type (e.g., Plate, Bar, Rebar, Coil).
    • Supplier — Select an existing supplier from the list.
    • Stock Location — Choose where the item will be stored.
    • Unit Price — Optional price per piece or per unit weight.
    • Quantity* — Number of pieces.
    • Dimensions (mm) — Fill in whichever are relevant:
      • Length (mm)
      • Width (mm)
      • Depth (mm)
      • Diameter (mm)
    • Weight (kg) — Enter if known; otherwise leave as zero.

  3. Click Add Item to save the new inventory record.

Example: Adding Steel Plates

Suppose you receive a delivery of 50 steel plates:

  • Name: S355 Steel Plate 10mm
  • Heat Code: AB12345678
  • Material: S355
  • Type: Plate
  • Supplier: ABC Steel Supplies
  • Stock Location: Bay 3, Rack A
  • Unit Price: (optional)
  • Quantity: 50
  • Length (mm): 2400
  • Width (mm): 1200
  • Depth (mm): 10
  • Weight (kg): Enter total or per‑piece if known

Enter these details and click Add Item. The inventory updates immediately and becomes visible to all users.

Reordering / Duplicating Stock

If you regularly order the same items, you can quickly duplicate an existing stock item:

  1. Find the item in your inventory list.
  2. Click the Actions > Duplicate button (two overlapping squares icon) on that row.

Bulk Upload for Multiple Items

When you have many items to add (for example, after a large delivery or during initial setup):

  1. Click the Bulk Upload button
  2. Download the CSV template
  3. Fill in your spreadsheet with inventory details:
    • One row per inventory item
    • Include all required columns (material type, dimensions, quantity, etc.)
  4. Upload your completed file
  5. Review the preview to verify data looks correct
  6. Click Confirm to add all items

Data Accuracy

Always double-check your bulk upload data before confirming. It’s easier to correct errors in the spreadsheet than to edit individual items afterward.

Updating Existing Stock

To update stock when materials are used in production or adjustments are needed. We offer a couple of ways to do this based on how you want to work.

Method 1: Direct Edit

  1. Find the item in your inventory list (use search or filters)
  2. Click the Actions > Edit button (pencil icon) on that row
  3. Update the relevant information:
    • Quantity - Reduce after usage, increase if more arrives
    • Location - If material has been moved
    • Status - Mark as allocated, in-use, or available
  4. Click Save

Method 2: Drawdown Usage

  1. Find the item in your inventory list
  2. Click the Actions > Drawdown Usage button (downward arrow icon) on that row
  3. Enter the quantity or weight used in production
  4. Click Save

Method 3: Split Stock

If you cut long products into smaller pieces and want to track the offcuts:

  1. Find the item in your inventory list
  2. Click the Actions > Split Stock button (scissors icon) on that row
  3. Enter the quantity or weight of material being cut
  4. Specify the dimensions of the new offcut pieces
  5. Click Save

Best Practice

Update inventory immediately after cutting or using material (perhaps via a tablet on the shop floor) to keep data current. Real-time updates ensure everyone has accurate information.

Linking Mill Certificates to Inventory

One of GoSmarter’s unique features for metals manufacturing is the ability to link mill test certificates directly to inventory items, ensuring full traceability and compliance.

Linking certificates to inventory provides:

  • Instant verification of material properties (chemistry, grade, strength)
  • Product lineage - Full traceability from mill to finished product
  • Compliance assurance - Easy to prove materials meet specifications
  • Quick access - View certificate data without searching through files

After digitising a mill certificate using GoSmarter’s MillCert Reader AI (see the Digitising Mill Certificates Guide):

  1. Open the inventory item you want to link
  2. Click Edit
  3. In the Heat code field simply enter the value associated with the items. NOTE: You may need to breakdown bulk deliveries into the relevant bundles or pieces first to ensure each inventory item has the correct heat code. this is easy to do with the Split option.
  4. GoSmarter will automatically suggest matching certificates based on heat number

Viewing Certificate Data

Once linked, you can:

  • Click on Actions > View mill certificate option
  • See key properties (grade, chemical composition, mechanical properties) directly in the inventory view
  • Download the original certificate PDF
  • Verify compliance requirements instantly

Traceability Best Practice

Always link mill certificates to inventory items as soon as materials arrive. This ensures complete traceability and makes compliance audits much easier - you can pull records by date, supplier, or specification in seconds.

Managing Suppliers and Orders

Supplier Management

Keep track of who supplies your materials for better procurement and quality management.

Adding a Supplier

  1. Go to Company core data > Organisations section in the navigation menu
  2. Click + New Organisation
  3. Enter supplier details:
    • Company name
    • Contact person and details
    • Address
    • Select the Supplier role
  4. Click Save

Linking Suppliers to Inventory

When adding inventory items, always select the correct supplier. This allows you to:

  • See which materials came from which supplier
  • Filter inventory by supplier
  • Track supplier quality and reliability
  • Quickly contact suppliers about specific batches

Order Management

GoSmarter helps you manage both customer orders and internal work orders that draw from inventory.

Creating a New Order

  1. Navigate to Orders section
  2. Click + New Order
  3. Enter order details:
    • Customer name or internal project
    • Required materials and quantities
    • Delivery date
    • Any special requirements

Example: Order for Cut Rebar

You receive an order for 100 pieces of cut rebar, 4m length, grade B500C:

  1. Create new order with customer details
  2. Specify: 100 pieces, 4m, B500C rebar in the order line items

Using Inventory Data Day-to-Day

Best Practices for Daily Operations

  1. Real-time updates - Update usage immediately after cutting or consuming material

    • Use tablets or mobile devices on the shop floor for instant updates
    • This keeps data current for all team members

  2. Multi-user access - Take advantage of cloud-based simultaneous access

    • Unlike single-user Excel files, multiple team members can view and update inventory at the same time
    • Production staff, managers, and office staff all see the same real-time data

  3. Regular reconciliation - Perform periodic physical stock checks

    • Compare physical count with system data
    • Make adjustments as needed
    • Investigate significant discrepancies

  4. Use filters and search - Find what you need quickly

    • Filter by material type, supplier, location, or availability
    • Search by heat number, batch number, or dimensions
    • Save frequently-used filter combinations

Q: Can I undo a mistaken stock entry?

A: Yes:

  • For recent entries (within current session): Click Edit and correct the data, or click Delete if the entry shouldn’t exist
  • For older entries: Use Inventory Adjustment to correct quantities, adding notes about the error
  • All changes are logged, so there’s always an audit trail

Q: What happens when inventory is allocated to an order but not yet used?

A:

  • Allocated inventory is marked as “Reserved” in the system
  • It still shows in inventory but is flagged as not available for other orders
  • If the order is cancelled, the allocation is released and inventory becomes available again
  • You can see allocated vs. available quantities in the inventory view –> Q: How do I handle materials from multiple locations or warehouses?

A:

  • Use the Location field when adding inventory
  • Create consistent location naming (e.g., “Warehouse A - Bay 3”, “Yard 2 - Section C”)
  • Filter inventory by location to see what’s in each area
  • You can transfer materials between locations using inventory adjustments with location notes

Q: Can I import existing inventory data from Excel?

A: Yes, use the bulk upload feature:

  1. Export your current Excel data
  2. Download GoSmarter’s CSV template
  3. Map your Excel columns to the template columns
  4. Upload the completed CSV
  5. Review and confirm

For large or complex migrations, contact GoSmarter support for assistance.

Next Steps

Now that you understand GoSmarter’s Inventory Management capabilities:

  1. Get started - Add your current inventory using bulk upload or manual entry
  2. Link certificates - Use the Mill Certificates Guide to digitize and link your MTCs
  3. Optimise cutting - Use inventory data with the Production Planning Guide to reduce waste
  4. Track scrap - Follow the Scrap Management Guide to record offcuts and minimise waste

Additional Resources

You're Ready!

With GoSmarter as your inventory management system, you’re free from juggling spreadsheets. You now have real-time visibility, better traceability, and a foundation for optimising your entire production process.