Introduction to Items and SKUs

Goal

Create item records that support purchasing, manufacturing, sales, and reporting.

Before You Start

• You know each item’s SKU (Stock Keeping Unit), name, and unit of measure.
• You know whether the item needs lot traceability.

Steps

1. Navigate to Inventory > Items.

   

2. Click Create Item.

   

3. Enter core fields:

   • SKU (required)
   • Name (required)
   • UOM (unit of measure, required)

4. Set Type:

   • COMPONENT for raw materials.
   • PRODUCT for finished goods.
   • SERVICE for non-physical cost items.

5. Set Traceability:

   • NONE for non-lotted tracking.
   • LOT when batch-level tracking is required.

6. Set Low Stock Threshold (optional but recommended):

   • Use this when you want Formul to flag items that are running low.
   • Example: if an item should never drop below 20, set threshold to 20.
   • This helps you catch replenishment risk early instead of discovering shortages during allocation or production.

7. Set Procurement Metadata (optional):

   • Manufacturer: who makes the part/material.
   • MPN (Manufacturer Part Number): exact supplier/manufacturer identifier.
   • Reorder URL: direct supplier link for faster reordering.
   • Use these fields when your team needs faster, more reliable purchasing decisions (fewer wrong-part buys, less lookup time).

8. Save the item.

Expected Result in Formul

• Item appears in item list and is selectable in PO, BOM, WO, and SO flows.
• Traceability policy controls whether batch IDs are required in downstream transactions.
• Threshold-configured items can be surfaced as low-stock risks in inventory monitoring workflows.
• Procurement metadata is available to buyers and operators to speed up reorder actions.

Why These Settings Matter

• Low-stock threshold is an operational guardrail: it defines your minimum safe level for that item. If you skip it, you lose an early warning signal and usually find shortages too late (at release, allocation, or pick time).
• Procurement metadata is a purchasing quality control layer: it reduces ambiguity about what to buy and from where, especially when multiple similar SKUs exist.
• Traceability policy is a compliance/recall choice: choosing LOT enforces stronger genealogy but requires stricter data entry discipline.

If Something Looks Wrong

• If create fails, verify required fields and unique SKU.
• If item is missing in workflows, confirm item type and tenant context.

Next Step

Define storage structure in Managing Locations.

Tip

Use a consistent SKU convention to make search and downstream reporting easier.