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What If
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Intuit - QuickBooks: Point-of-Sale
QBPOS: Add Inventory Item
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Intuit - QuickBooks: Point-of-Sale
QBPOS: Style Grid window
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Intuit - QuickBooks: Point-of-Sale
QBPOS: Item Pricing window
Depending on the complexity of your inventory, adding a new item to QuickBooks Point-of- Sale can be either simple or complex; however, here are the basic steps.
1. From the Inventory menu or window toolbar, select NEW ITEM. A blank item form is opened. (Note the ‘scroll’ bar on the right side of the window, shown in Figure 2 above, not all information is shown in the figure.)
2. Enter an Item Name.
- This is the Name (or Number) you would generally assign to the item if you were ‘tagging’ it manually; some Users refer to this as the Name, Style or Product.
In the section titled “Basic Info”:
3. Select an Item Type.
- The default item type is INVENTORY; a regular merchandise item for which you will track quantities. Most merchants are tracking only ‘Inventory’ items.
4. Enter a Dept Name, Description, and Size and Attribute if applicable. To look up a department select the drop-down arrow in the field.
- You can enter ‘Styles’ that permit you to define different ‘versions’ of the same product based upon Attributes and Sizes (or other Characteristics). See Figure 3 above. This allows you to record the quantities on hand for all sizes and colors (for example) of a specific item which will still use the same Item Number. Note: QBPOS will set-up individual items automatically for each style of the same Item, all items will have the same Item Name but size and attributes will be noted for identification. If you are using UPC codes, manufacturers produce unique UPCs for each such style. If QBPOS is generating your UPC (barcodes), unique barcodes will be produced for each style you define.
5. Move through the item fields, entering item information as appropriate:
- If you prefer to manually define your item prices, enter a Regular (Sales) Price. The prices for your optional price levels are automatically calculated based on your price level preferences. You can access additional pricing fields by selecting the Pricing button. See Figure 4 above. You can use the Pricing Window by clicking on the Pricing Button to the right of the Regular Price field, the following window opens. Pricing levels are defined in your preferences.
- Enter Cost (aka: Order Cost) and optionally, an MSRP reference price. [Note: If you prefer to have Point of Sale calculate your prices, using the default margin or markup recorded in the department record, leave the price fields blank. When the item is received on a voucher, Point of Sale will populate the cost field and calculate the prices at all levels.]
- Enter an On-Hand Quantity and Average Unit Cost if you are adding already in-stock items. If this is a new item, being ordered on a purchase order, leave these fields at zero or blank. These fields will be updated when the item is received on a voucher.
- Specify a Tax Code, if applicable. By default all new items are taxable, and have a tax code of Tax.
- Enter UPC or Alternate Lookup values, if applicable. UPCs can be added by scanning pre-printed tags from your vendor. An Alternate Lookup is simply another way to identify the merchandise and allows you to find it quickly; you may or may not choose to use Alternate Lookups. Many Point of Sale users choose to record the vendor or manufacturer’s model or identification numbers in the ALU field.
In the ‘More Info” section:
- Enter a Vendor by selecting the vendor from the drop-down list. You can add a vendor, if necessary, by simply typing the vendor’s name (as you want it in your records) and entering QBPOS will advise you that the vendor does not exist and ask if you want to add the vendor.
- Enter an Order Cost (aka: Cost) and a Reorder Point.
- QBPOS will assign an Item No., you do not need to do this; this is an internal number QBPOS uses to differentiate each item in your item list since Item name/number may be the same for several items.
- Enter an ALU if your manufacturer or vendor uses a coding system for their products.
- Enter Unit of Measure from the drop-down list, if you are using Units of Measure.
- Enter Manufacturer (if applicable), this is an optional ‘free-form’ field; you may wish to type the same name as the Vendor.
Misc and Shipping Section:
By default most settings in the section are already ‘checked’ based upon the preferences created during set-up. There is one ‘check-box’ that maybe appropriate for your use however; if an item you have routinely sold is no longer available, check the box “Unorderable”; this precludes you from not only ‘adding’ the item to future purchase orders, but also precludes making a ‘custom order’ sale of the merchandise.
If you routinely ‘ship’ items, the information regarding shipping is needed to use the Shipping Manager function.
Comments Section:
This is a general free form field that allows you to type any additional information you wish regarding the item.
6. Now select Save, or Save & New (if proceeding on to enter another New Item).
If you follow these simple steps, you should have every item in your QuickBooks Point-of-Sale inventory set-up just right.
Best of luck!