Manage Stock Items
Create, organize, and track all your stock items with a comprehensive inventory management system tailored to your institution's needs.
Introduction
Stock items are the heart of your inventory management system. Each item represents a product, supply, or equipment that your institution owns and must manage.
Good to know
GO4STOCK automatically generates unique references for each item. These references follow the format: CAT-YYMMDD-CODE where CAT is the category code, YYMMDD is the creation date, and CODE is a unique identifier.
Display and Filters
The item list is displayed as visual cards with powerful filters to facilitate search and organization.
Card View
Clear visualization with photo, quantity, value, and status for each item.
Filters
- • Filter by category
- • Filter by location
- • Filter by status (OK, Alert, Out of Stock)
Search
Instant search by name, reference, or barcode of the item.
Information visible on each card
Each item card displays essential information for quick management:
Information stored for each item
Basic Information
Financial Data
Stock Management
Technical Specifications
How to create a stock item?
General information
📝 Item name
Give your item a clear and descriptive name.
Example: 100-page wide-ruled notebook
📄 Description
Add a detailed description of the item (optional but recommended).
"School notebook with hard cover, 100 pages A4 format, wide ruled 3mm. Suitable for high school students."
🗂️ Category
Select the category to which the item belongs.
Example: Stationery
📷 Item photo
Add a photo to facilitate visual identification of the item.
![[SCREENSHOT: Item creation form - General information]](/vite/assets/stock_items_form-BJe2LG63.png)
Stock management
📦 Initial quantity
Indicate the quantity of the item when creating it (if you already have some).
Example: 500
⚠️ Minimum stock
Define the minimum stock threshold. Below this threshold, the system will alert you.
Example: 50 (the system will alert when stock falls below 50)
📈 Maximum stock (optional)
Define a maximum stock to avoid overstocking.
Example: 1000
📍 Location
Select the main storage location for this item.
Example: Main warehouse
📏 Unit of measure
Specify the unit in which the item is counted (piece, box, carton, kg, liter, etc.).
Example: Piece
Tip
Set the minimum stock at about 20-25% of your monthly consumption to avoid stockouts while maintaining optimal stock.
Financial information
💰 Unit price
Indicate the unit purchase price of the item.
Example: 750 XAF
Note : The system will automatically calculate the total stock value by multiplying quantity by unit price. The weighted average cost (WAC) will also be calculated automatically during stock movements.
Additional information (optional)
🏷️ Barcode
If the item has a barcode, you can enter it to facilitate scanning.
🔢 Serial number
For equipment and materials with unique serial numbers.
📋 Technical specifications
Add any relevant technical information (dimensions, weight, characteristics, etc.).
📎 Attached documents
You can attach files (technical sheets, warranties, certifications, etc.).
Types of items
GO4STOCK allows you to manage different types of items according to your needs. Here are the main types of items you can manage:
Consumable items
Items used and consumed regularly
- Office supplies (pens, notebooks, paper)
- Cleaning products
- Small educational supplies
💡 For these items, set a high minimum stock as they are consumed quickly.
Durable equipment
Long-lasting material and equipment
- Computer equipment
- School furniture
- Laboratory equipment
💡 Use serial numbers for these items to ensure complete traceability.
Textbooks and books
Textbooks and educational resources
- Textbooks
- Library books
- Educational resources
💡 Use ISBN codes as barcodes for easy identification.
Uniforms and clothing
School uniforms and sports equipment
- School uniforms (shirts, pants, skirts)
- Sports uniforms
- Accessories (ties, badges)
💡 Create variants by size (S, M, L, XL) for precise management.
Manage Stock
📊 View Stock Level
For each item, you can instantly view:
- Current quantity in stock
- Total value (quantity × unit price)
- Storage location
- Status (OK, Alert, Out of Stock)
✏️ Edit an Item
You can modify item information at any time:
- 1. Access the items list
- 2. Click the item's ⋮ menu
- 3. Select "Edit"
- 4. Make your changes
- 5. Click "Save"
⚠️ Stock quantity changes must be done through stock movements, not item editing.
📷 Add/Modify a Photo
Photos facilitate quick item identification. To add a photo:
- 1. Open the item record
- 2. Click "Add a photo"
- 3. Select your image
- 4. The image will be automatically resized
💡 Accepted formats: JPG, PNG, GIF. Max size: 5 MB
📎 Attach Documents
You can attach documents to each item (technical sheets, warranties, etc.):
- 1. Open the item record
- 2. Access the "Documents" tab
- 3. Click "Add a document"
- 4. Select the file and add a title
💡 Accepted formats: PDF, Word, Excel, Images
![[SCREENSHOT: Items list with stock details]](/vite/assets/stock_items_list-DAREBfwX.png)
Stock Alerts
The stock management system automatically alerts you when an item's stock level becomes critical.
🚨 Alert Levels
Stock OK (Green)
The quantity in stock is above the defined minimum stock.
Example: Current stock = 300, Min stock = 50 → Status: OK
Alert (Yellow/Orange)
The quantity in stock is close to or equal to minimum stock. Time to reorder.
Example: Current stock = 48, Min stock = 50 → Status: Alert
Out of Stock (Red)
Stock is at zero or close to zero. Urgent action required.
Example: Current stock = 0, Min stock = 50 → Status: Out of Stock
🔔 Alert Notifications
When an item goes on alert, the system:
- • Displays a notification on the dashboard
- • Marks the item in the "Critical Items" list
- • Sends an alert to the stock manager (if enabled)
⚡ Recommended Actions
When an item is on alert:
- 1. Verify the actual stock level
- 2. Review consumption statistics
- 3. Create a purchase request to restock
- 4. Contact the supplier if necessary
Tracking and Traceability
GO4STOCK maintains a complete history of all movements for each item, ensuring full traceability.
📜 Movement History
For each item, you can view the complete movement history:
📥 Entries
- • Date and time
- • Quantity entered
- • Source (purchase, donation, transfer)
- • Responsible user
📤 Exits
- • Date and time
- • Quantity removed
- • Destination (usage, donation, loss)
- • Responsible user
🔄 Transfers
- • Date and time
- • Quantity transferred
- • Source location
- • Destination location
📊 Consumption Statistics
The system automatically calculates:
- • Average monthly consumption
- • Stock turnover rate
- • Out-of-stock forecast
- • Consumption trends
🔍 Audit and Control
Each action is tracked with:
- • User identity
- • Precise date and time
- • Type of operation performed
- • Justification (if required)
Best practices
Use clear and descriptive names
Name your items explicitly to facilitate searches. Example: '100-page wide-ruled notebook' rather than 'Notebook 1'.
Organize by consistent categories
Create a logical category structure before adding your items. This will greatly facilitate management and reporting.
Define realistic stock thresholds
Base your minimum stocks on actual consumption analysis, not estimates. Analyze your data over 3-6 months.
Add photos for important items
Photos facilitate quick identification, especially for technical equipment or gear. Take clear photos in good lighting.
Regularly update prices
Update unit prices with each new purchase to maintain correct stock valuation.
Perform regular inventories
Schedule physical inventories at least once per quarter to ensure data reliability.
Document expensive items
For valuable equipment, systematically attach invoices, warranties, and technical sheets.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change the stock quantity of an item?
Stock quantity does NOT change directly from the item record. You must create a stock movement (entry or exit) to change the quantity. This method ensures complete traceability of all movements. See the 'Stock Movements' section for more details.
Can I have the same item in multiple locations?
Yes! Each item has a main location, but you can store the same item in multiple locations using stock transfers. The system tracks the quantity at each location while maintaining a global total for the item.
How do I manage items with variants (sizes, colors)?
For items with variants (e.g., uniforms in different sizes), create a separate item for each variant. Use a consistent naming convention, for example: 'Boys' school shirt - Size S', 'Boys' school shirt - Size M', etc. You can then group them in the same category for easy management.
What happens if I delete an item that has movements?
You cannot delete an item that already has recorded stock movements. This ensures the integrity of history and statistics. If you no longer want to use an item, you can mark it as 'inactive' in the item record. It will remain visible in historical reports but will no longer appear in active lists.
How does the weighted average cost (WAC) calculation work?
WAC is calculated automatically with each stock entry. Formula: WAC = (Current stock value + New entry value) / (Current quantity + Entry quantity). For example, if you have 100 items at 500 XAF and you purchase 50 items at 600 XAF, the new WAC will be: (100×500 + 50×600) / (100+50) = 533.33 XAF.
Can I import a list of items from Excel?
Yes, GO4STOCK offers bulk import functionality via Excel/CSV file. First download the Excel template from the items page, fill it with your data (name, category, price, stock, etc.), then import the file. The system will validate the data and create items automatically. This feature is particularly useful during initial system setup.
Next Steps
Now that you've mastered item management, explore these complementary features:
