Adding Inventory Items

Creating new inventory items in DrillerDB establishes the foundation for tracking material usage and costs. The system guides you through entering all necessary information while validating data to maintain catalog integrity.

Opening the Item Form

To add a new inventory item, click the "Add Item" button from the Inventory section. This opens a form where you'll enter all relevant information about the material or supply you're adding to your catalog.

The form adapts based on your tracking mode. When full stock tracking is enabled, you'll see fields for minimum and maximum quantities. In usage-only mode, these stock-related fields are hidden since you're only tracking consumption without managing inventory levels.

Required Item Fields

Every inventory item must have certain core information to function properly in the system. The Item ID serves as the unique identifier and cannot be changed after creation. Choose ID values that make sense for your organization, whether sequential numbers, part numbers, or descriptive codes.

Item Name provides the primary description that appears throughout the system. Use clear, descriptive names that your team will recognize immediately. This name appears when selecting materials for projects and in usage reports.

Category assignment is required to organize your catalog. Select an existing category or type a new one to create it on the fly. Categories help with filtering and reporting, so choose names that reflect how your company thinks about materials.

Unit of measure specifies how quantities are tracked and must be consistent for each item. Common units include feet, yards, bags, gallons, tons, pounds, each, and hours. Select the unit that best matches how you purchase and use the material.

Pricing Information

Unit Price represents the cost per unit of measure. This value drives cost calculations throughout the system. When materials are used on projects, the system multiplies quantity by unit price to determine total cost.

Keep your unit prices current to ensure accurate project costing and financial reporting. You can update prices at any time, and the new price will apply to future transactions while historical records maintain their original pricing.

Stock Level Settings

When operating in full stock tracking mode, you can set minimum and maximum quantity thresholds. The minimum quantity triggers low stock warnings, alerting you when reordering becomes necessary. This proactive notification helps prevent running out of critical materials.

Maximum quantity serves as an optional upper limit for ordering purposes. It helps prevent over-purchasing and excessive storage costs. These thresholds can be adjusted over time as your usage patterns become clearer.

Additional Item Details

The description field accepts longer explanatory text about the item. Use this space for specifications, vendor information, or usage notes that help team members understand when to use this material.

Storage location information helps warehouse staff locate items quickly. Record where materials are stored using your facility's organization system. SKU numbers link inventory items to vendor part numbers, simplifying reordering and price verification.

Setting Initial Quantity

New items start with zero quantity by default. After creating the item, you can perform a stock adjustment to set the initial inventory level. This separation ensures that adding an item to your catalog and receiving physical inventory are tracked as distinct events.

If you're migrating from another system or performing an initial inventory count, create all your items first, then use stock adjustments to set beginning balances. This approach maintains clean transaction history from day one.

Validation and Error Handling

DrillerDB validates your entries to prevent common errors. The system checks that Item IDs are unique, preventing duplicate entries. Numeric fields like prices and quantities are validated to ensure they contain valid numbers within acceptable ranges.

If validation fails, the system displays specific error messages explaining what needs to be corrected. Fix any issues and save again. Once validation passes, your new item is immediately available for use on projects and in transactions.

After Creating Items

Once created, inventory items appear in your catalog immediately. You can begin using them on projects, logging usage, and tracking costs. The item becomes searchable and available to all users with inventory access.

Remember to set initial stock levels if using full tracking mode, and ensure your team understands when to use the new item versus existing alternatives. Consistent item selection ensures accurate usage tracking and reporting.