Inventory Transactions
Every change to inventory quantities in DrillerDB creates a transaction record. These transactions form an audit trail that documents when materials were used, adjusted, or transferred, along with who made the change and why.
Transaction Types
DrillerDB records several types of inventory transactions based on the nature of the change. Usage transactions occur when materials are consumed on projects. These are typically created automatically when projects are saved with inventory lists or when field crews log material usage.
Adjustment transactions record changes to inventory quantities that don't involve projects. Common reasons for adjustments include receiving shipments, correcting errors, recording waste or damage, and performing cycle count corrections. Each adjustment requires a reason note explaining why the quantity changed.
Transfer transactions move inventory between locations or cost centers within your company. While basic inventory tracking focuses on quantities, transfer records can support more advanced scenarios like tracking materials between warehouse locations or job sites.
Recording Material Usage
When materials are used on a project, the system creates usage transactions automatically. Project inventory lists specify which items were consumed and in what quantities. Saving the project triggers transaction creation and quantity updates.
Each usage transaction links to the specific project where materials were consumed. This connection enables powerful reporting about which projects use which materials, supporting cost analysis and project profitability calculations.
In usage-only tracking mode, these transactions still occur but don't affect running balances. Instead, they contribute to cumulative usage totals used for cost tracking and trend analysis.
Stock Adjustments
Stock adjustments modify inventory quantities directly without reference to specific projects. Use adjustments to receive new shipments, correct count errors, record damaged materials, and set initial quantities for new items.
To create an adjustment, select an item from your inventory list and choose the adjust stock action. Specify whether you're adding to or removing from stock, enter the quantity change, and provide notes explaining the reason for the adjustment.
Adjustment notes are critical for maintaining audit trails. Future users reviewing transaction history need to understand why quantities changed. Clear notes like received shipment invoice 12345 or physical count correction or damaged in storage provide context.
Viewing Transaction History
Every inventory item has a complete transaction history showing all quantity changes over time. Access this history by selecting the history action from the inventory list. The system displays transactions in reverse chronological order, with the most recent changes appearing first.
Transaction records show the date and time, transaction type, quantity change, quantities before and after the transaction, reference information linking to projects or other documents, the user who created the transaction, and explanatory notes.
This detailed history supports multiple use cases including investigating quantity discrepancies, analyzing usage patterns for specific items, verifying that shipments were properly received, tracking which projects consumed particular materials, and documenting quantity changes for accounting purposes.
Filtering and Searching Transactions
The transactions view includes filtering capabilities to narrow down large transaction lists. Filter by specific items to see all changes for a particular material. Date range filters limit results to specific time periods, useful for monthly reconciliation or period analysis.
Transaction type filters let you view only specific categories like usage or adjustments. Combined filtering provides powerful analysis capabilities, such as viewing all usage of a particular item during a specific month.
Transaction Quantities and Balances
Transaction records include quantity change amounts and before/after balances. The quantity change shows how much was added to or removed from stock. Positive numbers indicate additions while negative numbers indicate removals.
Before and after quantities document the inventory balance at the time of the transaction. These values help you understand the context of each change and verify that cumulative transactions explain current quantities.
In usage-only tracking mode, before and after quantities show as not applicable since running balances aren't maintained. The transaction still records quantity consumed or adjusted, but without reference to theoretical stock levels.
Automated Transaction Creation
Many transactions are created automatically by system processes. When field crews complete daily reports that include material usage, transactions are created for each item consumed. When project inventory lists are saved, transactions document the materials allocated to that work.
Automated transactions include reference information linking back to the source document. This traceability ensures you can always understand where transactions originated and verify their accuracy against source documents.
Manual Transaction Review
Regularly reviewing transaction history helps maintain inventory accuracy. Look for unexpected patterns like unusual consumption rates, frequent adjustments to the same items, negative quantities that indicate receiving issues, and duplicate transactions that might indicate user errors.
Use transaction analysis to refine your inventory management processes. High adjustment frequency might indicate that minimum quantities need revision or that receiving procedures need improvement. Understanding transaction patterns helps optimize your inventory operations.
Transaction Permissions
DrillerDB controls who can create different transaction types through role-based permissions. Typically office staff can create any transaction type, while field users might be limited to recording usage on their assigned projects.
Proper permission configuration ensures transaction integrity while enabling appropriate user autonomy. Balance the need for control with operational efficiency based on your team's experience and your company's risk tolerance.