TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Introduction
- Using the Stock Index Screen
- Using the Stock Maintenance Screen
- Selling and Stocking Codes/Units
- Stock Details
Introduction
Once you have created a ‘Stock Item’, it is often necessary to check and amend this information.
In this manual we’ll be looking at how to edit a ‘Stock Item’ in the ‘Stock Maintenance’ Screen.
Using the Stock Index Screen
To access the ‘Stock Maintenance’ screen, we must first open the ‘Stock Index’ screen.
To do this 1. click on 'Setup' then 2. click on 'Stock' then 3. double click on 'Stock Index'.
The ‘Stock Index’ screen will now open, this allows you to search for, view and edit stock items.
The most common way to search for an item is either by the description or item code / barcode.
To search for a specific code, type or scan the required code in the ‘Scan/Enter Code’ box.
Next click the ‘Search’ button. The search results will show in the above screen.
If for any reason you wish to start a new search and clear the current search criteria, simply click the ‘Clear’ button.
To search by the item description, simply type the required text in the ‘Description’ box.
Click on ‘Search’ to display the stock items that meet the description criteria you entered.
Please note typing e.g. Cola will find all items with the ‘Description’ starting with the word “Cola”.
To find any stock items containing the word “Cola” please type %Cola.
Selecting multiple options enables you to narrow down the search criteria.
You can search by:
Sales Suffix: Enter required sales suffix (if used) you want to search for in this box.
Item Group: Use the dropdown to pick the required item group to search for.
Valuation Group: Use the dropdown to pick the required valuation group to search for.
Supplier: Use the dropdown to pick the required supplier to search for.
Supplier Item Code: Enter required supplier item code you want to search for in this box.
Unit: Use the dropdown to pick the required stock unit to search for.
Quantity: Select from one of the following dropdown options:
N.B. “stock above / below re-order level “options rely on the ‘Re-Order Qty:’ being set on stock items.
Current List Price: Enter required list (selling) price you want to search for in this box.
Cost Price: Enter required cost (purchase) price you want to search for in this box.
Value Based on: In conjunction with the above, click the required cost to search for either the:
‘ Standard’, or ‘Average’, or ‘Latest Cost’ options.
Limit Search to: This option is ticked by default, so a search will only return 100 results.
Untick the box so there is no limit to the number of search results found.
Alternatively, enter the number of search results you want to find in the box.
Show Discontinued: Tick as required if you want the search to include ‘Discontinued’ stock items.
Show Deleted: Tick as required if you want the search to include ‘Deleted’ stock items.
Show G Margin: Ticking this will add an extra column to your search results.
The additional column will show the ‘Gross Margin’ for the last ‘X’ months.
Enter the number of months in the months box and then click search.
Using the Stock Maintenance Screen
Once you have found the item you wish to view / amend in the search results, double click on it.
The ‘Stock Maintenance’ screen will now open for this stock item.
The various icons and fields in this screen will now be explained in detail.
Top Menu Bar Icons:
Click here to create a totally new stock item (N.B. this creates a new stock record only).
Click here to clone the existing stock record (N.B. this clones the current stock record only).
Click here to mark the stock record as ‘Deleted’.
Click here to go to the ‘Stock Adjustments’ screen (covered in a separate guide).
Click here to create an ‘Internal Message’ (not covered in this manual).
This button is the same as the Windows ‘Cut’ shortcut key combination.
This button is the same as the Windows ‘Copy’ shortcut key combination.
This button is the same as the Windows ‘Paste’ shortcut key combination.
Click here to open the ‘Price List’ report screen.
Click here to open the ‘Help’ screen (some versions of Windows may not support this).
Bottom Menu Bar Icons:
This button is an alternative way to access the ‘Stock Adjustments’ screen.
This button is an alternative way to create an ‘Internal Message’.
Click here to ‘Save’ any changes made in this screen.
This button is an alternative way to create a new ‘Stock Item’ (see above*).
This closes the ‘Stock Maintenance’ screen.
This button is an alternative way to access the ‘Help’ screen (if available on your Windows version)
Next, specific sections of the ‘Stock Maintenance’ screen will be covered in detail.
The left hand section of the screen is called ‘Selling and Stocking Codes/Units’.
The the right hand section of the screen is called ‘Stock Details’.
The contents of these two sections will now be covered in more detail.
Selling and Stocking Codes/Units
First, the fields in the ‘Selling and Stocking Codes/Units’ section of the screen will be explained.
First, the fields in the top half of this screen will be explained in detail.
Item code:
This is the item’s assigned code.
Unit:
This is the assigned "unit of measurement" used for stocking this item.
Conv Factor to Stocking unit:
This is required in cases where "fractional stock" is used. This is most often used for hospitality/catering environments, where the base stock unit ordered is not sold, but fractions of it are. For example, beer is ordered and delivered as an 11 gallon barrel but you only sell it in pints, or where wine or spirits are supplied in bottles but are also sold in glasses or shots. This is what we refer to as "fractional stock" where the stock item delivered is also sold in multiple sizes or "fractions" of that main stock unit that was delivered. This is covered in a separate guide.
Price Lookup:
From here you can search for / create / remove a linked PLU.
(N.B. if linked to a PLU, the ‘Current List Price’ box will be populated with the current PLU price)
Next, the fields in the bottom half of the ‘Selling and Stocking Codes / Units’ screen will be explained.
This screen shows the codes / barcodes currently used to sell this stock item. In the above example, you will notice there are 3 barcodes for this stock item. This can be the case where exactly the same product is delivered but e.g. the manufacturer's barcode on the packaging has changed. In this scenario the new barcodes need to be added.
Should you need to add another code / barcode for this stock item, click ‘Add Code’.
The ‘Item code’ field will now be blank.
Enter the required code in the ‘Item Code’ box ( either manually or by using a barcode scanner if you have one installed).
Click ‘Apply’ then ‘Save’.
To remove unwanted codes simply click on the code, so it is highlighted yellow (as shown below).
Next click ‘Remove Code’.
The code will now show with a line through it.
At this point you will also have the option to click the ‘Reinstate’ the code button, if this was done in error.
If you are sure you want to remove this code / barcode, then click ‘Save’.
Stock Details
Next, the fields in this area of the ‘Stock Details’ section will be explained.
First, the fields at the top of the 'Stock Details' screen are shown and explained below.
Stocking Unit:
The unit of measurement this item is stocked in.
Pack Size:
How many (of the ‘Stocking Unit’) are in a pack. For example, Mars Bars come in boxes of ‘48’.
Therefore when ordering you would do so in multiples of ‘48’.
Track Qty:
If this box is checked, the system will track the quantity of this stock item and deduct from the number in stock automatically, when a sale of the corresponding PLU code is made.
Discontinued:
If this box is checked the item will not be available in the ‘Purchase Order’ / ‘Stock Adjustments’ system in ‘Merac, unless in your search you tick the ‘Show Discontinued’ option.
Next the fields at the middle of the 'Stock Details' screen are shown and explained below.
Re-order Level:
This is the stock level at which you want to re-order this item. N.B. the software will not warn you, or automatically send an order for you when your stock goes below this level. There is a report to show you stock items that have fallen below this level (the ‘Stock Re-Order Report’.) and in the ‘Purchase Order’ module there is the ability to generate an order for stock items that have fallen below this level.
Re-order Qty:
This is the stock level the software will suggest to re-order when:
(i) using the ‘Purchase Order’ system option to generate an order based on stock falling below the re-order level, or
(ii) or when running the ‘Stock Re-Order Report’.
Qty On Hand:
Displays the total quantity (of the selected ‘Stocking Unit) that is currently in stock
N.B. if you have multiple stock locations, click the 
icon for the quantity in each stock location
On Order:
Displays the quantity (of the selected ‘Stocking Unit) that is currently on order.
Max Qty:
The maximum quantity of (the selected ‘Stocking Unit) that you do not want to exceed.
(this is generated automatically as a sum of re-order level and quantity field but can be edited).
Standard Cost:
The standard cost of the item to your business.
Latest Cost:
The cost of the item on the most recent delivery.
Average Cost:
The average cost (calculated by the software) of this item to the business.
Weight (kg):
Item weight in kilograms.
N.B. this is typically only required for calculating postage costs on the ‘Online Shop’ page
So this is really only used if you have purchased the ‘Online Shop’ Module.
If you do not have the online shop, you could enter the item weight here for information only.
However, his would often already be part of either the stock item description or stock unit.
Finally, the fields at the bottom of the 'Stock Details' screen are shown and explained below.
Size:
Any other details regarding the size of the item can be typed here (for reference purposes only).
Warehouse Bin:
If required, you can type in a physical location of the item in the warehouse (for reference only).
Valuation Group:
Which ‘Stock Valuation’ group this stock item belongs (used by the ‘Stock Valuation Report’)
Usual Supplier/Alternate Supplier:
Select the usual supplier from the relevant dropdown.
If required you can also select an alternate supplier for the stock item.
Supplier item code/Alt item Code:
If required, enter the suppliers / alternate suppliers own reference code for the item here.
Notes:
Any additional information for this product (for reference only).
N.B. please remember to click ‘Save’ after amending any stock item data in this screen.
Alternatively, click ‘Cancel’ if you do not want to save the changes that were made.