Inventory Overview and Terminology
Inventory is a premium (additional) module that can be added to further enhance the standard bundle of modules within the Admin Control Panel. The Inventory module manages inventory SKUs in real-time across multiple locations and sales channels, allowing for inventory tracking of all storage facilities including multiple tasting rooms, warehouses, and fulfillment centers. Inventory tracking can be set up to best suit your model for sales transactions, wine storage, and fulfillment, and is best used to prevent the overselling of wine.
Permission Required: To access the inventory settings, your user account must be enabled with two permissions:
1.) Primary access to the Product menu, and
2.) The permission to access the sub-menu option for Inventory
Contact your eCellar User Manager for assistance.
Inventory Terminology and Definitions
| SKU | A SKU is used to determine how many inventory units will be depleted per product sold. Learn how to create inventory SKUs in this Article. |
| Products | Products are the salable item. Each inventory SKU is linked to a product. Product availability is based on SKU quantity remaining available. |
| Kit | Also called a bundle. This is a single product with multiple SKUs linked, and will track as a single product is sold, the multiple SKUs will deplete availability. |
| Locations | Locations are used to represent storage facilities for inventory. |
| Fulfillment | Fulfillment methods are directly linked to locations. The fulfillment method selected for an order will determine the location for inventory depletion. |
| Transactions | An inventory transaction represents movement of a SKU from one status to another. For example, a transaction occurs when payment is processed, and quantity is moved from Available to Invoiced. This is represented by a transaction code. Learn more about Inventory Transaction Codes in this Article. |
| Channels | Each order source (channel) can have a default inventory Location as a fail-safe for orders that do not have a matching fulfillment method. |
| Transfers | The movement of inventory SKUs from one location to another. |
| Adjustments | Adding or subtracting SKU amounts within a location. Typically used when receiving new wine deliveries into a location. |
| Staging | Used to pre-select the quantities of each SKU that are incoming and will be received into a location. |
Product SKU vs. Inventory SKU
Products and inventory SKUs are unique and independent, until they are linked together in the product settings. First create inventory SKUs. Then, a product is created and linked to each Inventory SKU. As products are sold, inventory units deplete from the available amounts of inventory SKUs.
SKU: A SKU is used to determine how many inventory units will be depleted per Product sold. One or more SKUs can be tied to a single product.
Products: Products are the salable item. Product creation and settings are managed from a singular location in eCellar for your POS, Wine Club, and online store (General and Allocation). Typically, the product display SKU is the same as the Inventory SKU. To deplete inventory, a product is tied to a related inventory SKU in the product settings. A product can also be created that is not tied to an inventory SKU if inventory does not beed to be tracked. For example, an Event Ticket may be available for sale in the POS but is not tracked as inventory unit.
Overview of Inventory Setup
Once the Inventory module is activated, the first three steps can be completed anytime prior to fully launching the module.
- Assign user permissions to anyone who will be creating and managing products and inventory SKUs.
- Create Company Locations and enable each physical location for inventory tracking. Do not create locations without consulting the eCellar Support Team for advisement. Locations cannot be deleted once they are created.
- Create Inventory SKUs for each product to be sold and tracked for inventory depletion. To get started creating inventory SKUs, read the next Article.
- Review available fulfillment methods in the Shipping Zones & Methods and the Club Shipping Tables.
- Ensure that EACH location is linked to an active fulfillment method.
- Add opening inventory counts for each SKU, in each Location.
- Link each inventory SKU to the correct product in the product settings. Learn more about product setup in this Article.
The final steps (4-7) should be done outside of business hours, just before your 'go-live' date. Once SKUs are connected to inventory, transactions will now initiate for every sale, and inventory will begin depleting from the opening balance.