Before you promise stock to a customer, you need to know how much you can actually deliver. Inventory shows this on the Stock balance register: for every item, warehouse and batch it lists what is on the shelf and what is really free to sell. This article explains how to open it, read it and narrow it down to what you need.
Open the Stock balance register
- In the top menu, select Stock. The Stock balance register opens. (You can also reach it from Registers by choosing Stock balances.)
- Wait for the list to load. Each row is one item in one warehouse, and one batch if the item is tracked by batch.
If you do not see the Stock menu, your account has not been given access to stock reports. Ask the person who manages your Inventory access to enable it.
Understand the columns
All quantities are in the item's own unit, shown in the Unit column, so "12" is never a guess between kilograms and cartons.
- On hand is the quantity physically recorded in that warehouse.
- Reserved is stock set aside for an order.
- Packed is stock already packed but not yet dispatched.
- Job worker is stock sitting with an outside processor.
- Available is what is free to promise after the held-back quantities are taken off. This is the figure to look at before you commit to a customer.
- Last movement is the date and time the stock last moved.
Other columns such as Committed, On hold, Damaged, Blocked and Expected are also available. They are hidden at first; use the column options on the register to switch them on.
Narrow down the list
Use the filters above the table:
- Item, Warehouse and Batch show only the part of the stock you name.
- Hide zero balances is switched on to begin with, so rows with nothing in them stay out of the way. Switch it off if you want to see empty rows too.
- Below zero only shows balances that have gone negative, which usually points to a movement posted in the wrong order.
- Stock status offers choices such as In stock (above zero), Low stock (at or below reorder level), Over-committed (more held than on hand) and In transit.
- No movement for finds slow stock that has not moved in 30, 60, 90 or 180 days, or in a year or more.
- Batch expiry finds batches that have expired but are still in stock, or that expire within 30, 60 or 90 days.
The register totals the figures for you. Where the rows use different units, such as kilograms and pieces, the totals are left blank and a note says they are not added together, because adding them would be misleading.
See how an item moved
Select a row to open the stock ledger for that item and warehouse. The ledger lists every movement, so you can see why the quantity is what it is today.
Tips
- You can group the list by Warehouse to see a subtotal for each location.
- You can tick rows to get a subtotal for a shortlist, or to export just those rows.
- The register shows live balances across all financial years, so it does not change when you switch years.