Product Master

1What is a Product? #

A product (stock item) is any item the company deals in. Its Classification decides how it behaves:

• Inventory: physical goods that affect stock balances (buy / sell / move).
• Value Allocation Item: affects stock by value rather than quantity.
• Stock Alias: a kit / bill-of-material that consumes component items when one unit is sold.
• Fixed Asset: a capital asset tracked unit-by-unit (not normal sale stock).
• Service: a non-stock service line — does not affect stock.

2Step by step #

Suppose the first stock item is 12MM 500 D TMT , bought and sold by the kilogram.

1. The page opens ready to add. Type the name into Name * , pick the Group Name * (create one from the combo footer if the list is empty) and the Unit * — KGS .
2. Set the tax block: the product's tax class and HSN code, so voucher lines tax themselves correctly from day one.
3. Enter the prices the business quotes — one rate per price type (Retail, Wholesale…) in the price block.
4. Opening stock, if migrating: quantity and rate. Branch, division or warehouse splits of that opening are the allocation Actions after save.
5. Press Save (F5) and confirm. The record stays in View mode and the Actions unlock — Alternative Units, Stock Alias (BOM), the opening allocations, serial numbers.
6. Press F3 for the next product. For bulk take-on, enter the masters first, then openings by allocation.

Sell-side behaviour — discounts, qty slabs, serial tracking, parameters — is a pairing of voucher-type flags AND the product's own flags; when a feature does not appear on a voucher, check both ends.

3Item Group & Unit of Measurement #

• Item Group: the classification the product belongs to (e.g. Electronics, Raw Materials). The group supplies the default pricing template (price types + formulas) and tax setup applied to every product in it. Maintain groups in Item Group Master .
• Unit of Measurement (Unit): how the product is counted or measured (NOS, KG, MTR, BOX…). Maintain units in Unit Master ; Conversion to smaller unit relates a pack unit to its base unit.
• Category / Sub Category / Sub Group: optional finer classification. The cascade panel is shown only when the Require Category & Sub Category setting is enabled.

4General tab — field details #

• Product ID: system-generated identifier (read-only).
• Name: the product name — mandatory and unique.
• Inactive: switch beside the name; an inactive product is hidden from new transactions.
• Product Code / Part No: optional codes used for search and identification.
• Classification: see What is a Product? above.
• Group / Unit / Brand / HSN Code / Tax Class: links to the respective masters.
• Affect Stock: Yes = transactions update stock balances. Required for Inventory items and for Division / Serial opening.
• Opening Stock: the starting quantity when the product is first created. Human-entered, static value.
• OP Rate / Opening Value: the opening unit rate and value. Opening Value = OP Rate × Opening Stock, valued per the Valuation of Opening Stock Using setting.
• Prices (price types): a price per price type. A price type may carry a formula (from Price Category Master) — such rows show a small ƒ mark, are read-only, and are computed automatically. A formula can reference other price types by their variable name; the tax/opening tokens OPSTK , OPVAL , OPRATE , IGSTRate , SGSTRate , CGSTRate , GSTRate , TX / TXR ; and any numeric field of the product by its field name (e.g. OpStock , OPRate , MinStock , MaxStock , Rlevel , Weight , Height , QtyInPack , ConToSmallerUnit ). Edit a base (non-formula) price and the formula rows recalculate.
• Min Stock / Max Stock / Reorder Level: thresholds used for re-order alerts.

5Barcode #

The barcode group appears right after Affect Stock .

• Manufacturer Barcode (Y/N): setting it to Yes enables the barcode fields.
• User Barcode From: the source / format the user barcode is built from (editable combo).
• Std Barcode: the standard / printed barcode value.

6Advanced tab — field details #

• RP / WP Cal. Basis: how Retail and Wholesale prices are derived — NetCost Plus , MRP Down , or On MRP (editable combo).
• Allow Batch / Variants / Track Measurements / Item Parameters / Fixed-Asset Allocation: per-product feature toggles.
• Extended Properties: set to Yes to enable Color, Weight, Height, Qty in Pack and Others.
• Stock Groups: when Allow Stock Group is Yes (and the setting permits), select multiple stock groups for the product.
• Preferred Suppliers / Branch Allocation: per-product supplier list and the branches the product is allocated to.

7Branch visibility, Styles & Image #

• Branch Visibility (ERP edition only) : All = available in every branch; Selective = choose which branches can use the product (branch picker enables).
• Styles tab: shown when Product Styles is enabled; assign style variants to the product.
• Local-language description: shown when the local-language setting is enabled.
• Image: product image, at the bottom of the page.

8Action — Stock Alias (BOM) #

Purpose: define the component items (and quantities) consumed when one unit of a Stock Alias product is sold.

• Requirement: Classification = Stock Alias , and a saved product in view mode (components are keyed by product) — the button is disabled while adding or modifying.
• Use: click Stock Alias Components… . F3 adds a component row; pick the item (multi-column combo showing the description); default Qty = 1. F5 saves, Esc closes.
• After saving a Stock Alias product the components editor opens automatically.

9Action — Fixed Asset Opening #

Purpose: record each individual asset unit (asset name, serials, purchase, allocation, warranty / insurance / service-contract, installation) for a Fixed-Asset product.

• Requirements: the Fixed Assets module must be subscribed (license) or the Enable Fixed Assets Module setting on; a saved product in view mode; and the product Classification must be Fixed Asset (checked when you click).
• Use: click Fixed Asset Opening… . F3 adds an asset row and opens its detail editor. Section switches ( Is Installed , Has Warranty , Has Insurance , Has Service Contract ) enable their fields only when turned on. F5 saves.
• After saving a Fixed-Asset product the opening editor opens automatically.

10Action — Division-wise Opening Stock #

Purpose: split the product's opening stock across Divisions / Branches.

• Requirements: company setting Track Division ON; a saved product in view mode; product Affect Stock = Yes (checked when you click); Opening Stock ≠ 0 (else the button is disabled).
• How it works: the panel shows Total Qty Available (= Opening Stock), Allocated and Remaining . Add rows of Division + Branch + Qty; each row's Stock Valuation = unit rate × qty (same basis as Opening Value). You cannot allocate more than the opening stock — the Remaining pill turns red if over-allocated. The grid footer totals Qty and Valuation.
• Keys: F3 add row; Tab/Enter off the last cell auto-adds a row pre-filled with the remaining balance; F5 save; Esc close.

11Action — Serial Number Opening #

Purpose: allocate the product's opening stock to individual serial numbers.

• Requirements: preference Track Serial Number ON; a saved product in view mode with Opening Stock ≠ 0 (else the button is disabled); and the product itself must track serials ( Track Serial Number = Yes on the Advanced page, checked when you click).
• How it works: the same Total / Allocated / Remaining panel. Each row holds Serial No 1 (required, unique), Serial No 2 (optional) and Qty (default 1 per serial). Total allocated quantity cannot exceed the opening stock.
• Keys: F3 add serial; Tab/Enter off the last cell auto-adds the next; F5 save; Esc close.

12Action — Storage Space (Warehouse) Opening #

Purpose: split the product's opening stock across storage spaces / warehouses (godowns).

• Requirements: company setting Godown / Warehouse tracking ON; a saved product in view mode with Opening Stock ≠ 0 (else the Storage Space… button is disabled).
• How it works: the same Total / Allocated / Remaining panel. Each row holds a Storage Space (branch-filtered list), Qty , Unit Price (defaults to the opening rate) and Amount (= unit price × qty, computed). Each storage space can appear once; you cannot allocate more than the opening stock. The grid footer totals Qty and Amount.
• Keys: F3 add row; Tab/Enter off the last cell auto-adds a row pre-filled with the remaining balance; F5 save; Esc close.

13Action — Opening Batch Inventory #

Purpose: record what each batch of this product already held before the first voucher ever touched it — branch-wise and division-wise.

Why it matters: every other opening has had a home for years; batches had none. Without it a batch starts at zero however much of it was really on the shelf, so the batch reports show the issues without the stock they came out of — which is why so many batches close negative. This screen is what fixes those numbers.

• Requirements: the product's Allow Batch switch (Advanced page) ON; a saved product in view mode with Opening Stock ≠ 0 (else the Batch Opening… button is disabled). The batches themselves come from Batch Master — this screen records their openings, it does not create them.
• How it works: the same Total / Allocated / Remaining panel as the other openings. Each row holds a Batch , its Branch and (where the company tracks divisions) its Division , then Qty , Unit Price (defaults to the opening rate) and Amount (= unit price × qty, computed). Leave Branch or Division blank for all of them.
• The batch's expiry is shown, read-only, beside the picker: a date already past is red, and a batch whose master says an expiry is compulsory but carries none is amber. Neither stops the save — they are there so an opening is not keyed against a batch nobody should be selling.
• Integrity: one opening per batch per branch per division (enforced again in the database, so two people cannot race it); the total cannot exceed the product's opening stock; quantities cannot be negative. Every failure is listed at once.
• Keys: F3 add row; Tab/Enter off the last cell auto-adds a row pre-filled with the remaining balance and the next batch that has no opening yet; F5 save; Esc close.

14Action — Branch Inventory Opening (ERP edition only) #

Purpose: split the product's opening stock across branches, with per-branch reorder settings.

• Requirements: the ERP edition (the switch and this button are hidden in the Professional edition, which has no branches); the product must allow branch stock — turn on Define Br./Dept. Stock on the Advanced page (the button only appears then); and a saved product in view mode with Opening Stock ≠ 0 (else the button is disabled).
• How it works: the same Total / Allocated / Remaining panel. Each row holds a Branch , Op. Qty , Stock Valuation (= unit rate × qty, read-only), optional Min Stock / Max Stock / Reorder Level and a Rack . Each branch can appear once; allocated quantity cannot exceed the opening stock. The footer totals Qty and Valuation.
• Note: this is the per-branch opening stock (quantities), distinct from Branch visibility on the Branches tab (which only chooses which branches see the product).
• Keys: F3 add row; Tab/Enter off the last cell auto-adds a row pre-filled with the remaining balance; F5 save; Esc close.

15Action — Stock Group Allocation #

Purpose: split the product's opening stock across stock-group categories (Product Group names), each with its own quantity, custom-price flag, creation/expiry dates and description.

• When it appears: the Stock Group… button shows when Allow Stock Group Selection is off . When that setting is on, you use the inline multi-select on the Advanced tab instead.
• Requirements: a saved product in view mode with non-zero opening stock; and Allow Stock Group = Yes on the Advanced page (checked when you click).
• How it works: the panel shows Total / Allocated / Remaining opening stock. Add rows of Stock Group + Op. Qty (+ optional Custom Price, Creation/Expiry dates, Description). Allocation cannot exceed the opening stock; the footer totals the quantity.
• Create a stock group: click the + next to the Stock Group box to create a new group inline (embedded Stock Group Master); the new group is selected into the row automatically.
• Custom prices: turn a row's Custom Price switch on — the Prices… dialog opens automatically (you can also click Prices… any time) to set a price per price-type for that product / stock-group combination (kept separately from the product's default prices). Click OK to keep the prices; they're saved together when you Save (F5) the allocation. Leave a price blank to use the default. Formula-driven price types (marked ƒ ) are computed automatically and read-only — their formulas can reference other price types, the tax/opening tokens ( OPSTK , OPVAL , OPRATE , IGSTRate , SGSTRate , CGSTRate , GSTRate , TX / TXR ), and any numeric product field by its name.
• Keys: F3 add row; Tab/Enter off the last cell auto-adds a row pre-filled with the remaining balance; F5 save; Esc close.

16Action — Custom Group (reporting) #

Purpose: a custom group bundles one or more products under a group name for reporting — separate from the standard Item Group. A product can belong to many custom groups.

• Availability: whenever the page is in view mode (not while adding or modifying a product); it is not class- or setting-gated and manages groups independently of the current product.
• Group Formal Name: pick an existing group from the combo to load it, or type a new name to start a fresh group.
• Members: add member products (each with a Print Name , defaulted to the product name). F3 adds a member; Tab/Enter off the last cell auto-adds the next.
• Rename: change the group name and click Rename to rename the loaded group in place.
• Delete: removes the loaded group and all its members.
• Save (F5): stores the group and its current member set; Esc closes.

17Action — Alternative Units #

Purpose: define one or more alternative units of measure for the product, each with a conversion factor relative to the primary unit.

• Availability: any saved product in view mode (no setting gate).
• How it works: add rows of Alternative Unit + Conversion Factor (how many primary units make one alternative unit; must be > 0). Each unit can appear once and cannot equal the primary unit. The + next to the unit box creates a new Unit inline (embedded Unit Master) and selects it.
• Custom prices: turn a row's Custom Price switch on — the Prices… dialog opens automatically (you can also click Prices… any time) to set a price per price-type for that product/unit. Click OK to keep the prices; they're saved together when you Save (F5) the alternative units. Leave a price blank to use the default. Formula-driven price types (marked ƒ ) are computed automatically and read-only — they can reference the opening/tax tokens ( OPSTK , OPVAL , IGSTRate , SGSTRate , CGSTRate , GSTRate , TX / TXR ) and any numeric product field.
• Keys: F3 add row; Tab/Enter off the last cell auto-adds the next; F5 save; Esc close.

18Action — Alternative Products #

Purpose: list other products that can substitute for this one (e.g. equivalent items from a different brand).

• Availability: any saved product in view mode.
• How it works: add rows choosing an Alternative Product from the searchable list of every other product, with an optional Description . A product can't be its own alternative, and each alternative can appear once.
• Keys: F3 add row; Tab/Enter off the last cell auto-adds the next; F5 save; Esc close.

19Action — Variants #

Purpose: record which values of each product attribute this item is available in — Colour: Red, Blue; Size: M, L. One item with variants, rather than a separate item per combination.

• Availability: a saved product in view mode whose Allow Variants switch is ON. When either is missing the Variants… button is disabled and the reason is printed underneath it.
• How it works: one line per attribute with a tick-list of that attribute's values. An attribute with nothing ticked is simply not used by this product. Edited lines are highlighted until saved, and the header counts how many attributes are assigned and how many are unsaved.
• Where the choices come from: the attributes and values themselves are defined in Masters → Inventory Masters → Product Attributes . If a tick-list is empty, that attribute has no values yet; if there is nothing at all to choose, no attributes have been created.
• Keys: F5 save; Esc close.

20Action — Custom Fields #

Purpose: capture extra, user-defined fields for a product without changing the program — the fields are designed in Custom Tables , where a data set is marked as applying to Products (as a master).

• Availability: appears only when at least one such custom table exists; enabled for a saved product (View mode). If several are defined you pick which one first.
• Scoping: the form shows only rows belonging to the current product, and the link back to the product is filled in automatically — you don't see or edit it.
• Entry mode: One-To-One keeps a single record per product (the form is always editable — just edit and Save). One-To-Many allows many rows per product (use Find (F2) to load one, Add (F3) for another).
• Controls are chosen automatically from the field definition (lookup combo, switch, date picker, number, multiline, or text). F5 saves, Esc closes.

21Action — Documents #

Purpose: attach files from the Document Management store to this product — datasheets, images, certificates — with a note per attachment. Attachments can be opened, downloaded or detached from the same dialog; the files themselves stay in the store.

• Availability: the button is hidden entirely without the Document Management subscription; it enables for a saved product in View mode.
• Attach document… opens the document explorer as a picker — collect files from any folders and press OK; Save (F5) keeps the links.

22Settings that enable each feature #

Several areas appear only when the matching setting (or license) is enabled:

• Track Division (Company Settings) → enables the Division-wise Opening action.
• Track Serial Number (Preferences) → enables the Serial Number Opening action (product must also have Serial tracking = Yes).
• Godown / Warehouse tracking (Company Settings) → enables the Storage Space action (split opening stock across warehouses; product must have non-zero Opening Stock).
• Define Br./Dept. Stock (product, Advanced page; ERP edition only) → enables the Branch Inventory action (per-branch opening stock + reorder levels; product must have non-zero Opening Stock).
• Allow Batch (product, Advanced page) → enables the Batch Opening action (what each batch opened with, per branch and division; product must have non-zero Opening Stock) and makes the product's lines carry a batch on vouchers.
• Fixed Assets module (License) / Enable Fixed Assets Module → enables the Fixed Asset Opening action (product class must be Fixed Asset).
• Require Category & Sub Category → shows the Sub Group / Category / Sub Category cascade.
• Allow Stock Group Selection → shows the Stock Groups multi-select.
• Enable Product Style → shows the Styles tab.
• Require Local-language Description → shows the local-language field.
• Valuation of Opening Stock Using → chooses which price type values the opening stock (drives Opening Value and Division/Serial valuation).
• Affect Stock (on the product) → required for opening-stock allocations (Division / Serial).

23Working in this page (keyboard) #

• Find (F2): search and load an existing product.
• Add (F3): start a new product; the cursor moves to Name .
• Modify (F4): edit the loaded product.
• Delete: remove the current product (view mode only).
• Save (F5): commit the add / modify. After saving, the just-saved product stays on screen in view mode — it does not jump to a blank Add. To enter the next product, press Add (F3) (focus is parked there).
• Cancel (Esc): discard changes and return to view mode.
• Enter / Tab move to the next field. In the action dialogs: F3 add row, F5 save, Esc close, and Tab/Enter off the last cell adds a new row.

24If something does not work #