Maintain Inventory Items

Use this window to create and update different types of items that you sell and track.

Set up your default or common information, in Maintain Item Defaults. This automates part of the process of setting up individual items you sell and saves you data entry time. For more information, click Set Up Inventory Item Defaults
Set up the items themselves in Maintain Inventory items, choosing the correct Item Class.

For the most part, you set them up using the fields on the General tab of the Maintain Inventory Items window. But the additional tabs in the window—Bill of Materials, Item Attributes, and Serial Numbers—let you set up special item types such as assembly, master stock, substock, and serialized items. For more information, click a link below.

Selecting the right Item Classes for your type of business

Set Up an Inventory Item

Set Up Master Stock and Substock Items

Set Up an Assembly Item

Set up a serialized inventory item (Sage 50 Premium Accounting and higher)

Finally, enter the beginning balances for your items (if applicable). These are the quantities of the items you have on hand when you first begin to use Sage 50. For more information, click Enter Beginning Balances.

How do I update existing items?

Return to Maintain Inventory and select the item you want to update.
Make the changes that you want. Note that some fields cannot be accessed or changed once you have entered transactions with this item (for instance, Item Class and Item Cost).
Click Save.

Learn More

How do I enter quantities and costs for my stock items?

Use the Beginning Balances button on the General tab in Maintain Inventory items. In beginning balances, you can select an item and enter how many of the item you have on hand when you first start using Sage 50, as well as the how much the items cost you to purchase. For more information, click Enter Beginning Balances.

What are custom fields and how can I use them?

Custom fields let you track information that Sage 50 normally doesn't track. You set up the fields and input the data based on specific information that your business requires.

Overview and examples

How to set up and use custom fields

Tell me more about tracking inventory

Tracking inventory in Sage 50 is basically a three-step process:

Enter item information, including Sales account, Inventory account, and Cost of Sales account.
Use item codes when entering purchases and sales. Sage 50 computes and tracks costs and quantities on a daily basis, based on transaction date and item class.
Enter adjustments, if necessary, through the Inventory Adjustments Task.

Sage 50 does the rest, adjusting inventory levels each time you post a purchase or sale of an inventory item. In addition, the program will track the cost of each item on a daily basis, based on the transaction date and item class.

In addition to tracking costs and quantities, using inventory items makes entering transactions easier.

How do I determine the current quantity of items on hand?

Sage 50 offers a number of ways to determine the quantity of items you have in stock. There is no need to run out of an item before ordering again!

Determine the current quantity of inventory items on hand

How do I offer my customers a quantity discount?

Sage 50 lets you give your customers a price break on items sold in quantity. Once you set up a quantity discount for an item, the discount will be automatically applied whenever you sell an item and the minimum order quantity is met.

Set up quantity discounts

Help with specific fields or folders

If you need specific help with a field or a folder on the Maintain Inventory Items window, click on the area below. (Header fields are those fields above the folders on the window—ID, Description, Item Class, Subject to Commission, and Inactive.)

Bill of Materials Tab

Item Attributes Tab

Serial Numbers Tab

Add an Attachment

You can attach files, such as Word or Excel documents, to a inventory item record. How do I add an attachment?