Inventory Statuses

Inventory Statuses are an essential component of the inventory management system, providing a way to track and manage the availability and lifecycle of inventory items. They help organizations monitor the condition, usability, and accessibility of their inventory assets.

The system provides two primary types of inventory statuses:

• Available: Indicates that inventory items are ready for use, allocation, or transfer. Available items can be picked, shipped, or used in operations.
• Unavailable: Indicates that inventory items cannot be accessed or used for regular operations. Items may be unavailable due to various reasons such as quality inspection, maintenance, damage, or reserved for specific purposes.

Each status type serves a specific purpose in inventory management:

• Items can be assigned to operations
• Items are included in available inventory counts
• Items can be transferred between locations
• Items are considered when fulfilling inventory requirements

• Items are excluded from available inventory counts
• Items cannot be assigned to regular operations
• Items may require inspection, repair, or special handling
• Items may be held aside for specific purposes

Organizations can create custom inventory statuses that fall under the two primary types:

• Name: A descriptive name for the status (e.g., "In Quality Check," "Reserved," "Damaged")
• Description: Detailed information about what the status means and when it should be applied
• Type: The classification as either "Available" or "Unavailable"

Examples of custom statuses might include:

• "In Transit" (Unavailable) - Items that are currently being transported between locations
• "On Hold" (Unavailable) - Items that are reserved for specific orders or projects
• "Ready for Shipment" (Available) - Items that have been prepared for shipping
• "Needs Inspection" (Unavailable) - Items that require quality verification before use

The system maintains complete records of inventory status changes:

• Current status of each inventory item
• History of status changes over time
• User who created or modified each status
• Timestamps for all status changes

Inventory statuses are integrated with the inventory transaction system:

• Status changes are recorded as transactions
• Transactions include the previous status and new status
• Transactions capture the reason for status changes
• Reports can be generated based on status changes

Rather than permanent deletion, inventory statuses can be archived and restored:

• Archived statuses are not available for new inventory items
• Existing inventory items with archived statuses maintain their status
• Archived statuses can be restored if needed again
• Historical data is preserved when statuses are archived

1. Users can create new inventory statuses
2. Each status requires a name, description, and type (Available or Unavailable)
3. Created statuses become available for assignment to inventory items

1. When inventory items are created, they are assigned an initial status
2. Inventory items maintain their status until explicitly changed
3. Status changes are recorded as transactions for audit purposes

1. Status names and descriptions can be updated if needed
2. The type (Available/Unavailable) can be changed if requirements change
3. All modifications are tracked with user information and timestamps

1. Statuses that are no longer needed can be archived
2. Archiving prevents the status from being assigned to new items
3. Existing items with the archived status are not affected
4. Archived statuses can be viewed in the archives section

1. Archived statuses can be restored if needed again
2. Restoration makes the status available for new assignments
3. The full history of the status, including its archival, is maintained

1. Use clear, descriptive names that convey the status purpose
2. Provide detailed descriptions that explain when to use each status
3. Limit the number of statuses to prevent confusion
4. Create a logical progression of statuses for common inventory workflows

1. Review statuses periodically to ensure they meet current needs
2. Archive obsolete statuses rather than deleting them
3. Train users on the meaning and proper use of each status
4. Use reporting tools to monitor inventory by status

• An inventory status cannot be deleted if it is currently assigned to any inventory items
• All inventory items must have an assigned status at all times
• Statuses are specific to clients and stores in multi-tenant environments

By effectively utilizing inventory statuses, organizations can maintain better control over their inventory, improve tracking accuracy, and ensure that inventory items are properly managed throughout their lifecycle.