Adding Items to the Inventory

When you add an item to the inventory, you need to complete settings that will help you distinguish it from the other products and services you sell. While completing all of the available inventory settings is not necessary, each item needs to be assigned a unique product code, an inventory category, and a GL code. You also need to define whether an item is inventoriable or noninventoriable.

To add an item

1. Select Maintenance from the Inventory menu. The Custom Inventory Lookup screen appears.

2. Do one of the following:

Look up an item that’s similar to the one you’re adding. For more information, see Looking Up Inventory Items.

Tip: By looking up a similar item, you can reuse many of its settings for the new item.

Click Cancel.

The Inventory Maintenance screen appears.

3. Click Add. TireMaster prompts you for a product code.

4. Type a unique product code for the new item and click OK.

5. Enter the item’s basic information:

a. Type the size, description, and quick-look code. For tires, also type the rim size.

Note: For items without a size, type a period (.) in the Size field. The period ensures that the item’s information prints properly on work orders and invoices.

b. Click the Group field, press . Then select a group from the list that appears, and click OK.

c. Make sure the Active check box is selected.

6. Define whether to assess shop charges for the item.

To charge a shop-supply fee based on the sum of the item’s parts price and FET, select the Charge Shop Parts check box.
To charge a shop-supply fee based on the item’s labor price, select the Charge Shop Labor check box.
To charge a shop-supply fee based on both the item’s parts price and labor price, select both of the Charge Shop check boxes.

Note: To assess shop supplies, other settings need to be completed in addition to selecting one or both of the check boxes on the Inventory Maintenance screen. For details, see Shop Supplies.

7. Enter the inventory-handling information:

a. If the item is inventoriable, type the letter Y in the Inventory (Y/N) field. For noninventoriable items, type the letter N instead. For more information, see Inventoriable Items and Noninventoriable Items.

b. Define the item’s type in the Type (G, C, F, D) field:

For normal items, leave the field blank.
For gasoline, type the letter G. For more information, see Adding Gasoline to the Inventory.
For consignment items, type the letter C. For more information, see Handling Consignment Items.
For fees, type the letter F. For more information, see Setting Up Fees.
For discounts, type the letter D. For more information, see Setting Up Discounts.

Note: Gasoline (G) and consignment items (C) need to be set up as inventoriable items. Fees (F) and discounts (D) need to be set up as noninventoriable items.

c. To assign a spiff color to the item, click the Color/Spiff field and press . Then select a spiff color and click OK.

d. If you pay sales commission for the item, click the Commission field and press . Then select the inventory commission type and click OK.

e. If you’re using the Option Cost costing method for the item, select the Force Option Cost check box. For the Expense or Relief-Percent costing methods, leave the check box blank.

Note: This setting is for noninventoriable items only. For more information, see Noninventoriable Costing Methods.

8. Enter up to three bar codes for the item. Bar codes can be typed or entered with a scanner. For more information, see Working with Bar Codes.

9. Enter the vendor part number and reconciliation code for the item’s main vendor or manufacturer.

a. Type the part number in the Vendor Part Number 1 field.

b. Click the Recon Code 1 field and press . Then select the reconciliation code for the item’s main vendor or manufacturer and click OK.

Note: Vendor part number 1 and reconciliation code 1 are used together. Therefore, if the vendor part number is for Goodyear, the reconciliation code needs to be the one for Goodyear.

10. Enter up to three additional vendor part numbers and reconciliation codes for other vendors who distribute the item.

Note: The additional vendor part numbers and reconciliation codes are used together as well. For example, if the Michelin vendor part number is entered in the Vendor Part Number 2 field, the Michelin reconciliation code needs to be entered in Recon Code 2 field.

Tip: To see which vendor part numbers and reconciliation codes are assigned to items, generate a Vendor Part Number List. This report is on the Inventory tab on the Report List.

11. For tires, enter the load index/speed rating, UTQG rating, load range, sidewall style, and treadlife warranty. For information on using the Core Item field, see Preparing to Track Core Items.

12. For wheels, enter the number of lugs, the bolt pattern, the rim width, and the rim offset.

13. Type a minimum weight requirement if needed.

14. Assign the following codes and tax settings:

a. Click the Add On/Kit Code field and press . Then select an add-on code and click OK.

b. Click the Mfg Code field and press.. Then select the code for the item’s manufacturer and click OK.

c. If the item’s price excluding labor is taxable, make sure the Parts check box is selected. Otherwise, clear the check box.

d. If the item’s labor price is taxable, make sure the Labor check box is selected. Otherwise, clear the check box.

e. Click the Category field and press . Then select a category code and click OK.

f. Click the GL field and press . Then select a GL code and click OK.

15. To save the new item, click OK. TireMaster prompts you to edit the prices for the new item.

16. To enter the item’s price settings, click Yes. For instructions, see Setting a Fixed Price for an Item. Otherwise, click No and close the Inventory Maintenance screen.