If you have an Excel file, or a file with type "csv" with you data, importing data will be pretty straight forward. Other electonic files like from QuickBooks can require some extra steps to get it in a format for importing, but almost all computer files can be imported if it makes sense to go through the steps. Some times beginning inventory may be entered manually more efficiently.
By Selecting File Maintenance on the top pop-down menu you will see the first sub-menu selection is Edit Inventory Data. Clicking on this will bring up our Inventory Data Form. This form will have all you need to enter inventory items. You can do as many as you want this way. It just takes time and good typing to get everything right.
To add a new item click on the Add a New Item button. What happens next depends on whether you system is setup for using Inventory Categories.
When you are using Inventory Categories:
You will get to choose the category for the item you want to add. If the category you want is not a choice, you can create a new Inventory Category by following the steps in the help document Creating and Editing Inventory Categories. Using Inventory Categories can be turned on and off via an option in the Company Controls form. Using categories means you should understand the category prefix.
The prefix is designed to be a number. I like to use values that increment by 10. This way you can add prefixes near to existing ones for related items. So, in the single-user data supplied during installation, the category having TABLES as the short description has 010 as its prefix. This would mean the first table would be 010-0001. The second table would be 010-0002, etc.
So, once you select a category you will get the option to select via a button what the number of the item will be within the category. There are two buttons that may only offer the same number or may let you pick from 2 different numbers. When you select the number for the item you will be done setting the item number and category. The number is now locked and cannot be changed. Skip to the section After Setting the Item Number below.
When you are NOT using Inventory Categories:
It's a good idea to read the section above on The Prefix because the system is set up to work with item numbers that start with a number along with descriptions that a letter and optionally categories connecting the two. The system looks for an item number when you enter a something starting with a number and it looks for a description when you enter something starting with a letter.
So, with this in mind, if the first table item didn't already exist, you could enter "010-0001" (without the quotes) in the item number and "TABLES" (without the quotes) in the category and you would have the same entry for the first table that was created using categories.
Note that when you enter an item number, it is locked in and cannot be changed.
After Setting the Item Number
Once the item number is locked in, select the Sales Category. When you type something or try to exit the field it will ask you to select the Sales Category. Select the approprite entry. Enter the item's Description, Price, On Hand Qty and you have entered all that is needed to get started. Typically the Description starts with the same root word as the category it belongs in. So something in the TABLES category would have a description that starts with "Table, " (without the quotes) and then have "120 inch round". A napkin might have "Napkin, white cotton". A tablecloth might have "Tablecloth, 120 inch round black".
To enter multiple new items select Add New Items Quickly from the File Maintenance pop-down menu. This will bring up an abbreviated Inventory Form designed to let you enter one new item after another using fewer steps. This form is only for users who know what to enter. There are no aids to data entry and almost anything can be entered whether it is acceptable or not.
It is highly recommended that you try one item to see how it works. When the item you entered is verified to be the way you want it, then continue to add items one after the other.