Inventory Setup
The Inventory Setup page is used to configure the values in the drop-down lists for the fields within the Product and Shipping Profile pages. Specifically, you can dictate what Product Category will appear as well as the Shipping Carrier and regions that can be used (among other values) when you are adding new products to your inventory.
Adding New Values for Your Inventory Products
Navigating to the Product Setup screen within Inventory Setup can be accomplished in one of two ways:
- Click on the Inventory module from the Module Menu drop-down.
- On the Group Item Menu, click Overview. Select Product Setup.
- You can also choose to click on the Inventory Setup Page link from the Inventory content group page.
No matter which option you choose, the Product Setup page will display.
There are two tabs on the Product Setup page; Product and Shipping each with several child forms that are discussed below.
Product Tab
Product Types Child Form
Product types in NetForum are usually the types of good or services that your organization will sell to your customer. For example, some baseline Product Types are Merchandise, Publication, Kits, and Bundles. Product types can also be associated with Events and Exhibits such as exhibit sponsorships and event fees. Although NetForum provides your organization with an extensive array of baseline product types, detailed information on Product Types and how to add additional types should you need them can be found on the Product Type page.
The Product Type child form enables you to specify additional product categories within NetForum as well. For example, within your Merchandise product type, you may want to further categorize it by adding product categories for Members Only, Conference Items, and Office Supplies. Setting up new product categories and how to do this on the Inventory Setup page is documented on the Product Category page.
Product Type System Options
There are two system option child forms under the Product tab; product type system options and invalid product type system options.
The system options child forms are associated with the back-end values of the database and tied to the Product Types. It is not recommended that you modify these values or you risk unexpected results with your product types or even risk them not working altogether. If you want more information on what each system option does, visit the System Option page or perform a search on the specific option you are interested in.
Price Terms Child Form
The price terms child form enables you to set-up time periods for your term-based products such as subscriptions and membership dues. You might specify values such as one year, lifetime, and 30-day trial, for example. Price Terms and how to set them up are documented extensively on the Product Setup topic.
Product Affiliation Role Child Form
The product affiliation role child form is used to set-up roles that are associated or affiliated with a product if desired such as an author or publisher. It is currently only used with the Publication module as part of the People/Companies Child Form. Adding these roles is documented on the Product Setup topic.
Product Format
The Product Format child form is used to set up formats like Book, DVD, CD-ROM, etc.
Shipping Tab
Shipping Carriers
The shipping carriers child form is used to set-up Shipping Carriers that your organization will use to ship your products such as UPS or FedEx. Adding a Shipping Carrier is documented on the Shipping Setup topic.
Shipping Region
The shipping region child form is used to set-up the areas or regions that you want your Shipping Carriers to cover if you want this delineated. Adding a shipping region is documented on the Shipping Setup topic.
Removing Values from Drop-Down Lists
You may decide that you want to delete a value from a drop-down list that you have previously created. netFORUM allows you to either delete a previously created value or to hide/disable it. There is a slight difference between the two. The rules are:
- You may delete a value if it has not been used elsewhere. For example, if you have created a category for a Product Type that is now in use, you may not permanently delete it from future use. You must hide and disable it from future use.
- If you hide and disable a value and then decide you want to use it again, you must recreate it. There is no 'show' option.
Deleting List Values
To delete a value from a drop-down list:
- On the Inventory Setup page, on the appropriate child form, find the category record you would like to delete and click the Delete button.
- You will receive a warning message. Click OK to delete the item from the child form.
Note: After a drop-down list item is used, you will not be able to permanently delete the item. However, you can hide the record so that it does not show in the list by disabling it. To disable the record, check the hide/disable record? check box (see below).
Hiding or Disabling List Values
To hide or disable a value from a drop-down list:
- On the Product tab, on the appropriate child form, find the category you would like to hide and click the edit button.
- Select the hide/disable record? check box and click Save. This removes the value from all of the drop-down lists.
Note: There is no show option to reverse the hide option. If you need to display the value again, you must add it again.