V9 - General inventory setting descriptions

Go to Tools & settings > Configuration > Inventory > General to establish your General inventory settings.

Allow negative inventory. If this option is checked, SOS Inventory will not warn you when shipping, using, or adjusting items that would cause your inventory to go negative.

Allow negative inventory in bins. If this option is checked, SOS Inventory will allow you to enter a transaction that would cause the inventory in a bin to go negative.

Always use average costs for cost by location. Check this box to calculate the cost basis at a specific location using average costs instead of FIFO or LIFO, even if you use FIFO or LIFO otherwise. This can help to produce more meaningful reports, even though not strictly FIFO or LIFO.

Calculate reorder points. Check this option to have SOS Inventory calculate reorder points automatically, on a weekly basis. The calculation makes an estimate based on historical data. Enabling this setting will override existing reorder points. You may wish to export your item data prior to enabling this setting, if you do not want to lose existing reorder points.

Don't show quantity on builds and shipments. For customers creating long builds or shipments, calculating item quantities for each item may slow input. Enable this option to remove that column.

Hide item name. Hides item name on purchase orders, estimates, sales orders, invoices, sales receipts, and packing slips. Often useful in drop shipping. 

Include category prefix on item names (formerly Find items by short name). Check this box to include the category assigned to an item as a prefix to the item name on transactions, imports, exports, and reports.

New items taxable. Check this option to set new items as taxable by default.

Picture size (width x height). Enter the pixel dimensions for inventory item images that will appear on the item page.

Rental inventory. Check this box to enable rental inventory.

Search any part of item name. Check this option to search for an item by any part of its name, instead of only the beginning of the name.

Search item description. Check this option to search for items by description, in addition to name. Enabling Search item description can slow search results if you have many items.

Serial/lot numbering. Use these settings to control how serial and lot numbers are created on an item receipt and on manufacturing transaction outputs. You can enter numbers manually or have the system assign them automatically. The slider is set to Manual by default. If you choose automatic, choose a length between 8 and 32 digits for the numbers. Numbers can be sequentially or randomly generated. For both sequential and random serial and lot numbers, you can specify a prefix to be used for each serial or lot number. For sequential numbering, you can specify the next number to be generated.

Sync new items. Check this option to sync new items with QuickBooks by default.

Track workers. Check this box to track individual workers when entering labor items on builds or process transactions.

Use units of measure. Check this box to track multiple units of measure for your items.

Valuation method. Select the method to be used for calculating the value of your inventory on reports, as well as item value as inventory is depleted (e.g., build input value, COGS on shipments, etc.). Options are FIFO (first in, first out), Weighted average, and LIFO (last in, first out). If you want to use LIFO as your valuation method, contact Support to enable this option.

Value serials by specific ID. Check this box to value serialized items by specific unit cost, regardless of the valuation method for other items.