Inventory
The Inventory module in Frappe Books helps you track the movement of stock as items are purchased, sold, transferred, or adjusted. It provides inventory transactions and reports that help maintain accurate stock quantities across different locations.
Before using inventory features, Inventory Management must be enabled in the system settings.
Tip
Inventory tracking is available only for items that have Track Inventory enabled during item creation.
Inventory Features
The Inventory module includes the following transactions and reports:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Stock Movement | Records stock transfers between inventory locations. |
| Shipment | Records items delivered to customers after a sale. |
| Purchase Receipt | Records items received from suppliers after a purchase. |
| Stock Ledger | Maintains a complete history of all stock transactions. |
| Stock Balance | Displays the available stock quantity for each item across locations. |
Enable Inventory
To start using inventory management:
- Go to Setup → Settings.
- Open the General tab.
- Enable the Inventory feature.
- Restart Frappe Books to display the Inventory module in the sidebar.
Important
Once Inventory has been enabled, it cannot be disabled.
Track Inventory for an Item
Inventory tracking is optional for each item. To track stock movements, enable the Track Inventory option while creating the item.
Only items with inventory tracking enabled can participate in inventory transactions.
Note
The Track Inventory option can only be enabled when creating a new item. It cannot be turned on later.
Inventory Locations
Stock movements always occur between Locations. Every inventory transaction either increases or decreases the stock quantity at a selected location.
| Movement Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Inward Movement | Adds stock to the selected location. |
| Outward Movement | Removes stock from the selected location. |
Default Location
Frappe Books creates a default inventory location named Stores. You can change the default location from the Inventory tab in Settings.
Create Additional Locations
New inventory locations can be created directly while creating inventory transactions by selecting the Create option from the Location dropdown.
Stock Quantity Validation
Frappe Books prevents inventory transactions that would result in negative stock.
If there is insufficient stock at the selected location, the outward movement cannot be completed.
To complete the transaction, you can:
- Select another location with sufficient stock.
- Create an inward stock movement before processing the outward transaction.
Best Practices
- Enable inventory tracking only for stock-managed items.
- Use separate locations to organize inventory across warehouses or stores.
- Review the Stock Balance report before creating outward stock movements.
- Record inward stock transactions before processing sales or transfers to avoid stock shortages.
