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Categories and Products Management

In SimpleBillBook, proper management of product categories and individual products is essential for efficient inventory and sales operations. This guide covers how to create, view, and manage both categories and products.

Product Categories​

Viewing Categories List​

To view all product categories:

  1. Navigate to Manage Product → Categories from the main sidebar
  2. You'll see a table displaying all existing categories
  3. The table includes columns for easy reference

Categories List View Figure 1: Categories list page showing all product categories

Category Table Columns:

  • No.: Serial number for each category
  • Name: Category name (e.g., Entertainment, HeavyMachines)
  • Status: Active/Inactive status indicator

Creating a New Category​

Step 1: Access Category Creation​

From the Categories page, click the Add Category button (or similar option) to open the category creation form.

Step 2: Fill Category Details​

When creating a category, provide:

Required Information:

  • Category Name: Descriptive name for the product category
  • Status: Set as Active or Inactive (Active categories are available for product assignment)

Category Creation Form Figure 2: Form for creating new product categories

Step 3: Save Category​

After entering the category name, click Save to create the category.

Managing Categories​

  • Edit: Click on a category to modify its details
  • Status Toggle: Change between Active and Inactive status
  • Delete: Remove unused categories (if supported)

Product Management​

Viewing Products List​

To view all products:

  1. Navigate to Manage Product → Products from the main sidebar
  2. You'll see a comprehensive table with product details
  3. Use the search functionality to filter products

Products List View Figure 3: Products list page with inventory details

Key Metrics Displayed:

  • Total Quantity: Total number of items in stock (34 in example)
  • Total Stock Value: Total monetary value of all stock (₹6,75,000.00 in example)

Product Table Columns:

  • Name: Product name
  • Item Code: Unique identifier for the product
  • Category: Assigned product category
  • Qty: Current stock quantity
  • Unit: Measurement unit (e.g., UNIT)
  • Purchase Price: Cost price per unit
  • Selling Price: Retail price per unit
  • Status: Active/Inactive status

Creating a New Product​

Step 1: Access Product Creation​

From the Products page, click the Add Product button to open the product creation form.

Step 2: Fill Product Details​

When creating a product, provide the following information:

Basic Information:

  • Name: Product name
  • Item Code: Unique product identifier
  • Category: Select from existing categories
  • Unit: Measurement unit (e.g., UNIT, KG, LITRE)

Pricing Information:

  • Purchase Price: Cost per unit
  • Selling Price: Retail price per unit
  • Tax Rate: Applicable tax percentage (if applicable)

Additional Details:

  • Description: Detailed product description
  • Initial Quantity: Starting stock quantity (optional)

Product Creation Form Figure 4: Form for creating new products with all required fields

Step 3: Save Product​

After completing all fields, click Save to add the product to your inventory.

Product Actions and Management​

Available Actions​

From the products list, you can perform various actions on each product:

Product Actions Figure 5: Product list with available action buttons

Common Actions:

  • Edit: Modify product details
  • Stock Details: View stock history and transactions
  • Deactivate/Activate: Change product status
  • Delete: Remove product from inventory

Viewing Stock Details​

For detailed stock information:

  1. Click Stock Details on any product
  2. View comprehensive stock information including:

Stock Details View Figure 6: Detailed stock information for a specific product

Stock Details Include:

  • Product Name: Name of the product
  • Category Type: Serialized/Non-Serialized
  • Total Stock: Current quantity in inventory
  • Total Stock Value: Monetary value of current stock
  • Stock Entries History: All stock transactions with dates and quantities

Search and Filtering​

Category Management​

  • Use pagination controls (e.g., "10" items per page)
  • Status-based filtering (Active/Inactive)

Product Management​

  • Type to search: Quick search by product name
  • All dropdown: Filter by various criteria
  • Pagination: Navigate through product pages with "Previous" and "Next" buttons
  • Items per page: Control display density (e.g., 10 items per page)

Best Practices​

For Categories:​

  1. Logical Grouping: Create categories that logically group similar products
  2. Descriptive Names: Use clear, descriptive category names
  3. Regular Review: Periodically review and update categories
  4. Status Management: Deactivate unused categories instead of deleting them

For Products:​

  1. Unique Item Codes: Ensure each product has a unique item code
  2. Accurate Pricing: Keep purchase and selling prices updated
  3. Complete Information: Fill all available fields for better tracking
  4. Regular Stock Checks: Monitor stock levels and update as needed
  5. Category Assignment: Always assign products to appropriate categories

Common Scenarios​

Adding New Stock​

  1. Navigate to the product's Stock Details
  2. Add new stock entries with quantity and date
  3. System automatically updates total stock and value

Updating Product Information​

  1. Click Edit on the product row
  2. Modify necessary fields (price, description, etc.)
  3. Save changes

Managing Out-of-Stock Products​

  1. Filter or search for products with Qty: 0
  2. Review stock details and add new stock as needed
  3. Consider setting reorder alerts for critical items