Module 4 · Core · 8 min read

Items: the products you buy, sell and count

You will be able to: Create an item with the right type, group, barcode and VAT code; Explain the difference between Stock, Service and Bundle items; Use groups, categories and brands to organise the item list; Know why items are made inactive rather than deleted.

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An item is anything you buy, sell or count. Purchase documents, sales invoices and the POS all pick items from one list, under Inventory, Items. Saving an item posts nothing in your accounts and moves no stock. Stock only appears when you receive, sell or adjust the item.

The Items list with tiles for items, barcoded, serialized and active, and columns for code, name, group, brand, unit, price, VAT and stock.

Inventory, Items: every product with its group, price, VAT and stock.

Inventory, Items: every product with its group, price, VAT and stock.

Item type

  • Stock: kept on the shelf. Buying and selling it moves quantity and cost. Transfers, adjustments and counts accept Stock items only.
  • Service: not kept, such as labour or delivery. It never appears in stock reports.
  • Bundle: not kept either, and Zeyto does not store a list of parts for it, so selling one takes nothing out of stock. To make a product from parts, use Bill of Materials and Production Entry.

The main fields

  • Item Code: your own code, or an automatic number if your company numbers items automatically. After the first save, correct it with the Change button and a reason.
  • Item Name, and optionally an Arabic name and a long description.
  • Group, Brand and Category: they sort items for reports and filters. Groups can have sub-groups and a default VAT code. Categories decide the tabs the POS shows. You can add entries on the spot while creating an item, or manage them under Inventory, Masters.
  • Base Unit: the unit stock is counted in. The next lesson covers units in detail.
  • Min Sales Price: the selling price of one base unit. New sales lines and the POS start from it. It does not stop you selling lower.
  • VAT Code: starts on SR5, the standard 5% code. Choose the right code for the item, for example a zero-rated code for exports, because new document lines start on it.

Standard Cost is what you expect one base unit to cost. It is a reference: stock value and cost of sales come from your real purchases. Zeyto uses it as a starting rate where no average exists yet, and for the below-cost warning on sales.

One item opened from the list showing the General, Units and Barcodes cards of the item master.

Open an item to see its General, Units and Barcodes cards.

Open an item to see its General, Units and Barcodes cards.

Barcodes and alternative numbers

Add Barcode lets you scan or type a barcode and choose its kind (EAN13, CODE128 and so on). The first barcode is Primary and shows in the list. A barcode can belong to one item only; Zeyto refuses a duplicate. If you have no barcode, Generate EAN-13 makes a number from the digits of the item code for your own labels. Alternative numbers, such as a supplier part number, may repeat across items, and searching for them finds the item.

The item masters screen with tabs Groups, Categories, Brands and Units.

Inventory, Masters: the groups, categories, brands and units items refer to.

Inventory, Masters: the groups, categories, brands and units items refer to.
A simple stock itemYou start selling printer paper. Item Code PAP-A4, Item Type Stock, Base Unit PCS (a ream), Group Stationery, Min Sales Price AED 18.00, VAT Code SR5. Standard Cost 12.00. Press Save. The item exists, but On hand is zero and nothing has been posted. It gets stock when you receive it on a goods receipt or purchase invoice, or post opening stock.
Watch outItems cannot be deleted. Set Status to Inactive when you stop using one. It stays in history and reports but cannot be picked on new documents. If it still has stock, Zeyto warns you first.
TipThe Cost column in the items list is the current moving-average cost, and only people allowed to see cost have that column. Use the search box with several words in any order, such as 40 20 block, to find BLOCK 60 X 40 X 20. For many items at once use Import CSV/XLSX, but note that updating an existing item through the import clears some stock limits, so use it mainly to add new items.

Try it in the demo

  1. Open demo.zeyto.app/demo-app/ and sign in with the public demo user (admin, password demoAdmin123).
  2. Open Inventory, Items and read the tiles: Items, Barcoded, Serialized and Active.
  3. Search for an item using two words in any order.
  4. Open an item and find the General, Units and Barcodes cards, then the tabs after Barcodes.
  5. Open Inventory, Masters and look at the Groups, Categories, Brands and Units tabs.
Open the live demo

Public demo company, sign in as admin / demoAdmin123. Data refreshes nightly.

Key takeaways
  • Only Stock items move quantity and cost.
  • Group, Brand and Category organise reports; categories also drive POS tabs.
  • The VAT Code on the item is the starting code for new lines.
  • Items are made inactive, never deleted.

Check yourself

3 questions on this lesson. Not timed, not the exam, and you can try again. Score 60% or more, and read the lesson, to complete it.

1. Which item type moves quantity and cost when you buy or sell it?

2. Items can be deleted once they have no stock.

3. Which statements about item types are true?

Select all that apply.

Previous: Statements, ageing and what you oweNext: Units of measure and pack sizes

Practice questions for this module · Printable study sheet