Please note: This feature is only available on inFlow for Web

Creating the CSV template

To begin, you’ll need to create a CSV import template. You can do this by exporting a blank template from inFlow, or you can manually add the headings to your spreadsheet. 

Exporting a product group CSV template 

1. From the inFlow Homepage, click on the Main menu, then Export.
2. In the Data type list, select Product group.
3. Click Export and save the file to your computer. 
4. Open the CSV in the spreadsheet software of your choice. 

Creating your own product group CSV template

On a spreadsheet, add the following product group headings

• ProductGroupName (Required) 
• ProductGroupCategory
• Product

You can import up to six variant options into the CSV file. Add the headers for the number of options needed. 

• Option1
• OptionValue1
• Option2
• OptionValue2
• Option3
• OptionValue3
• Option4
• OptionValue4
• Option5
• OptionValue5
• Option6
• OptionValue6

You might have noticed that the headings don’t have any spaces. Leaving the headings like this will enable inFlow to read the information from the CSV more efficiently. 

Editing the CSV template

1. Once you have a CSV file with the appropriate headings, fill in the rows and columns, starting with ProductGroupName. 
2. To import variant options, fill out the Option1 field with the name of the option, followed by filling out OptionValue1 with the available values, for example, size or color. 
3. Repeat the previous step by adding the remaining options and option values. 
4. When done, save the file as a CSV file to import into inFlow. 

The Product Group Name field is required and can’t be left blank. This field also serves as a “unique identifier,” so the name must be different from other products and product group names. 

Example import file

Below is an example of an import file containing one product group and two variant options. 

The import file above creates the following products:

×1 product group: 

• T-Shirt

×9 Product variant products: 

• T-Shirt – Small – Red
• T-Shirt – Small – Green
• T-Shirt – Small – Blue
• T-Shirt – Medium – Red
• T-Shirt – Medium – Green
• T-Shirt – Medium – Blue
• T-Shirt – Large – Red
• T-Shirt – Large – Green
• T-Shirt – Large – Blue

Import field breakdown

Sample variant CSV files 

If you’d like to take a look at a CSV template with sample data, download the CSV file below to view what the import template should look like. This template includes sample data from this article for importing a T-shirt with two options and their corresponding option values.

If you’d like to review a larger CSV import file, download the CSV file below, which includes four variant options and corresponding option values. In this example, one product group has been created, along with 26 product variants.

Because of the number of options in the CSV, inFlow can generate up to 124 variants based on the options provided. inFlow will create placeholders in the product group for the additional variant options, which will display No product assigned, indicating that there is no matching product in inFlow for that exact variant.

If you’d like inFlow to generate the remaining variant options, scroll to the bottom of the product group and select Add new product(s) to fill this group.

Importing to inFlow

If you have your import file ready to go, read on for how to import your file into inFlow.

1. Click on Main Menu>Import.
2. In the Data type drop-down menu, select Product groups.
3. Below, select the CSV file from your computer, then click Next.
4. A preview of your import file will appear at the top of the import settings, showing the number of line products in your file.
5. Below match the inFlow fields on the left to the fields in your CSV file that are in the drop-down menus.
6. Once you’re satisfied that all the necessary fields match, click Import.
7. A confirmation message will be displayed, noting that your import is in progress. You’ll receive an email when the import is complete. 

The post How to import variants/product groups to inFlow appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

How do variants work in inFlow?

In inFlow, you can manage variants by creating a product group. A product group serves as a container that includes all the variant options.

You can create products and product groups as stocked, non-stocked, or service types

Product groups

In inFlow, product groups serve as a product type designed solely to contain variant options. You cannot purchase or sell product groups directly, and you can only edit limited details on the product group record.

Variant options

Options are different versions of a product within a product group. A typical example is offering size and color options for a T-shirt product group.

What’s the difference between product groups & variant options in inFlow?

In inFlow, you can view both the product group and the variant option from the product list. The main difference is that the product group (T-shirt) isn’t available for purchase, and in inFlow, it serves as a way to organize the different variant options.

The variant option product records allow you to manage products that match specific variant options, such as size and color. These records will enable you to view individual product details, set prices, update product information, and review your product order history.

Creating a product group

Product groups are how inFlow organizes variants and options. Product groups have limited features, but they are essential for setting the overall product name and category.

1. In the Main Menu > click Create > Product.
2. Select the Product group tab.
3. Enter the name of the product group. Optionally, you can create the variant options below. Each product group can have a maximum of six variant options.
4. If you only want to create a product group without assigning/creating variant products, select Group only in the settings below. The Group only option is best for those who already have variant products in inFlow and would like to create a product group to organize all the variant options.
5. Select the product type, then click Create product group to continue.

By selecting Group and products, inFlow will automatically create individual products for each variant option.

Linking existing variant products to product groups

Suppose you added variant product records to inFlow before the product groups feature was available. In that case, inFlow can automatically associate the product group with the variant products if you select the Group only option when creating a new product group.

inFlow can identify and link variant products to product groups if the variant product names match the variant naming convention. Name the variants using the product group name, followed by a hyphen (-), and then the variant option(s).

Product group details

Product groups have limited options for editing. Here is where you can organize the overall product name, images, category, and variant options.

1. From the Main Menu>select the Inventory icon>Products.
2. Open a product group to view and edit the details.

Add images to the product group

Product images are a helpful tool for identifying all of your products, especially when there are variants.

1. Click on the image icon
2. Drag the image(s) into inFlow, or click to select.
3. Click Done, then save the product group record.

For inFlow accounts that use the Online Showroom, the system displays the first variant option image in the product list view if you haven’t added group images.

Setting the default product group image

If you’ve added multiple images to the product group, you can change the default image with the steps below.

1. Select the product image, then select the product you want to be the default.
2. Click on the ellipsis, then select Make image default.
3. Select the X to close the image, then click Done on the product group images screen.
4. Save the product record to save the changes.

Editing the product group category

The category field is one of the few settings where you can only edit from the product group record.

inFlow locks the product category for the variant options. When you change the category for a product group, the change applies to all variant options within that group.

1. Select the category from the drop-down menu. To add a new category, select Manage categories.
2. Pick the new category, then save the product group record.
3. On the pop-up, you’ll see confirmation of the category change. Click Continue to proceed with the changes.

Ungrouping products from the product group

To remove variant options from a product group, hover over the option and select the Ungroup button. 

Products can only be ungrouped individually from the product group record. 

Editing options from the product group 

Suppose you need to make changes to the options in a product group, such as adding more options or removing those that are no longer available. In that case, you can do so by selecting “Edit options” from the bottom-left corner of the product group record.  

1. Click Edit options.
2. Select either Add value or the X next to remove an existing option from the product group. You can only add or remove product options; you cannot edit them. If you find an error with a variant option, remove it and turn off the related variant option products.
3. Click Save when done. 
4. Then save the product group record. 

When you remove options from a product group, the system automatically ungroups the related variant option product records from that group.

Ungrouped products will remain active. inFlow will convert these products to a standard product that you can view or modify from the product list.

Deactivating product group & variant products

To make a product unavailable for purchase or sale, click Deactivate group and products at the top right-hand corner of the product group record. 

This action will deactivate the group and its options with a single action. 

If you’d like some of the options to remain active, ungroup them from the group before deactivating. 

Variant options details

Variant options are the individual products that you sell within a product group. To view a variant option: 

1. At the top right of the screen, select “Show variants.” This setting is off by default, so only product groups will appear along with regular products. To see the variant options, toggle this setting on. 
2. From the Main Menu>hover over the Inventory icon>Products. 
3. Select a product record from the list to view and edit the details.

Variant options have all the same functionality as inFlow’s standard products. Meaning you can modify details such as: 

• Product option name
• SKU
• Barcode
• Image
• Custom fields 
• Pricing 
• Reorder points & more. 

They also function similarly to standard products, which means they can be of various types, added to bill of materials lists, purchased, sold, or transferred to other locations.

Options have a link to their related product group at the top-left corner, along with a drop-down menu that allows you to toggle between different option product records. 

Options have one limitation compared to regular inFlow products: you cannot modify the product category directly on the option record. Instead, the system always sets the category to match the product group to which it belongs.

Viewing variants from the product list 

By default, inFlow displays standard and product groups while hiding the variant options product records. To view variant options on the product list, toggle on Show variants at the top-right-hand corner of the screen. 

Variant products on orders

When adding variant products to orders, you’ll select the variant option products as shown in the example sales order image below. 

Setting variant options in the inFlow settings

If you’d like to add several variant options to your inFlow settings, you can add them all at once in the Inventory settings (Main menu>Settings>Inventory).

How will variants work with the Online Showroom?

When using the Online Showroom, the product group is listed on the product list, accompanied by a number in the corner of the product image that represents the available variants. 

When selected, drop-down menus are available for your customer to choose an option. 

When the sale syncs to inFlow, only the variant option product will appear on the sales order, not the entire product group. 

What product details does the Online Showroom list?

You can select which details are shown for each product from the Showroom settings, just like with standard products.

If your Showroom setting displays the quantities in stock, the Showroom list page will show the combined quantities available for all variants. 

When you select a product from the Showroom listing, you will see the default variant option first (the one listed first in the product group), along with the SKU, pricing, and other product details.

What if my product group doesn’t have an image? 

If there is no product image on the product group record, the Showroom will display the image for the first product in the product group. 

Can inFlow’s variant products connect to my ecommerce store?

Yes, you can connect inFlow’s variant products to ecommerce solutions such as Shopify or WooCommerce.

inFlow will be able to push and pull product details from the variant options as long as they have a matching SKU.  
For inFlow accounts that don’t have SKUs, the ecommerce solutions will use the product name to sync to a product with the matching name. Both systems need to have products with identical product names.

Currently, inFlow doesn’t support pushing product group updates to any of the ecommerce integrations.

Using variants on inFlow for Mobile & Windows

Product groups are a feature available only on inFlow for Web. For other clients, such as inFlow for Windows or Mobile, you can view the variant option product records in the same way as standard inFlow products.

The post How to track variants in inFlow (sizes and colors) appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

Labeling your products is crucial for any business, and the inFlow Portable Printer makes it effortless! Print barcodes to organize your inventory on the go, free from the limitations of a single printer location. Enhance your operations with convenience today!

What’s included?

In the package, you’ll receive:

• Portable Printer
• Label spool
• USB-C charging cable
• AC charger
• Sample printing labels 3” x 1” (76mm x 25mm) labels

Compatible labels

The portable printer supports label sizes of 3″ x 1″ (76 mm x 25 mm), ensuring high-quality printing for your needs. Feel free to explore even taller labels for your products. 

Printer setup

1. To open the paper cover, press the [Cover Open] button. 
2. Assemble the spool (as seen in the image below)
3. Add the labels to the spool. The labels should unroll from the bottom. 
4. Place the spool in the printer.
5. Once the paper is in place, close the cover. Then, press and hold the [Feed] button until the printer begins to feed the paper. When the feeding stops, tear off any excess paper.

Now you’re ready to install the printer driver to start printing labels!

Before installing the Portable Printer driver

Take a moment to review the list below to confirm you’re all set to set up label printing with inFlow.

Which computer should you use? 

When deciding which computer to install the portable printer driver on, make sure that the computer meets the following criteria: 

• Operating systems: Windows or macOS.
• A computer with a reliable internet connection.

System requirements

• Windows 10 and higher.
• macOS 14+, Intel or Apple Silicon.

Installing the printer driver (Windows)

To start, you’ll need to download and install a driver on a Windows computer to set up the printer:

1. Download the inFlow Portable Printer driver file.
2. Once downloaded, double-click on inFlow Printer Setup.exe.
3. If prompted Do you want to allow this app to make changes to your device select Yes.
4. Continue the setup process:
   • Plug in the printer when prompted and ensure it is powered on. For best results, use a USB-C to USB-A cable.
   • Select your connection type: Choose a wired or wireless connection for your printer.
   • Your printer will print your internet connection details during this stage.
   • Optionally, click Test printout to view a sample printed label.

5. When done, click Close.
6. Disconnect the printer from your computer if you selected the wireless option.
7. To print labels in inFlow, be sure to also install and run the inFlow Print Helper (IPH), which enables printing labels using inFlow’s Label Designer.

Congratulations! Now you can print labels from any computer or mobile device when the IPH is running!

inFlow Print Helper download files

Select the appropriate inFlow Print Helper installation file for your operating system to print labels using inFlow’s Label Designer.

• Windows IPH
• Mac IPH

Installing the printer driver (Mac)

1. Download the inFlow Portable Printer driver file.
2. Once downloaded, double-click the inFlow Portable Printer Installer file.
3. You may get a warning that the inFlow Portable Printer Installer was downloaded from the internet. Click the Open button to continue.
4. Continue the setup process:
   • Plug in the printer when prompted and ensure it is powered on. For best results, use a USB-C to USB-A cable.
   • Select your connection type: Choose a wired or wireless connection for your printer.
   • You’ll be prompted for additional administrator access to continue the installation. Enter your macOS password to proceed.
   • When the setup is complete, the printer will print a test label. You can print additional test labels by selecting Print Test Page.

5. When done, click Finish.
6. Disconnect the printer from your computer if you selected the wireless option.
7. To print labels in inFlow, be sure to also install and run the inFlow Print Helper (IPH), which enables printing labels using inFlow’s Label Designer.

Congratulations! Now you can print labels from any computer or mobile device when the IPH is running!

inFlow Print Helper download files

Select the appropriate inFlow Print Helper installation file for your operating system to print labels using inFlow’s Label Designer.

• Windows IPH
• Mac IPH

Connecting multiple Portable Printers

Do you need to use more than one printer? You can connect multiple printers to the same computer or network by following these steps:

1. To add each new printer, rerun the inFlow Portable Printer driver.
2. During installation, assign a unique name to each printer, such as “Warehouse Printer 1” or “Receiving Station Printer.” This makes it easier to select the correct printer when printing labels.

Once everything is set up, all printers will be listed in your inFlow print options, allowing you to direct labels to the appropriate printer based on your workflow.

Consider this setup if you have multiple workstations or need to print various types of labels from different locations.

Printing labels from inFlow

Now you’re ready to print the labels made from inFlow’s Label Designer from anywhere, without being tied to a specific printer location. Print labels as you go, using any computer, Smart Scanner, or mobile device.

You can easily print labels from various areas in inFlow! Ensure that the InFlow Print Helper (IPH) is installed and running, and you’re all set!

Refer to the lists below to determine which inFlow areas you can print labels from per device.

inFlow for Web (Windows or Mac)

• inFlow Designer
• Product records
• Purchase orders
• Sales orders
• Manufacture orders 

inFlow for Windows

• Product records
• Current Stock
• Manufacture orders 
• Purchase orders

inFlow for Mobile

• Purchase orders
• Product records

inFlow Print Helper download files

Select the appropriate inFlow Print Helper installation file for your operating system to print labels using inFlow’s Label Designer.

• Windows IPH
• Mac IPH

Quick Guide document

The printer comes with a Quick Guide. If you’d like to take another look, simply check out the image and download the link below.

Appearance 

Install the print paper

1. Press the [Cover Open Button] to open the paper compartment cover. (as shown in Figure 1)
2. Place the print paper into the paper cabin, with the printing side facing down. (as shown in Figure 2)
3. Close the cover and tear off the excess paper. (as shown in Figure 3)

Performance specifications

Basic functions introduction

Boot/Power-on

1. Press and hold the Power button for at least two seconds; the power indicator will brighten, and the printer will play the boot-up tone. 
2. Next, release the [Power Button]. The printer will enter the Ready mode, and the battery indicator light will show the battery power.

Shutdown

1. With the printer powered on, press and hold the power button for at least two seconds.
2. The printer will play the shutdown tone, and the power indicator will turn off.
3. Release the power button.

Paper feed

Continuous paper:

1. In the powered-on state, press the [Feed Button].
2. The printer will start to feed paper.
3. Release the [Feed Button] to stop the paper feed.

Black mark and gap paper:

1. In the powered-on state, press the [Feed Button] for more than 1 second, the printer starts to feed the paper and stops at the position of the black mark/gap.
2. If continuous paper is installed in the printer, which will automatically stop after feeding 26cm, the printer will prompt an error. This error can be cleared by opening and closing the paper compartment cover again.

Self-test

• When powered off, press and hold down [Feed Key].
• Then, press the [Power Button] until the printer is powered on; it will then play the boot/power-on tone.
• Release the [Power Button] and [Feed Key], and the printer configuration will print.

Indicator

Battery charging indicator

• Green light: Charging completed.
• Red light: Battery charging.
• Green and red Light: Charging Error. Please check the battery and ensure the battery temperature is normal.
• Green light flashing: Low battery.

Power error indicator

• Green light: In ready mode.
• Red light on: Out of paper
• Red light flashing: Printer error.
• Detection checks from S310 specifications.

Troubleshooting

Labels are printing between the label gaps

If the label prints in the gaps, refer to the suggestions below to resolve this issue.

• Double-check that the label size you’re printing matches the physical size of the label paper. The default label size for this printer is 3″ x 1″ (72 mm x 25mm) labels.
• Press and hold the feed button to set the starting point for the next label to print.

Labels are cut off on the left or right side

If your labels are getting cut off while printing, take a moment to check the printing settings on the computer where the inFlow Portable Printer driver is installed.

1. On your computer, search for Printer & scanners.
2. Select Printer preferences, then Label settings.
3. In the Offset section, adjust the measurements, then print a test label. Adjust the offset setting until the labels print correctly.

I’m unable to reconnect to the Wi-Fi network I was previously using

When installing the printer driver for wireless use, you entered your network details. If you no longer have access to that network, you can reinstall the printer driver to connect to a new network. Follow the steps below for guidance.

1. On your computer, search for Printers & scanners > Remove printer.
2. On the Printers & scanners screen, select Print Server Properties > Driver tab > Find printer > Remove driver and driver package. (If unable to, restart your computer, then repeat this step.)
3. Reinstall the printer driver with your current Wi-Fi connection.

Can I use the same printer on multiple Wi-Fi networks?

Yes, you can use the same printer with multiple wireless networks by reinstalling the printer driver. This will establish a connection between the printer and the desired Wi-Fi network you’re using.

Do the printer and computer have to be on the same Wi-Fi?

Yes, they both need to be on the same network.

If a printer is connected to Wi-Fi, does it still require a computer to be turned on and connected to the inFlow Printer Helper (IPH)?

Yes, the computer with IPH connects inFlow’s label printing features to the printer, whether connected via Wi-Fi or USB.

The post Labeling made easy: go anywhere with the inFlow Portable Printer! appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

This guide differs from the Getting Started guide, as the steps below are exclusively for setting up inFlow for manufacturers. Feel free to set up as much or as little of the steps in this guide as you’d like. 

Contact your company’s Customer Success Manager if your team requires a customized workflow.

*Setting up your inFlow account (collapsable tab)

Invite your team to inFlow

In this first step, we’ll go through the steps for inviting your team members to inFlow. 

1. With an administrator account, go to inFlow’s Team settings  (Main Menu > Settings > Team.)
2. Click on the Invite member button.
3. Enter the email address and display the name of the person you’re inviting, then click Next.

If you want to learn more about managing team members, take a look at this guide.

Setting up team member’s access rights

1. On this page, you can edit the team member’s access rights for inFlow before you send the invitation.
2. Once everything is set up, click Send invite to send the new team member a verification email to log into your inFlow database.

If you’d like to learn more, check out this detailed guide on team member access rights.

Add your company information & logo

Setting up your company details is essential for adding your company’s contact information that will be on your invoices and documents. 

1. It’s important to add your company information and logo to tailor inFlow to your business.
2. Your company name and address will appear on printed invoices and quotes, so it’s essential to set them up to achieve a professional look.
3. Go to inFlow’s Global settings (Main Menu > Settings > Global.)
4. Select Company details.
5. Click on Select image to add your company’s logo. Below, enter the company name, address, and other contact details.
6. Click Save when done.

Adding locations

In this step, we suggest adding all your locations to inFlow. You should name locations after primary sites/buildings. 

Sublocations are where you can track aisles or bins. If you’d prefer to get started quickly, we suggest renaming the Default location in inFlow to your primary/central location.

1. Go to the Inventory settings. (Main Menu>Settings>Inventory.)
2. Select Locations.
3. Click on the arrow next to Default location to rename this to the name of your main location. Remember, name locations after building sites, not a room within a building, for the reordering feature to work correctly! 
4. If you want to add an address to the location, click +Add address.
5. Click on the blue arrow to return to the main location screen.
6. Click + Add location to enter another primary location to inFlow. 
7. Click the star to the right of a location to set that as the default location for inFlow. 
8. Click Save when done.

To learn more about tracking locations in inFlow, take a look at this guide. 

Setup inFlow’s costing method

Before adding products to inFlow, it’s important to set how inFlow should calculate the product costs. 

The default costing method is Moving average costing. If you’d like to change this setting, see below.

1. Open the Global inFlow settings.
2. Select Costing method.
3. Select the desired costing method setting, then click Save.
4. Type CONFIRM in the type-in field, then select Proceed.
5. inFlow will start recalculating. Changing costing methods could take some time, depending on how much data is in inFlow.

To learn more about how inFlow calculates cost, check out this article, watch this explainer webinar, or take a look at this setup video. 

Restricting access to closed/completed orders

With select inFlow plans or add-ons, you can set up protections to prevent completed orders from being modified. inFlow Admins can make changes at any time.

1. Go to Global settings (Main Menu > Settings > Global.)
2. Click on Close transactions.
3. You can set the number of days after fulfillment for orders to close or all transactions before a specific date to be marked as completed.
4. Click Save when done.

Take a look at this guide to learn more about how to protect completed orders.

*Adding your data to inFlow (collapsable tab)

Creating the CSV product import file

1. Download the inFlow product import CSV template from here. You can also create a CSV from scratch. The only required column to create products is “Product Name.”
2. Fill out the columns on the CSV spreadsheet with your product information. The CSV should include both raw materials and finished products. This will make importing bill of materials lists quicker when you’re ready for that stage. 
3. When done, save the template as a CSV file. Now you’re ready to import these products to inFlow!

Note: This CSV template will create only stocked products. To add serialized, non-stocked, or non-stocked products see the steps below. 

Filling out the CSV is an excellent time to add product costs, SKUs, Barcodes, and more. This guide explains the fields you can import.

You can also add product categories to the product CSV file. Categories help organize products, which can be very helpful when managing raw materials from assembled finished products.

Note: You can only import costs when inFlow’s costing method is Moving average or manual costing.

How to add serialized products to a CSV import template

If you’d like to import serialized products, you’ll need to add some additional columns to the CSV file. Take 

1. Add two columns to the CSV file: ItemType and TrackSerials
2. In the ItemType column, enter “Stocked product” without quotation marks. 
3. In the TrackSerials column, enter “TRUE” without quotation marks.

You can also add the below optional serialized product columns 

• SerialPrefix: Enter the prefix that inFlow should use when generating serial numbers for this product
• SerialNextNumber: This is the next serial number that inFlow should generate. This is helpful for continuing a serialized number sequence. 
• SerialSuffix: Enter the suffix that inFlow should use when generating serial numbers. 

How to add service products to a CSV import template

1. On the CSV template, add a column called ItemType. 
2. In the ItemType column, enter the word “Service” without quotation marks. 

How to add non-stocked products to a CSV import template

1. On the CSV template, add a column called ItemType. 
2. In the ItemType column, enter the word “Non-stocked product” without quotation marks. 

Importing the product CSV to inFlow

Once your CSV is complete, you can import your file to inFlow.

1. Click on Main Menu > Import.
2. In the Data type drop-down menu, select Product details.
3. Select the CSV file you want to import from your computer, then click Next.
4. A preview of your import file will show you how many products you have in your file.
5. To ensure all the CSV data matches a field in inFlow, click Edit data mapping.
6. The fields below the preview represent fields in inFlow. Match to the fields in the drop-down menus. This process is called mapping. Match the inFlow fields listed on the left to the fields in your CSV file that are in the drop-down menus.
7. Match the inFlow fields on the left to the fields in your CSV file in the drop-down menus.
8. Once you’re satisfied with the mapping, click Next.
9. A confirmation message will let you know your import is in progress. Once the import is complete, you’ll get an email with the results.

For an in-depth guide on importing data, take a look at this guide. You can also take a look at this article for more on importing products.

Setting up costs & starting inventory levels

When importing your products, you also have the opportunity to import the product costs. But if you still need to import them, repeat the steps for importing product details and focus only on the product name and cost field to import the costs.

Once costs are in inFlow, you can import the stock levels to add your product quantities to inFlow with a stock levels import.  

You can only import costs when inFlow’s costing method is Moving average or manual costing.

Customer & vendors (Optional)

Creating a CSV template

The only required field is “Name,” but you can input other fields, such as address, currency, and contact.

In inFlow, the Name field is unique. inFlow can’t create duplicate records with the same name.

We suggest adding company names to the Name field and adding reps to the Contact field.

Importing customers/vendors to inFlow

1. Click on Main Menu>Import.
2. Select Vendor or Customer from the Data type drop-down menu.
3. Select the CSV file from your computer, then click Next.
4. Match the fields on the left to the fields in the drop-down menus.
5. Click Import when done. You’ll get an email with the results when the import is complete.

Take a look at this guide to learn more about importing customers and vendors.

*Manufacturing setup (collapsable tab)

Bill of materials

Now that products are in inFlow, we recommend adding a bill of materials list to the manufactured products. The bill of materials contains the raw materials, operations, and costs that go into assembling a single unit. 

To truly understand how inFlow effectively calculates manufacturing product costs, take a look at this guide.

You can import bills of materials to your products in bulk with CSV imports.

Creating a bill of materials CSV

1. On your spreadsheet, add the headings FinishedProduct, ComponentProduct, Quantity, and QuantityUom (optional.)
2. Fill out the FinishedProduct column, then a component in the ComponentProduct column. Each component product should have its own row.
3. Fill out the Quantity and optional QuantityUom.

Note: Group all rows with the same FinishedProduct together so that inFlow can include them in the same bill of materials.

Importing the bill of materials CSV to inFlow

Look below for steps for importing a bill of materials for inFlow Cloud for Web.

1. Click on Main Menu > Import.
2. In the Data type drop-down menu, select Bill of materials.
3. Below, select the CSV file from your computer, then click Next.
4. Match the inFlow fields to your CSV file in the drop-down menus.
5. Once you’re satisfied that all the fields match, click Import.
6. A confirmation message will show that your import is in progress. When the import is complete, you’ll receive an email with the results.

Take a look at the video below to learn how to create a bill of materials list for a product manually in inFlow. 

Manufacturing operations

A vital part of tracking your assembly process in inFlow is adding the steps and instructions for manufacturing each product. In inFlow, these are called Operations. 

When filling out a bill of materials, you can add the Operation type to indicate the stage of the manufacturing process the product is in, and below the instructions can added. 

Importing a CSV, you can add operations to your products in inFlow in bulk. This guide provides detailed instructions. 

*Inventory organization (collapsable tab)

Product bundling

If your team sells products individually and as a group, you’ll want to use inFlow’s bundling features.

When bundles are made, inFlow updates the inventory levels of the individual products. Bundling uses inFlow’s bill of materials and manufacture settings. This guide explains how to set up bundling.

Look at this guide to learn how to import product bundles to inFlow in bulk.

Generate barcodes

If your team doesn’t have barcodes on your products, inFlow can generate them for you.

1. Go to the Inventory settings in inFlow (Main menu> Options> Inventory.)
2. Under Barcode types, click on Generate.
3. Toggle ON Auto-generate internal barcodes for current and future products.
4. Click on the Generate button when done.

Setting up product reordering (products low in stock)

Setting up reordering is vital to ensuring you always have products in stock. You can set up reordering per product or import reorder settings to inFlow in bulk. See below for importing steps.

Create a reorder settings CSV template

1. Main Menu> Export.
2. Select Reorder settings, then click Export.
3. Save the CSV to your computer.

Editing the reorder settings CSV

1. Add your products to the ProductName column.
2. Next, add the location of your products.
3. From here, you can add information to the optional columns.

If you have the same product in multiple locations, add a row for that product for each location.

Importing the reorder settings CSV

1. Go to Main Menu> Import.
2. Select Reorder settings from the Data type drop-down menu.
3. Below, select the reorder settings CSV file.
4. Click Next.
5. Match the inFlow fields to the left of the CSV fields in the drop-down menus.
6. Click Import when done. You’ll receive an email with the results when the import is complete.

Take a look at the video below to learn how to edit reorder settings on individual products.

*Connecting inFlow to your accounting software (collapsable tab)

inFlow connects to QuickBooks Online and Xero, which are accounting solutions. For both, inFlow manages all the day-to-day inventory tasks and sends sales/purchasing information to QuickBooks Online or Xero.

To connect inFlow to QuickBooks Online, follow this guide.

To learn how you can manage payments in both inFlow and QuickBooks Online, take a look at the video below.

To connect inFlow to Xero, follow this guide. 

*Connecting inFlow to ecommerce & shipping platforms (collapsable tab)

inFlow can connect to over 90 different integration solutions. 

The most popular ecommerce platforms are: 

• Shopify 
• WooCommerce 
• Squarespace
• Zapier

If your company has a developer on your team, you can create a custom integration using inFlow’s API. 

To manage shipping labels, you can connect inFlow to EasyPost. 

Many eCommerce solutions support variant products, but inFlow does not offer this feature. You can still use inFlow with these eCommerce solutions if your products have matching SKUs. For a solution on how to track variant products, please check this link.

*Customizing inFlow to your company (collapsable tab)

In this part of the guide, we’ll cover ways to personalize inFlow for your company.

Label printing

If your products have barcodes but no labels, then inFlow can help! inFlow’s Label Designer allows you to create a label template that fits your needs and print it from any printer you choose.

Follow the steps in the Label printing guide to learn more.

Renaming fields

If your team uses specific terms, renaming inFlow fields to match your company’s terminology will keep your workflow seamless.

1. Go to inFlow’s Global settings, then click on Rename fields.
2. In the Rename fields window, search or scroll for the field you want to rename.
3. Type in the new field name in the Custom text field.
4. Click Save when done.

Custom fields 

Custom fields are helpful fields that your team can use to track information that isn’t already in inFlow. All orders and products have ten custom fields that can be made. 

1. From the Main Menu, click on Settings > Global.
2. Click Custom fields.
3. Select the section you want to create a custom field within (e.g., Sales order, Purchase order, Product, etc,.)

Document designer

In inFlow, you can customize documents to suit your company’s unique needs. This can be for adding additional branding to invoices or creating documents that inFlow doesn’t have by default. 

To learn more, take a look at the Document Designer article.

Email designer

If your team regularly sends emails to customers and vendors, the Email Designer makes it easy to create templates and customize the emails for all recipients. 

Take a look at the Email Designer article to learn more. 

The post inFlow Manufacturing Getting started Guide appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

Designed with you in mind, this high-performance tool is perfect for busy warehouses and stores. It’s built to handle everyday challenges while helping you work more efficiently.

Scanner info

What’s included?

In the package, you’ll receive:

• USB charging cable. 
• Bluetooth scanner
• Charging cradle 

Charging your scanner

1. Place the scanner into the cradle, and plug the USB cable into a computer or power supply. 
2. Connect the USB cable to the charging cradle.

Turning your scanner on & off 

Power on the scanner by pressing and holding the trigger button or by placing the scanner on the charger. 

The scanner will turn off automatically when idle. Otherwise, scan the barcode below to turn off the scanner. 

If there is an issue turning the scanner off, press the reset button at the bottom to force a shutdown and then restart.

Pairing the scanner to your computer

1. The pairing is complete when the scanner’s light is solid blue. Your computer’s Bluetooth settings should be marked as “Connected” to the scanner. 
2. Turn on your computer’s Bluetooth settings and make it discoverable. See Windows instructions and Mac instructions. 
3. Turn on the scanner by pressing and holding the trigger button or by placing the scanner on the charger. 
4. On your computer, look for “inFlow Bluetooth Scanner” or “K220” and pair it with it. 

No built-in Bluetooth on your computer?

1. Connect the power cable to the cradle, and connect that cable to your computer. 
2. Scan the QR code below to connect the cradle to your computer. 

3. The pairing is complete when the scanner’s light is solid blue.

How to use the barcode scanner with inFlow

Once your scanner is paired with your computer, open inFlow and select Scan Product or Scan to Add on orders in inFlow. 

Barcode scanners function like a keyboard, allowing you to click on a field in inFlow and then scan the product’s barcode for quick and easy searching.

Barcode scanner pamphlet 

Take a look at the images below to review the scanner instructions, or you can download the PDF file below. 

Technical Specifications

Technical Specifications

• Image Sensor: 1280×1080 pixels, 1.3MP CMOS, 60 frames per second
• Illumination: Warm white LED & red LED
• Aimer: 650 nm laser
• Dimensions: 98 mm (L) × 72 mm (W) × 186 mm (H)
• Weight: Scanner: 238 g; Cradle: 216 g
• Scan Angle:
  • Roll: 360°
  • Pitch: ±60°
  • Skew: ±60°
• Resolution: ≥3 mil
• Decode Capabilities:
  • 1D: UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN-8, EAN-13, ISBN, Code 128, GS1-128, ISBT 128, Code 39, Code 93, Code 11, Interleaved 2 of 5, Industrial 2 of 5, Matrix 2 of 5, Standard 2 of 5, Codabar, MSI/MSI Plessey, GS1 DataBar, etc.
  • 2D: QR Code, Data Matrix, PDF417, etc.
• Protection Rating: IP54 dustproof and waterproof
• Drop Resistance: Withstand drops from up to 1.8 meters
• Environmental Parameters:
  • Operating Temperature: -20°C to 50°C
  • Storage Temperature: -40°C to 70°C
  • Humidity: 5% to 95% (non-condensing)
  • Ambient Light Immunity: 0 to 100,000 LUX
  • ESD Protection: ±16 kV air discharge, ±8 kV direct discharge
• Bluetooth:
  • Version: 5.0
  • Transmission Distance: Up to 100 meters in open environments
• Communication Modes: Synchronous mode, Asynchronous mode, Batch mode

Troubleshooting

Factory reset

If your computer is having trouble pairing with the scanner or the scanner isn’t uploading data, a factory reset on the scanner can help solve the problem. 

1. Scan the barcode below.

2. Wait for the scanner to beep three times, then scan one of the barcodes below. Scan Pair with computer QR code to connect the scanner directly to your computer. For computers without built-in Bluetooth connect the cradle to your computer and scan the Pair with cradle QR code below.

Scanner not pairing 

If the scanner isn’t paring, take a look below at the options you can try. 

Has the scanner charged or been powered on? 

• Check that the charger has a red light to show that it’s connected properly to a power supply. 
• Press and hold the trigger to turn on the scanner. If the scanner light is flashing, follow the steps to pair your computer with it.  

Computer Bluetooth settings

Check that your computer’s Bluetooth settings are on and discoverable. See Windows instructions and Mac instructions. 

Scanner not working

Check that the USB cable is connected to a power source with enough power to change the scanner. 

If the blue light is flashing (instead of solid) it means the scanner is not paired with your computer. 

The scanner is paired, but data isn’t uploading

If the paired scanner isn’t reading barcodes, perform a factory reset. Please see the Factory reset steps above.

The scanner & charger aren’t charging

Check for any dirt or debris interfering with the contact points between the charging cable and the scanner.

The post inFlow Rugged Bluetooth Scanner appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

What is the Stockroom?

Stockroom allows your team to quickly track inventory by scanning products in and out of one location using the inFlow Stockroom mobile app, available for Apple and Android devices.

This option is great for team members who don’t need to use all of inFlow’s features for their workflow. Stockroom provides a quick and straightforward way to track product movements.

inFlow Admins can set up the products in inFlow and the Stockroom settings, and Stockroom users can quickly and efficiently track the products they’re using.

You can add multiple Stockroom locations from the Plan section of the inFlow Account settings or chat with the inFlow team.

Before you start

Add your products, barcodes, locations, and labels to inFlow to use this feature. To learn more, read the Getting Started and Label Printing guides.

Looking to print labels on the go? Check out the inFlow Portable Printer!

Installing the Stockroom app

Scan the QR code below to download the Stockroom app, or follow the steps below to find the QR code in inFlow for Web.

1. With an inFlow administrator account, go to the Stockroom settings (Main Menu hover > Settings > Stockroom).
2. Under Download Stockroom, scan the QR code to install the Stockroom app onto the desired device.

The Stockroom app is separate from the inFlow Inventory app. It can only view products in the designated Stockroom location and scan them in or out.

Setting up Stockroom devices

To set up Stockroom, you need access to inFlow for Web with an Admin account and the mobile device where you installed the Stockroom app.

1. In inFlow, go to the Stockroom settings and click on Add new device.
2. Fill out the Device name and Location fields, then click Add device.
3. A QR code will be on the screen. Open the Stockroom app on your device and tap Scan to log in.
4. Scan the QR code to log in to your Stockroon scan device.

Adding Stockroom users

The Stockroom feature allows you to add Stockroom users without adding more team members to your inFlow plan. You can add Stockroom users from the Stockroom settings in inFlow or the Stockroom app. 

Adding Stockroom users from inFlow

1. Click on Stockroom users from the Stockroom settings.
2. Select Add Stockroom user and enter the user’s name in the field below.
3. Repeat the above step to add additional users.
4. Click Save when done.

To prevent new users from being added through the Stockroom app, uncheck the option to allow adding new users before a scan in the Stockroom user settings.

Removing Stockroom users

To remove Stockroom users, click the “X” next to their name in inFlow for Web. 

Users cannot be removed from the Stockroom app. Only inFlow Admins can edit the list of Stockroom users. 

Adding Stockroom users from the app

1. Open the app and tap the Add user button.
2. Enter the username, then click Done.

The Add user button will switch to a plus icon after adding Stockroom users to the list. 

Stockroom scans

Now that you’ve installed the Stockroom app, it’s time to start scanning to add or remove inventory!

1. Open the Stockroom App on the shared/personal device.
2. Tap your name from the Who is scanning screen.

3. The Stockroom app is all set to use Scan out as the default option for removing products. Tap Scan in at the top-right-hand corner to add products to the Stockroom location.
4. Scan the barcode or QR code of the product, then tap Scan out/Scan in. You can tap the Scan out/Scan repeatedly to increase the quantity. After adding the product to the scan, you can tap on the quantity to manually adjust the number of products you scan in or out.
5. Click Done to complete the scan. You’ll see Inventory adjusted to confirm the changes. 

Helpful Stockroom user guide

To help your team remember the Stockroom workflow, you can download and print the PDF file below and display this poster in your Stockroom location.

Can I create new products with the Stockroom app?

Currently, Stockroom users cannot create new products from the app.

If you scan a new barcode or QR code, the Stockroom app will tell you the product isn’t currently available in inFlow.

We’d encourage Stockroom users to contact the inFlow Administrator to add the new products to inFlow for Web, Mobile, or Windows. 

Stockroom scans in inFlow for Web

The Stockroom feature is made just for the Stockroom mobile app! But if you’re using inFlow for Web, you can easily create Stockroom scans there too, and you can edit any scans you’ve made with the Stockroom app. 

Creating scans in inFlow for Web

1. From the Main menu, hover over the Create button > Stockroom scan.
2. Select the Stockroom user and Stockroom location, then click Create.

Reviewing scans in inFlow for web

1. Go to the Stockroom scan list (Main Menu, hover over Inventory button > Stockroom scans.)
2. Select any of the scans to review or change the details.
3. Click Complete to save your changes.

Reporting

To get a complete overview from the Stockroom scans report (Main menu > Reports > Audit log.)

Stockroom app minimum requirements

Android OS

• Android 9.0 or later is supported.

iOS

• iOS 15.1 or later is supported.

At the moment, the Stockroom app isn’t optimized for tablets.

The post Scan in & scan out with the inFlow Stockroom  appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

This feature will ensure that each product has a unique SKU while retaining any existing SKUs you may have assigned.

What are stock keeping units (SKUs)?

SKUs are unique codes used to represent a product when managing inventory. In inFlow, only one SKU can be assigned per product. 

Accurate tracking is possible because SKUs are unique. They are required to connect inFlow to ecommerce integrations such as Shopify.

Options for adding SKUs to inFlow

In inFlow, we offer two ways for you to add SKUs:

• Add existing SKUs from your products – Great for using the SKUs your vendor/supplier has provided. This option allows you to have greater flexibility and control over the SKUs in your inventory.
• Have inFlow generate SKUs for your products – This is best if your products don’t have SKUs. inFlow will create new SKUs for all products. 

Adding existing SKUs from your products

If your products have SKUs from your vendor/supplier, you can add them to inFlow in two ways. 

• Adding individual SKUs to a product record.
• Importing SKUs in bulk with a CSV import.

Adding individual SKUs to a product record

1. Open the product record. (Main Menu > Inventory > Product List.)
2. On the product record, select the SKU and enter the SKU in that field. 
3. Click Save on the product record to finalize the changes.

Importing SKUs in bulk with a CSV import

You can also add SKUs to your products in bulk by importing a CSV file. See below for details.

Creating a CSV template by exporting from inFlow

If you don’t have a list of your products on a spreadsheet, inFlow can make one for you. The convenient part is that when you use this file to import your SKUs, inFlow will recognize the data, making the importing process even easier. 

1. Go to Main Menu > Export data.
2. Select Product Details from the Data type section. 
3. Click Export to download the CSV file to your computer. 

Blockquote: CSVs exported from inFlow will have more data on the spreadsheet than you need for importing SKUs. You can remove those columns if you prefer or locate the SKU field and add the product SKUs to that column. 

Editing the CSV template

To import SKUs to inFlow, the CSV file only needs two columns: product name and SKU. 

Importing the barcode CSV to inFlow

When the CSV file is complete, you can import it to inFlow to update the product records. 

1. Go to Main Menu > Import data.
2. In the Data type drop-down menu, select Product details. 
3. Below, select the CSV file to upload to inFlow, then click Next.
4. If applicable, select Edit Data Mapping.
5. Match the Product name and SKU fields to the left with the fields in the respective drop-down menus. 
6. Click Import when to continue.
7. You’ll see an Import is in progress message. Click Okay. When the import is complete, you’ll be emailed the results. 

For an overall guide on how to update products with a CSV import, take a look at this guide.

Have inFlow generate SKUs for your products

1. With an admin account, go to inFlow’s Inventory settings (If you’re logged in, go to Main Menu> Options > Inventory.)
2. Select Stock keeping units.
3. Toggle ON Auto-generate SKUs for current and future products.
4. You can set a Prefix, Next number ID#, and Suffix for inFlow to use when generating SKUs. 
5. Click Generate.

SKU vs UPC

You can learn more about SKUs and UPCs from the inFlow Blog.

The post How to create/generate stock keeping units (SKUs) appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

Web

In inFlow, you can attach files to records and orders. For example, you can attach a warranty to an order or certificates and tax breaks to a customer record.

Adding attachments to records/orders

1. Open the record for which you want to add an attachment.
2. Click Attachments in the toolbar.
3. You can drag and drop the file or click to select a file. Repeat this step to add additional attachments.
4. Click Done to close the attachment window.
5. Save the product record when done.

When you copy a product or order, any attachments added to the original record will not be copied to the new record.

How to re-open/manage attachments

1. Navigate to the product, order, or record you wish to address.
2. Click Attachments in the toolbar.
3. Click on the attachment filename to open it in a new tab, or hover over the file and click the download icon. 
4. The attachment will open in a new browser tab where you can print or download the file.
5. Close the new browser tab when done, and click Done on the product record to close the attachments window.

To remove a block, hover over it and select the trash can icon.

User access rights restrictions

The user access rights determine the various access options for attachments. See below for details.

Canceled records only have view-only and download access to attachments. 

You can learn more about inFlow’s Team member access rights from this guide. 

Windows

In inFlow, you can attach files to records and orders. For example, you can attach a warranty to an order or certificates and tax breaks to a customer record.

Adding attachments in a record

1. Open the record you want to add an attachment for.
2. Click Attachment in the top toolbar.
3. Click Add New in the resulting window.
4. Choose the file you want to attach and then click Open.
5. Click Save in the attachment window and again in the top toolbar.

To re-open the attachment

1. Navigate to the order, product, or record that you wish to address.
2. Click Attachment in the top toolbar.
3. Click the name of the file you wish to open.

File type restrictions

Maximum file size

The maximum file size that can be attached to a record is 30 MB for inFlow Inventory for Web and 20 MB for inFlow Inventory for Windows.

Restricted file types

In order to ensure security, inFlow software does not permit the attachment of certain file types. 

.ade, .adp, .apk, .app, .application, .appref-ms, .appx, .appxbundle, .asp, .aspx, .asx, .bas, .bat, .bgi, .cab, .cer, .chm, .cmd, .cnt, .com, .cpl, .crt, .csh, .der, .diagcab, .diagcfg, .diagpack, .dll, .dmg, .ex, .ex_, .exe, .fxp, .gadget, .grp, .hlp, .hpj, .hta, .htc, .img, .inf, .ins, .iso, .isp, .its, .jar, .jnlp, .js, .jse, .ksh, .lib, .lnk, .mad, .maf, .mag, .mam, .maq, .mar, .mas, .mat, .mau, .mav, .maw, .mcf, .mda, .mdb, .mde, .mdt, .mdw, .mdz, .mjs, .msc, .msh, .msh1, .msh1xml, .msh2, .msh2xml, .mshxml, .msi, .msix, .msixbundle, .msp, .mst, .msu, .nsh, .ops, .osd, .pcd, .pif, .pl, .plg, .prf, .prg, .printerexport, .ps1, .ps1xml, .ps2, .ps2xml, .psc1, .psc2, .psd1, .psdm1, .pst, .py, .pyc, .pyo, .pyw, .pyz, .pyzw, .reg, .scf, .scr, .sct, .shb, .shs, .sys, .theme, .tmp, .url, .vb, .vbe, .vbp, .vbs, .vhd, .vhdx, .vsmacros, .vsw, .vxd, .webpnp, .website, .ws, .wsc, .wsf, .wsh, .xbap, .xll, .xnk

The post How to add attachments (products, customers, vendors, orders) appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

Web

Barcodes & SKUs video

Take a look at this video from the Getting Started Guide to learn how to add barcodes to your products.

What are barcodes?

Barcodes are a visual representation of the product/item that is usually made with lines and spaces. 

Barcodes have two elements: the barcode data, which consists of letters and numbers, and the barcode image, which consists of scannable lines and spaces.

A global trade item number (GTIN) is encoded to a barcode in a globally recognized barcode format, such as UPC or EAN. You’ve likely seen GTIN barcode formats on products in retail stores that are 8, 12, 13, or 14 digits long. 

inFlow supports 13-digit barcodes.

Add existing barcodes from your products

If your products have barcodes from your vendor/supplier, you can add them to inFlow in two ways. 

• Manually adding barcodes to a product record.
• Importing barcodes in bulk with a CSV import.

inFlow doesn’t support duplicate barcodes. As a result, each barcode number must be unique.

Manually adding barcodes to a product record

1. Open the product record. (Main Menu > Inventory > Product List.)
2. On the product record, click on Add Barcodes.
3. In the blank field, scan the product barcode. If there is an additional barcode, select Add barcode and scan the next barcode to the blank field. 
4. Click Update when done.
5. Click Save on the product record to finalize the changes.

Once a barcode is added to a product, the Add barcodes button changes to Manage barcodes.

Importing barcodes in bulk with a CSV import

You can also add barcodes to your products in bulk by importing a CSV file. See below for details.

Creating a CSV template by exporting from inFlow

If you don’t have a list of your products on a spreadsheet, inFlow can make one for you. The convenient part is that when you use this file to import your barcodes, inFlow will recognize the data, making the importing process even easier. 

1. Go to Main Menu > Export data.
2. Select Product Details from the Data type section. 
3. Click Export to download the CSV file to your computer. 

CSVs exported from inFlow will have more data on the spreadsheet than you need for importing barcodes. You can remove those columns if you prefer or locate the barcode field and add the product barcodes to that column. 

Editing the CSV template

To import barcodes to inFlow, the CSV file only needs two columns: product name and barcode. 

Multiple barcodes on a CSV import file

For products with more than one barcode, use a comma to separate the barcode numbers.

Importing the barcode CSV into inFlow

When the CSV file is complete, you can import it into inFlow to update the product records. 

1. Go to Main Menu > Import data.
2. In the Data type drop-down menu, select Product details. 
3. Below, select the CSV file to upload to inFlow, then click Next.
4. If applicable, select Edit Data Mapping.
5. Match the Product name and Barcode fields to the left with the fields in the respective drop-down menus. 
6. Click Import to continue.
7. You’ll see an Import is in progress message. Click Okay. When the import is complete, you’ll be emailed the results. 

For an overall guide on how to update products with a CSV import, take a look at this guide.

Have inFlow create free internal barcodes

inFlow can automatically generate barcodes for products without them. New barcodes will not overwrite any existing ones.

1. Go to the Inventory settings in inFlow. 
2. Under Free internal barcodes, select Generate.
3. Toggle ON Automatically generate free internal for products without a barcode. A preview of the barcode will be displayed below. 
4. Click Generate barcodes.

Multiple barcodes on a product

In inFlow, you have the option of having multiple barcodes for a product. See below for steps on how to add additional barcodes and set a default. 

How to add additional barcodes

1. Open a product record (Main Menu> Product list.)
2. Click on Barcode. 
3. Select Add barcode to add a unique barcode to the field. 
4. Click Update, then save the product record. 

On the product record, you’ll see the default barcode and + more, which shows that there are multiple barcodes assigned to the product. 

Setting a default barcode

With multiple barcodes, one of the barcodes needs to be set as the default. This default barcode will be used when connected to ecommerce and accounting integrations and printing labels.

1. Open a product record (Main Menu> Product list.)
2. Click on Barcode. 
3. From the list of barcodes, click on the star icon that should be the default.
4. Click Update, then save the product record. 

Purchase GTIN barcodes

Did you know you can buy barcodes with inFlow? We’ve partnered with GS1 to become an official partner. 

For more details, check out the GS1 Barcode Shop or select Buy barcodes from the Inventory settings in inFlow. 

SKU vs UPC

You can learn more about SKUs and UPCs from the inFlow Blog.

Windows

What are barcodes?

Barcodes are a visual representation of the product/item that is usually made with lines and spaces. 

Barcodes have two elements: the barcode data, which consists of letters and numbers, and the barcode image, which consists of scannable lines and spaces.

A global trade item number (GTIN) is encoded to a barcode in a globally recognized barcode format, such as UPC or EAN. You’ve likely seen GTIN barcode formats on products in retail stores that are 8, 12, 13, or 14 digits long. 

inFlow supports 13-digit barcodes.  

Add existing barcodes from your products

If your products have barcodes from your vendor/supplier, you can add them to inFlow in two ways. 

• Manually adding barcodes to a product record.
• Importing barcodes in bulk with a CSV import.

inFlow doesn’t support duplicate barcodes. As a result, each barcode must be unique.

Manually adding barcodes to a product record

1. Open the product record. (Main Menu > Inventory > Product List > double click on your product).
2. On the main product page, click on the Barcode field.
3. Scan your product.
4. Click Save.

Now that it’s saved, it’s ready to be scanned into a sales order, purchase order, basically anywhere in inFlow where you can select a product!

You can store more than one barcode for the same product by separating the barcodes with commas.

Importing barcodes in bulk with a CSV import

You can also add barcodes to your products in bulk by importing with CSVs.

If you already have a list of products in inFlow, follow these steps to update your existing products with barcodes using a CSV import.

Have inFlow create free internal barcodes

To let inFlow automatically create barcode numbers for new products you create:

1. Go to the Main Menu > Options > Settings.
2. Under Barcodes & Stock keeping units (SKUs), click the Generate… button. It will redirect you to inFlow Inventory for Web.
3. Toggle ON Automatically generate free internal for products without a barcode. A preview of the barcode will be displayed below. 
4. Click Generate barcodes.

Mobile

What are barcodes?

Barcodes are a visual representation of the product/item that is usually made with lines and spaces. 

Barcodes have two elements: the barcode data, which consists of letters and numbers, and the barcode image, which consists of scannable lines and spaces.

A global trade item number (GTIN) is encoded to a barcode in a globally recognized barcode format, such as UPC or EAN. You’ve likely seen GTIN barcode formats on products in retail stores that are 8, 12, 13, or 14 digits long. 

inFlow supports 13-digit barcodes. 

At the moment, there isn’t a way to set up automatic barcoding from the mobile app. This will have to be set up on the inFlow Inventory Windows or Web app.

To learn how to manually add barcodes to inFlow Inventory for Mobile app, see below.

Manually adding barcodes to a product record

To add your existing barcode numbers to your products using the inFlow Inventory for Android or iOS app:

1. Open the mobile app and head to the product list.
2. Tap the search icon at the top right to find your product, or select it from the list below.
3. Scroll down to the barcode field and tap the barcode icon.
4. If prompted, allow the app to access your camera.
5. Align the barcode in front of the camera, and inFlow will add it to the barcode field for you.
6. Click Save.

SKU vs UPC

You can learn more about SKUs and UPCs from the inFlow Blog.

The post How to add/generate barcodes in inFlow appeared first on inFlow Inventory.

While the day-to-day use of barcodes in inFlow remains the same, the inFlow team added some improvements for better barcode tracking. Read below to learn more about managing legacy barcodes.

Barcode updates

Multiple barcodes 

One of the main improvements added is that inFlow Inventory for Web and Mobile now supports multiple barcodes per product.

GTIN compatibility 

The other significant change is that inFlow can generate GTIN-compatible barcodes. But don’t worry—this isn’t a forced change. 

Your products’ barcode numbers won’t change. If you’re using inFlow to generate barcodes for new products, you can keep the settings as they are. 

What is GTIN?

A global trade item number (GTIN) is encoded to a barcode in a globally recognized format, such as UPC or EAN. You’ve likely seen GTIN barcode formats on products in retail stores that are 12 or 13-digit long.

Why use/generate GTIN-compatible barcodes?

These changes have been added to lay the groundwork for future scanning features that will be added to inFlow. 

Switch to the new internal barcode generator

Switching your barcode settings will allow you to take advantage of the benefits listed above and any new barcode features that are added to inFlow. 

1. Go to the Inventory settings in inFlow (Main Menu> Options>Inventory.)
2. Under Internal barcodes and SKUs select Generate.
3. Click the Switch button. 

After changing the barcode settings, the free internal generator will create 13-digit industry-standard barcodes. For details on all the barcoding features take a look at this guide to learn more.

Warning: Once you switch to using the new barcode generation, it’s not possible to revert to the legacy barcode settings.

Legacy barcode generation settings

Barcode settings haven’t changed since the update. You can find them in the Inventory settings.

1. Go to the Inventory settings in inFlow (Main Menu> Options>Inventory.)
2. Under Internal barcodes and SKUs select Generate.
3. The window will have instructions for switching to the new barcode settings. To remain with legacy barcoded select, I’m not ready. From here, you can make changes and the Generate button to complete the changes. 

Editing existing legacy/new barcodes on products

1. To edit barcodes, select Manage barcodes. 
2. Make the changes, then click Update.
3. Save the product record when done.

The post Legacy barcode settings appeared first on inFlow Inventory.