Creating an Inventory Record:

To start using the Inventory control feature, follow these steps:

1. Make a comprehensive inventory record for your shop and any trucks using the provided sheet.

2. Once completed, send the inventory records to softwaresupport@mycertainpath.com

Adding Vendors: Vendors play a vital role in job costing and accounting. Follow these steps to add vendors:

1. Compile a list of all vendors you use.

2. If available, note the point of contact's first and last name, phone number, and email address.

3. Navigate to the vendor information section in the main settings and add the vendors to the software.

Managing Material Costs:

To effectively track the costs of materials obtained from different vendors, it is important to use the materials vendor sheet provided. Let's look at an example to better understand this process. Imagine you bought a box of ¾” screws from Lowes, priced at $9.85 for a pack of 100 screws. However, you also purchased the same box from Home Depot for $7.50, which is a significant price difference. To accurately keep track of costs, follow these steps:

1. On the vendor material sheet, enter the cost of the material from each specific vendor.

1. Some items, such as screws, Freon, caulking, etc., require some extra calculations to determine the base cost. Let us continue using the example of the box of screws:

·       Divide the total quantity of screws (100) by the total cost ($9.85) to find the base cost per screw.

·       In this case, the calculation would be: 100 screws / $9.85 = $0.0985 per screw.

·       Since the number after the decimal point is 9, round up to $0.10 per screw, which will be considered as the base cost.

1. When recording the inventory, add the material as a single item.

·       The quantity in the shop record should reflect the total number of items available.

·       This ensures accurate calculation of job costs when technicians use materials for a specific job. For example, if they only use two screws, it will be accounted for as $0.20 instead of the full $9.85.

Although managing material costs may seem time-consuming, completing this process will result in a more accurate inventory, better control over inventory levels, precise accounting, and fewer last-minute trips to the store during jobs.

Truck Inventory:

Managing inventory for trucks/vans helps regulate usage and track when restocking is needed. Follow these steps:

1. Assign a specific truck or van to a technician for optimal control.

2. To add or reassign a truck assignment, follow the instructions provided.

3. Each truck/warehouse will show its value based on the items inside it, emphasizing the need for accurate base costs.

4. Regularly check truck inventory and transfer stock from the shop inventory to the truck as needed.

   • Technicians can fill out a simple sheet to request inventory transfers, allowing office staff to process the transfer efficiently.

Requisitions and Purchase Orders:

Requisitions and purchase orders help manage inventory usage and restocking. Follow these steps:

1. During the day, technicians generate requisitions when pulling inventory items from trucks.

2. The next morning, a purchase order is generated automatically based on the requisitions.

3. Modify or delete line items from the purchase order if necessary.

   • If you have items in your shop inventory, you can avoid ordering duplicates.

   • The purchase order acts as a reminder to restock items that are needed.

By following these instructions, you can effectively utilize the Inventory control feature in CertainPath software, ensuring accurate inventory management, job costing, and minimizing unnecessary trips to stores.