How to add your first inventory item
An item is anything you stock — a bag of coffee beans, a bottle of syrup, a candle, a t-shirt, a notebook. Items are the building blocks of everything else in Stash: purchase orders, stock transfers, Blueprints, and reports all reference items.
You can add items one at a time (this article), or in bulk from a CSV. If you have more than 20 or so to add, use the CSV importer — it's much faster.
Who can do this
Both Admins and Members can add inventory items. Cost prices are only visible and editable by Admins.
Before you start
You need at least one location (shop) set up. See How to add your first location.
If the item comes from a supplier, adding the supplier first lets you link it on the item — but it's optional and you can do it later.
How to add an item
From the sidebar, open Inventory.
Click Add Item in the top right.
Fill in the required fields:
Name — what you call it (e.g., Espresso Beans 1kg, Soy Candle — Vanilla).
Location — which shop this item belongs to.
Quantity — how much you currently have on hand.
Unit of measurement — how you store and count this item (more on this below).
Fill in the optional but recommended fields:
Cost price — what you pay per unit. Used in dashboard value totals and reports.
Low stock threshold — when to alert you that this item is running low. See Setting low stock thresholds and reorder quantity.
Reorder quantity — how much to order when restocking. Used as the default in purchase orders and the Order Planner.
Supplier — who you buy this from. Required for the Order Planner to suggest reorders.
Optional extras: SKU, barcode, brand, shelf or bin location, image, category, dimensions.
Click Save.
Your item appears in the inventory list immediately. From there you can edit it, adjust stock, link it to a Blueprint, or include it on a purchase order.
Good to know
Choosing the right unit of measurement
The unit you pick controls how you track this item. Stash supports four families:
Weight — Gram, Kilogram, Ounce, Pound
Volume — Milliliter, Liter, Fluid Ounce, Cup, Gallon
Count — Each, Piece, Units
Packaging — Bag, Bottle, Box, Can, Case, Carton, Jar, Sachet, etc.
If you store in packaging (e.g., a 1kg bag of beans counted in Bag), Stash will ask you for "Each [container] contains" — the amount of usable product inside one container. This is what makes Blueprints and POS deductions accurate. See Understanding units of measurement and How "Each container contains" works.
Cost price vs selling price
Cost price is what you pay your supplier. Selling price is what you charge your customer. Cost is used in inventory value calculations; selling price is metadata only (Stash doesn't currently use it for anything automated). Cost is hidden from Members.
Low stock threshold and reorder quantity
These two work together. The threshold is the trigger ("alert me when I have 5 or fewer"); the reorder quantity is the suggested fix ("order 20 more"). Both are used by the Order Planner and on automatic notifications.
Adding many items at once
If you have an existing inventory list — from a spreadsheet, your old system, or a supplier — use the CSV importer instead of adding items one by one. See Importing your existing inventory from a CSV.
Related articles