> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.novala.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Track parts, stock levels, and locations in Novala

> Manage your parts catalog, monitor stock at warehouses and trucks, run cycle counts, and get alerted when items fall below their reorder threshold.

The Parts & Inventory module is the source of truth for every physical item your business stocks and uses. A central parts catalog holds every part you carry — with its SKU, unit cost, sell price, and reorder threshold. Stock is tracked by location, so you always know how many units are in each warehouse, van, or truck. When a service job is completed, Novala automatically decrements the parts used on that job, keeping your quantities accurate without manual entry. Low-stock alerts fire as soon as a quantity drops below its reorder point, and cycle counts let you reconcile physical counts against system quantities at any time.

## Parts catalog

The parts catalog lives under **Inventory → Parts Catalog**. Each part record contains:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Part number and name">
    A unique identifier and descriptive name. The part number is used across work orders, POs, and stock movements for consistent tracking.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Category">
    An optional grouping for filtering and reporting (e.g., Filters, Belts, Electrical).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Unit of measure">
    How the part is counted — each, box, foot, liter, etc.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Unit cost and sell price">
    The cost to purchase the part and the price charged to customers. Sell prices from the parts catalog are used when building quotes and invoices.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Manufacturer">
    Optional manufacturer name for reference and filtering.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Active / inactive">
    Inactive parts are hidden from selection in work orders and POs but their stock history is preserved.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Add a new part

<Steps>
  <Step title="Go to the Parts Catalog">
    Navigate to **Inventory → Parts Catalog** and click **New Part**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter part details">
    Fill in the part number, name, category, and unit of measure. These fields are required.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set cost and pricing">
    Enter the unit cost (what you pay) and the sell price (what you charge customers). Both values are used in quoting, invoicing, and profitability reporting.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save**. The part is now available for use on work orders, POs, and stock movements.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Stock locations

Novala tracks stock separately for each physical location. Locations are configured under **Inventory → Locations** and can represent a warehouse, a technician's truck, or any virtual storage area.

Each location has its own stock level per part — so you know exactly which van has the last filter on hand before dispatching a technician.

<Tip>
  Assign a location to each vehicle in your fleet so field technicians always have an accurate picture of what's on their truck.
</Tip>

## Stock overview

**Inventory → Stock Overview** shows current quantities across all parts and locations in a single table. Filter by location or part to narrow the view. The columns display quantity on hand and the reorder threshold for each part–location combination.

## How stock changes

Stock levels change automatically in three ways:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Service job completed">
    When a job is marked complete, the parts listed as used on that job are decremented from the technician's truck or the assigned stock location.
  </Card>

  <Card title="PO received">
    Receiving a purchase order increases the quantity on hand at the chosen receiving location by the quantities confirmed in the receipt.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Manual adjustment">
    Managers with the **Manage Stock** permission can record a manual stock movement — an increase or decrease with a reason — at any time.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

Every stock change creates an immutable **stock movement** record that logs what changed, when, and why. This gives you a complete audit trail of every quantity update.

## Low-stock alerts

Set a **reorder point** on any part-location combination. When the quantity on hand falls at or below that threshold, Novala fires a `inventory.stock.low` alert.

On the Inventory dashboard, low-stock items appear in a red alert banner showing the part number, location, current quantity, and reorder point. The **Low Stock** summary card shows the total count of active alerts.

<Note>
  Low-stock alerts also trigger suggestions in the Purchasing module. If the part has a preferred vendor, Novala will suggest a purchase order so you can reorder quickly. See [Purchasing & Vendors](/finance/purchasing) for details.
</Note>

## Cycle counts

A cycle count is a physical count of stock at a location that reconciles what Novala expects against what is actually on the shelf. Run them from **Inventory → Cycle Counts**.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start a new cycle count">
    Click **New Cycle Count** and select the location to count. Novala generates a count sheet with every part that has stock at that location.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter physical counts">
    For each part, enter the actual quantity you find on the shelf. Novala shows the expected quantity alongside your entry so you can spot variances in real time.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Submit the count">
    Click **Submit Count**. Novala compares your entries to the expected quantities and records a stock adjustment movement for any discrepancies.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review results">
    The completed cycle count shows items counted, the number of adjustments made, and an overall accuracy percentage.
  </Step>
</Steps>

A completed cycle count reports three metrics: items counted, number of adjustments (variances), and accuracy as a percentage of items that matched.

## Inventory analytics

The **Inventory → Analytics** section provides deeper views into stock value, consumption trends, and usage by job. Use it to identify slow-moving parts, understand which jobs consume the most materials, and assess the total value of your on-hand stock.

## Permissions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="View Parts">
    Read-only access to the parts catalog, stock levels, and locations.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Manage Parts">
    Create and edit part records, categories, and pricing.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Manage Stock">
    Record manual stock adjustments, receive POs, and run cycle counts.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>
