spouliot
2885bc1228
GettingStarted: add 'Using on Mobile — Add to Home Screen' section covering iOS Safari install flow, Android Chrome install, and PWA benefits (full-screen, persistent camera permission). Includes Safari-required warning for iOS. Inventory: add 'Catalog Lookup & Label Scanner' section covering smart catalog search (filters out existing inventory, vendor-scoped with fallback), AI Lookup fallback, camera label scanner (catalog-first then AI), and the add-stock prompt when a scanned product is already in inventory. HelpKnowledgeBase: sync both of the above for the AI Help Assistant, plus add catalog lookup / label scanner detail to the INVENTORY section. Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>
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@{
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ViewData["Title"] = "Inventory";
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}
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<div class="d-flex align-items-center gap-2 mb-3">
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<a asp-controller="Help" asp-action="Index" class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-secondary"><i class="bi bi-arrow-left"></i></a>
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<nav aria-label="breadcrumb">
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<ol class="breadcrumb mb-0">
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<li class="breadcrumb-item"><a asp-controller="Help" asp-action="Index">Help</a></li>
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<li class="breadcrumb-item active">Inventory</li>
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</ol>
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</nav>
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</div>
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<div class="row g-4">
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<div class="col-lg-9">
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<section id="overview" class="mb-5">
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<h2 class="h4 fw-bold border-bottom pb-2 mb-3">
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<i class="bi bi-info-circle text-primary me-2"></i>Overview
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</h2>
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<p>
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The Inventory module tracks every powder, primer, consumable, and supply item your shop uses.
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Each item has a current stock level, a unit cost that feeds into job pricing calculations, and
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a reorder point that triggers a low-stock alert when stock drops to or below it.
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</p>
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<p>
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Keeping inventory accurate matters for two reasons. First, your job and quote pricing is only
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as accurate as the unit costs stored in inventory — outdated costs lead to under-pricing.
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Second, knowing how much powder you have on hand before a job starts prevents the frustrating
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situation of running out of material mid-job.
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</p>
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<p>
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You can find Inventory under <strong>Inventory › Items</strong> in the left sidebar.
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</p>
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</section>
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<section id="adding-items" class="mb-5">
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<h2 class="h4 fw-bold border-bottom pb-2 mb-3">
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<i class="bi bi-plus-circle text-primary me-2"></i>Adding Inventory Items
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</h2>
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<p>To add a new item to your inventory:</p>
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<ol class="mb-3">
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<li class="mb-2">Go to <strong>Inventory › Items</strong> and click <strong>New Item</strong>.</li>
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<li class="mb-2">
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Fill in the item details:
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<ul class="mt-1">
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<li><strong>Item Name</strong> — a clear, descriptive name (e.g., "Gloss Black Powder — Tiger Drylac 49/90005").</li>
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<li><strong>SKU / Part Number</strong> — the manufacturer's part number or your internal SKU.</li>
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<li><strong>Category</strong> — Powder, Primer, Consumable, Shop Supply, or other category as appropriate.</li>
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<li><strong>Unit of Measure</strong> — lbs, kg, each, litre, etc.</li>
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<li><strong>Unit Cost</strong> — your purchase cost per unit. Used in quote and job pricing calculations.</li>
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<li><strong>Current Quantity on Hand</strong> — the number of units you have right now. This becomes the opening stock level.</li>
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<li><strong>Reorder Point</strong> — the quantity at which you want to be alerted to reorder. See the Reorder Points section below.</li>
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<li><strong>Vendor / Supplier</strong> — the vendor you purchase this item from. Linking a vendor lets you quickly see who to call when stock runs low.</li>
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</ul>
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</li>
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<li class="mb-2">
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For powder coatings, the <strong>Coverage Rate</strong> (sq ft per lb) and <strong>Transfer Efficiency %</strong>
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default to <strong>30 sq ft/lb</strong> and <strong>65%</strong> respectively — typical starting values for most powder
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and application setups. Adjust these to match your specific powder and equipment. Both values are used when
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calculating powder needed on quotes and jobs.
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</li>
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<li class="mb-2">Click <strong>Save Item</strong>.</li>
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</ol>
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<div class="alert alert-permanent alert-info d-flex gap-2 mb-0" role="alert">
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<i class="bi bi-lightbulb-fill flex-shrink-0 mt-1"></i>
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<div>
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When you save a new item with an opening stock quantity greater than zero, the system automatically
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records an <strong>Initial</strong> transaction for that quantity. This gives you a clean audit trail
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from day one without any manual entry.
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</div>
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</div>
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</section>
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<section id="catalog-lookup" class="mb-5">
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<h2 class="h4 fw-bold border-bottom pb-2 mb-3">
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<i class="bi bi-search text-primary me-2"></i>Catalog Lookup & Label Scanner
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</h2>
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<p>
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When adding or editing an inventory item, you don't have to type every field manually.
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Two shortcuts let you auto-fill product details in seconds:
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</p>
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<h3 class="h6 fw-semibold mt-3 mb-2"><i class="bi bi-upc-scan me-1"></i>Smart Catalog Lookup</h3>
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<p>
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Click the <strong>Lookup</strong> button next to the SKU/Part Number field. Type a color name,
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SKU, or part number and the system searches a built-in catalog of thousands of Prismatic Powders
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and other manufacturer SKUs. Select a match and the form fills in automatically — item name,
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manufacturer, color code, finish, coverage rate, SDS/TDS links, and cure specifications.
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</p>
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<ul class="mb-3">
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<li class="mb-1">The catalog only shows products <strong>not already in your inventory</strong>, preventing duplicates. When editing an existing item, its own catalog entry is always shown.</li>
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<li class="mb-1">If no catalog match is found, the lookup falls back to <strong>AI Lookup</strong> — Claude searches the web for product specs and fills in whatever it can find.</li>
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<li class="mb-1">If a vendor name is selected in the Vendor field before searching, results are scoped to that vendor first, then broadened automatically if nothing matches.</li>
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</ul>
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<h3 class="h6 fw-semibold mt-4 mb-2"><i class="bi bi-camera me-1"></i>Label Scanner (Camera)</h3>
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<p>
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Click the <strong>camera icon</strong> next to the Lookup button to open the label scanner.
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Point your phone or webcam at the QR code printed on a powder bag or manufacturer label.
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The scanner reads the code and attempts to identify the product:
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</p>
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<ol class="mb-3">
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<li class="mb-1">If the QR code matches a product in the platform catalog, the form fills in automatically — same as a manual catalog lookup.</li>
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<li class="mb-1">If no catalog match is found, the AI analyzes the label image and fills in whatever details it can extract (color name, SKU, manufacturer, finish).</li>
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<li class="mb-1">
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If the scanned product is <strong>already in your inventory</strong>, a prompt appears to
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<strong>Add Stock</strong> to the existing item instead — enter the quantity received and an
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optional updated unit cost, then save. No duplicate item is created.
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</li>
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</ol>
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<div class="alert alert-permanent alert-info d-flex gap-2 mb-0" role="alert">
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<i class="bi bi-phone me-1 flex-shrink-0 mt-1"></i>
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<div>
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The label scanner works best on a phone. If you're on iOS, open the page in
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<strong>Safari</strong> for reliable camera access. For persistent camera permission
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(no prompt each session), <a asp-controller="Help" asp-action="GettingStarted" class="alert-link"
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fragment="mobile-install">add the app to your home screen</a>.
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</div>
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</div>
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</section>
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<section id="stock-levels" class="mb-5">
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<h2 class="h4 fw-bold border-bottom pb-2 mb-3">
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<i class="bi bi-boxes text-primary me-2"></i>Stock Levels and Reorder Points
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</h2>
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<p>
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The <strong>quantity on hand</strong> for each item is updated automatically whenever a transaction
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is recorded — a purchase receipt increases stock, a job consumption decreases it, and a manual
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adjustment sets it to the corrected count.
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</p>
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<p>
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The <strong>reorder point</strong> is the safety threshold below which you do not want your stock
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to fall. When the quantity on hand reaches or drops below the reorder point, the item appears in
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the low-stock alerts section on your Dashboard and is flagged in the Inventory list. Think of it
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as the signal to place a new order with your vendor.
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</p>
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<h3 class="h6 fw-semibold mt-3 mb-2">Setting a good reorder point</h3>
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<p>
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A good reorder point accounts for two factors:
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</p>
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<ul class="mb-3">
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<li class="mb-1"><strong>Lead time</strong> — how many days it typically takes for your vendor to deliver after you place an order. If lead time is 5 days, your reorder point should cover at least 5 days of usage.</li>
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<li class="mb-1"><strong>Daily usage rate</strong> — how much of the item you typically consume per day based on your job volume.</li>
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</ul>
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<p>
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For example, if you use 3 lbs of a powder per day and your vendor takes 5 days to deliver, a
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reorder point of 20 lbs (3 × 5 + a small safety buffer) ensures you never run out while
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waiting for the delivery.
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</p>
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</section>
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<section id="stock-adjustment" class="mb-5">
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<h2 class="h4 fw-bold border-bottom pb-2 mb-3">
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<i class="bi bi-plus-slash-minus text-primary me-2"></i>Stock Adjustment
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</h2>
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<p>
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Use the <strong>Stock Adjustment</strong> button on any item's Details page to quickly correct the
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quantity on hand without going through the full edit form. This is the fastest way to record a
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physical count correction, log a waste event, or add stock received outside of a formal Purchase Order.
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</p>
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<p>Click <strong>Stock Adjustment</strong> in the Actions panel and choose one of three modes:</p>
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<ul class="mb-3">
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<li class="mb-2"><strong>Add Stock</strong> — increases the current quantity by the amount you enter. Use for received goods, returns, or found stock.</li>
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<li class="mb-2"><strong>Remove Stock</strong> — decreases the current quantity by the amount you enter. Use for waste, spillage, or damage write-offs.</li>
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<li class="mb-2"><strong>Set Exact</strong> — sets the quantity on hand to the exact number you enter, regardless of the current value. Use after a physical inventory count to correct the balance.</li>
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</ul>
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<p>
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A <strong>reason</strong> is required for every adjustment. Common reasons are listed in the dropdown
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(received from PO, physical count correction, waste, etc.). Add optional notes for additional detail.
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The modal shows your current stock and a live preview of the new balance as you type.
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</p>
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<div class="alert alert-permanent alert-info d-flex gap-2 mb-0" role="alert">
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<i class="bi bi-journal-check flex-shrink-0 mt-1"></i>
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<div>
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Every stock adjustment is automatically recorded as an <strong>Adjustment</strong> transaction in the
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item's activity history, including the reason and notes you entered. You can review all past
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adjustments on the <strong>Inventory Activity</strong> page.
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</div>
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</div>
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</section>
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<section id="transactions" class="mb-5">
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<h2 class="h4 fw-bold border-bottom pb-2 mb-3">
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<i class="bi bi-arrow-left-right text-primary me-2"></i>Transaction Types
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</h2>
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<p>
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Every stock movement is recorded as a transaction with a date, quantity, and running balance,
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giving you a complete audit trail. Transactions are created automatically by the system
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(when you create an item, edit a quantity, receive a PO, or record powder usage on a job)
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and manually through the Stock Adjustment modal.
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</p>
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<div class="table-responsive mb-3">
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<table class="table table-sm table-bordered mb-0">
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<thead class="table-light">
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<tr>
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<th style="width:25%">Transaction Type</th>
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<th>When it is recorded</th>
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<th style="width:15%">Effect on stock</th>
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</tr>
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</thead>
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<tbody>
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<tr>
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<td><strong>Initial</strong></td>
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<td>Opening balance when an item is first created with stock on hand.</td>
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<td class="text-success fw-semibold">+ Increases</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td><strong>Purchase</strong></td>
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<td>Stock received from a vendor via a Purchase Order receipt.</td>
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<td class="text-success fw-semibold">+ Increases</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td><strong>Return</strong></td>
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<td>Stock returned to inventory from a job or returned from a vendor.</td>
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<td class="text-success fw-semibold">+ Increases</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td><strong>Adjustment</strong></td>
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<td>Manual correction via the Stock Adjustment modal, or any direct change to Quantity on Hand through the edit form.</td>
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<td class="text-muted">+/−</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td><strong>Transfer</strong></td>
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<td>Stock moved between locations or storage areas.</td>
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<td class="text-muted">+/−</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td><strong>Job Usage</strong></td>
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<td>Powder consumed during a job — recorded automatically when actual usage is entered on a job coat.</td>
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<td class="text-danger fw-semibold">− Decreases</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td><strong>Sale</strong></td>
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<td>Stock consumed or sold outside of a job.</td>
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<td class="text-danger fw-semibold">− Decreases</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td><strong>Waste</strong></td>
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<td>Material scrapped, spilled, or otherwise lost and cannot be used.</td>
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<td class="text-danger fw-semibold">− Decreases</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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</div>
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<div class="alert alert-permanent alert-secondary d-flex gap-2 mb-0" role="alert">
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<i class="bi bi-info-circle flex-shrink-0 mt-1"></i>
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<div>
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Always add a <strong>note</strong> when recording a Waste or Adjustment. Notes make it much
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easier to understand your stock history during audits or when investigating discrepancies
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between physical counts and the system.
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</div>
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</div>
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</section>
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<section id="activity-ledger" class="mb-5">
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<h2 class="h4 fw-bold border-bottom pb-2 mb-3">
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<i class="bi bi-journal-text text-primary me-2"></i>Inventory Activity
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</h2>
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<p>
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The <strong>Inventory Activity</strong> page (<strong>Inventory › Inventory Activity</strong> in the
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sidebar, or click <strong>View Activity History</strong> on any item's Details page) gives you a
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complete view of all stock movements and powder usage across your shop.
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</p>
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<p>It has two tabs:</p>
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<ul class="mb-3">
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<li class="mb-2">
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<strong>Stock Transactions</strong> — every transaction recorded against your inventory items,
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showing date, type, quantity (green for additions, red for deductions), unit cost, total cost,
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running balance after the transaction, and a link to the source Purchase Order if applicable.
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</li>
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<li class="mb-2">
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<strong>Powder Usage by Job</strong> — every instance of powder being consumed on a job coat,
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showing the job number (linked to the job), customer, color applied, estimated vs actual pounds
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used, and the variance. A totals row at the bottom summarises the full filtered selection.
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</li>
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</ul>
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<p>
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Use the filter bar at the top to narrow results by <strong>item</strong>, <strong>date range</strong>,
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and <strong>transaction type</strong>. Summary pills above the tabs show total lbs received, total
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lbs used, and net adjustments for the current filter.
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</p>
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<div class="alert alert-permanent alert-info d-flex gap-2 mb-0" role="alert">
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<i class="bi bi-lightbulb-fill flex-shrink-0 mt-1"></i>
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<div>
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To see the history for a single powder, open its Details page and click
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<strong>View Activity History</strong> — the Inventory Activity page will open pre-filtered
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to that item.
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</div>
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</div>
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</section>
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<section id="qr-labels" class="mb-5">
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<h2 class="h4 fw-bold border-bottom pb-2 mb-3">
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<i class="bi bi-qr-code text-primary me-2"></i>QR Code Labels & Mobile Usage Logging
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</h2>
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<p>
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Every inventory item has a printable <strong>QR code label</strong>. Stick it on the bag, bin,
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or shelf and shop floor workers can scan it with their phone to log how much they used —
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without ever touching a desktop.
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</p>
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<h3 class="h6 fw-semibold mt-4 mb-2">Printing a label</h3>
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<ol class="mb-3">
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<li class="mb-1">Open the inventory item's Details page.</li>
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<li class="mb-1">Click <strong>Print QR Label</strong> in the Actions panel — the label opens in a new tab.</li>
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<li class="mb-1">Click <strong>Print Label</strong> and send it to your printer. The label is sized for a standard 3.5″ label and includes the item name, SKU, colour, finish, and manufacturer.</li>
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</ol>
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<h3 class="h6 fw-semibold mt-4 mb-2">Scanning and logging usage</h3>
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<ol class="mb-3">
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<li class="mb-1">Point your phone camera at the QR code on the label. Your browser opens the <strong>Log Usage</strong> page for that item.</li>
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<li class="mb-1">
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<strong>Select a job</strong> (optional but recommended):
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<ul class="mt-1">
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<li><em>My Jobs</em> — active jobs assigned to your account appear first.</li>
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<li><em>Other Jobs</em> — any other open job in the system.</li>
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<li><em>No Job</em> — log usage without a job reference (e.g. a waste event).</li>
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</ul>
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</li>
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<li class="mb-1">Enter the <strong>quantity</strong> used. A live preview shows what the new stock balance will be.</li>
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<li class="mb-1">Choose a <strong>reason</strong>: Job Usage, Waste / Spillage, Correction, or Transfer Out.</li>
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<li class="mb-1">Add optional notes, then tap <strong>Save Usage Log</strong>.</li>
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</ol>
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<h3 class="h6 fw-semibold mt-4 mb-2">After saving</h3>
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<p class="mb-3">
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The success screen gives you two options:
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</p>
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<ul class="mb-3">
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<li class="mb-1"><strong>Log Another Item for This Job</strong> — returns to the scan page with the same job pre-selected, so you can quickly log the next powder without re-picking the job.</li>
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<li class="mb-1"><strong>Back to Inventory</strong> or <strong>View Item Details</strong> — returns to a neutral state.</li>
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</ul>
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<div class="alert alert-permanent alert-info d-flex gap-2 mb-0" role="alert">
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<i class="bi bi-lightbulb-fill flex-shrink-0 mt-1"></i>
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<div>
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Every scan-based usage log is recorded as a <strong>JobUsage</strong> or <strong>Adjustment</strong>
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transaction and immediately reduces the item's quantity on hand. You can review it on the
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<a href="/Inventory/Ledger" class="alert-link">Inventory Activity</a> page.
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The first time a worker scans on a new device they will be asked to log in — after that the
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browser keeps them signed in.
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</div>
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</div>
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</section>
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<section id="low-stock-alerts" class="mb-5">
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<h2 class="h4 fw-bold border-bottom pb-2 mb-3">
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<i class="bi bi-exclamation-triangle text-primary me-2"></i>Stock Status and Alerts
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</h2>
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<p>Every inventory item displays one of three stock statuses:</p>
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<ul class="mb-3">
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<li class="mb-2">
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<span class="badge bg-success me-1">In Stock</span>
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Quantity on hand is above the reorder point. No action needed.
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</li>
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<li class="mb-2">
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<span class="badge bg-danger me-1">Low Stock</span>
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Quantity on hand is greater than zero but at or below the reorder point.
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This is your signal to place a reorder with your vendor.
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</li>
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<li class="mb-2">
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<span class="badge bg-dark me-1">Out of Stock</span>
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Quantity on hand is zero. Jobs using this powder cannot proceed until stock is replenished.
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An alert banner is shown on the item's Details page prompting you to use Stock Adjustment to add inventory.
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</li>
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</ul>
|
||
<p>Low Stock and Out of Stock items appear in the Inventory Alerts section on the Dashboard and in the Operations Report. Use the <strong>Low Stock</strong> filter on the Inventory list to see only items needing attention.</p>
|
||
<div class="alert alert-permanent alert-warning d-flex gap-2 mb-0" role="alert">
|
||
<i class="bi bi-exclamation-triangle-fill flex-shrink-0 mt-1"></i>
|
||
<div>
|
||
An item continues to show as Low Stock or Out of Stock even after you have placed a Purchase
|
||
Order, until the goods are physically received and the PO is marked as Received in the system.
|
||
This is intentional — it reminds you that stock has not yet arrived.
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</section>
|
||
|
||
<section id="powder-insights" class="mb-5">
|
||
<h2 class="h4 fw-bold border-bottom pb-2 mb-3">
|
||
<i class="bi bi-graph-up-arrow text-primary me-2"></i>Powder Insights
|
||
</h2>
|
||
<p>
|
||
<strong>Powder Insights</strong> (<a href="/PowderInsights">/PowderInsights</a>) is an
|
||
AI-powered analysis of your powder usage patterns, efficiency trends, and cost optimization
|
||
opportunities. It is accessible from the Equipment section of the sidebar.
|
||
</p>
|
||
<ul class="mb-3">
|
||
<li class="mb-1">Requires at least <strong>10 jobs</strong> with powder data to generate basic insights.</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-1">Predictive and cost-optimization features unlock at <strong>150 jobs</strong>.</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-1">Shows usage trends by powder color/type, efficiency benchmarks, and suggestions for reducing waste.</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
<p>
|
||
The more accurately you record powder usage and efficiency on your inventory items, the more
|
||
useful Powder Insights becomes over time.
|
||
</p>
|
||
</section>
|
||
|
||
<section id="inventory-categories" class="mb-5">
|
||
<h2 class="h4 fw-bold border-bottom pb-2 mb-3">
|
||
<i class="bi bi-tags text-primary me-2"></i>Inventory Categories & the "Is Coating" Flag
|
||
</h2>
|
||
<p>
|
||
Every inventory item belongs to a <strong>category</strong> (e.g. "Powder Coatings", "Primers",
|
||
"Shop Supplies"). Categories help you organize items in your list, but one setting on a category
|
||
has a direct effect on what appears in your quote and job workflows: the <strong>Is Coating</strong> flag.
|
||
</p>
|
||
<p>
|
||
<strong>Only items whose category has "Is Coating" enabled will appear in the powder color
|
||
dropdown</strong> when building a quote or job item. If a category does not have this flag set,
|
||
all items in that category are treated as general supplies and are excluded from the color picker.
|
||
</p>
|
||
|
||
<div class="alert alert-permanent alert-warning d-flex gap-2 mb-4" role="alert">
|
||
<i class="bi bi-exclamation-triangle-fill flex-shrink-0 mt-1"></i>
|
||
<div>
|
||
<strong>Blank powder color dropdown?</strong> This is almost always caused by the inventory
|
||
category for your powder coatings not having <strong>Is Coating</strong> checked. Follow
|
||
the steps below to fix it.
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
<h3 class="h6 fw-semibold mt-3 mb-2">How to enable "Is Coating" on a category</h3>
|
||
<ol class="mb-3">
|
||
<li class="mb-2">Go to <strong><a asp-controller="CompanySettings" asp-action="Index">Company Settings</a> › Data Lookups › Inventory Categories</strong>.</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-2">Find the category that contains your powder coating colors (e.g. "Powder Coatings").</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-2">Click the edit icon and check the <strong>Is Coating</strong> checkbox.</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-2">Save. Items in that category will immediately appear in the powder color dropdown on all quotes and jobs — no restart required.</li>
|
||
</ol>
|
||
|
||
<h3 class="h6 fw-semibold mt-3 mb-2">Which categories should have "Is Coating" enabled?</h3>
|
||
<p>
|
||
Only categories that contain actual powder coating colors — the materials that go into the oven
|
||
and bond to the part. Do <strong>not</strong> enable this on categories for primers, masking
|
||
supplies, consumables, or equipment. Enabling it on non-coating categories will pollute the
|
||
color dropdown with irrelevant items and make it harder to find the right powder.
|
||
</p>
|
||
|
||
<div class="alert alert-permanent alert-info d-flex gap-2 mb-0" role="alert">
|
||
<i class="bi bi-lightbulb-fill flex-shrink-0 mt-1"></i>
|
||
<div>
|
||
The "Is Coating" flag also controls where the <strong>sample panel toggle</strong> appears
|
||
on an item's Details page. The toggle — "I have a swatch/sample of this color" — only
|
||
shows up for items in a coating category, and those items are the ones tracked on the
|
||
<strong>Sample Panels</strong> page.
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</section>
|
||
|
||
<section id="powder-usage" class="mb-5">
|
||
<h2 class="h4 fw-bold border-bottom pb-2 mb-3">
|
||
<i class="bi bi-droplet text-primary me-2"></i>Powder Usage on Jobs
|
||
</h2>
|
||
<p>
|
||
When a job item uses a powder coating from your inventory, the system calculates how much powder
|
||
will be needed before the job begins. This estimate is based on three values:
|
||
</p>
|
||
<ul class="mb-3">
|
||
<li class="mb-1"><strong>Surface area</strong> — the total square footage to be coated (entered per item in the job or quote wizard).</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-1"><strong>Coverage rate</strong> — how many square feet one pound of the selected powder covers (set on the inventory item).</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-1"><strong>Number of coats</strong> — selected when you add the coating to the item.</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
<p>
|
||
The <strong>Powder Needed</strong> figure appears in the item wizard as you build the quote or job,
|
||
and is shown in the Coatings column on the Job Details page. Use it to quickly verify that you
|
||
have sufficient stock on hand before scheduling the job for production.
|
||
</p>
|
||
<div class="alert alert-permanent alert-info d-flex gap-2 mb-0" role="alert">
|
||
<i class="bi bi-lightbulb-fill flex-shrink-0 mt-1"></i>
|
||
<div>
|
||
Coverage rates vary by powder type, application equipment, and operator technique. Use a
|
||
conservative (lower) coverage rate in your inventory settings to build in a safety margin.
|
||
It is better to order slightly more than to run short mid-job.
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</section>
|
||
|
||
<section id="ai-price-check" class="mb-5">
|
||
<h2 class="h4 fw-bold border-bottom pb-2 mb-3">
|
||
<i class="bi bi-robot text-primary me-2"></i>AI Catalog Price Check
|
||
</h2>
|
||
<p>
|
||
The AI Price Check reviews every active, priced item in your
|
||
<a asp-controller="CatalogItems" asp-action="Index">Catalog Items</a> list against your
|
||
shop's actual operating costs. It estimates a realistic surface area and processing time
|
||
for each item, calculates a cost floor, and compares that to your current price — flagging
|
||
anything that may be losing money, leaving margin on the table, or priced above market rates.
|
||
</p>
|
||
|
||
<h3 class="h6 fw-semibold mt-3 mb-2">Verdicts</h3>
|
||
<ul class="mb-3">
|
||
<li class="mb-2"><strong>Below Cost</strong> — price is at or below the estimated cost floor. The shop loses money on every sale of this item.</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-2"><strong>Thin Margin</strong> — price covers costs but falls below your target margin percentage.</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-2"><strong>High</strong> — price appears significantly above typical market rates, which may cost you work.</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-2"><strong>OK</strong> — price is within a reasonable range given your costs and market context.</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
|
||
<h3 class="h6 fw-semibold mt-3 mb-2">How to run it</h3>
|
||
<ol class="mb-3">
|
||
<li class="mb-2">Make sure your <a asp-controller="CompanySettings" asp-action="Index">operating costs</a> are up to date — stale rates produce inaccurate verdicts.</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-2">Go to <a asp-controller="CatalogItems" asp-action="Index">Catalog Items</a> and click <strong>AI Price Check</strong> in the top-right.</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-2">Click <strong>Analyze Catalog with AI</strong>. A progress overlay appears while the analysis runs (allow 7–10 minutes for large catalogs).</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-2">Review results sorted by severity — Below Cost items appear first. Click <strong>Edit Price</strong> on any item to update it directly from the results page.</li>
|
||
</ol>
|
||
|
||
<h3 class="h6 fw-semibold mt-3 mb-2">Things to know</h3>
|
||
<ul class="mb-3">
|
||
<li class="mb-2"><strong>Run limit:</strong> Analysis can be run once per quarter (90 days). The button shows the next available date when a recent run exists.</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-2"><strong>Confidence levels:</strong> Each result shows High, Medium, or Low confidence. Vague item names like "Custom Part" will be Low — verify those manually.</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-2"><strong>Category paths matter:</strong> The AI uses the full category path (e.g. "Cerakote › Firearms") to determine the coating type. Make sure specialty items are in the correct category.</li>
|
||
<li class="mb-2"><strong>$0 items skipped:</strong> Placeholder items and category headers with no price are automatically excluded from analysis.</li>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
|
||
<div class="alert alert-permanent alert-warning d-flex gap-2 mb-0" role="alert">
|
||
<i class="bi bi-exclamation-triangle-fill flex-shrink-0 mt-1"></i>
|
||
<div>
|
||
Results are estimates based on industry knowledge and your shop's rates. Always apply
|
||
your own judgment before changing prices — especially for items flagged as Low confidence.
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</section>
|
||
|
||
</div>
|
||
|
||
<div class="col-lg-3 d-none d-lg-block">
|
||
@{ await Html.RenderPartialAsync("_HelpNav"); }
|
||
<div class="card border-0 shadow-sm sticky-top" style="top:80px">
|
||
<div class="card-header bg-transparent fw-semibold small text-muted text-uppercase" style="letter-spacing:.05em; font-size:.7rem;">On this page</div>
|
||
<div class="card-body p-0">
|
||
<nav class="nav flex-column">
|
||
<a class="nav-link py-1 px-3 small text-body" href="#overview">Overview</a>
|
||
<a class="nav-link py-1 px-3 small text-body" href="#adding-items">Adding Inventory Items</a>
|
||
<a class="nav-link py-1 px-3 small text-body" href="#catalog-lookup">Catalog Lookup & Label Scanner</a>
|
||
<a class="nav-link py-1 px-3 small text-body" href="#stock-levels">Stock Levels and Reorder Points</a>
|
||
<a class="nav-link py-1 px-3 small text-body" href="#stock-adjustment">Stock Adjustment</a>
|
||
<a class="nav-link py-1 px-3 small text-body" href="#transactions">Transaction Types</a>
|
||
<a class="nav-link py-1 px-3 small text-body" href="#activity-ledger">Inventory Activity</a>
|
||
<a class="nav-link py-1 px-3 small text-body" href="#qr-labels">QR Labels & Mobile Logging</a>
|
||
<a class="nav-link py-1 px-3 small text-body" href="#low-stock-alerts">Stock Status and Alerts</a>
|
||
<a class="nav-link py-1 px-3 small text-body" href="#powder-insights">Powder Insights</a>
|
||
<a class="nav-link py-1 px-3 small text-body" href="#inventory-categories">Inventory Categories & Is Coating</a>
|
||
<a class="nav-link py-1 px-3 small text-body" href="#powder-usage">Powder Usage on Jobs</a>
|
||
<a class="nav-link py-1 px-3 small text-body" href="#ai-price-check">AI Catalog Price Check</a>
|
||
</nav>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|
||
</div>
|