Purpose Statement
This feature enables Fire/EMS personnel to create new inventory items within the First Due system, establishing the foundational data structure for tracking supplies, equipment, and consumables across department locations. By creating properly configured inventory items with appropriate settings for quantities, minimums, PAR levels, and expiration dates, departments can maintain accurate supply management, automate reorder notifications, and streamline receiving processes.
Background Information
Creating new inventory items is the first step in establishing comprehensive supply management within the First Due system. This process creates the master inventory record that defines how items will be tracked, managed, and reported across all department locations.
The inventory creation process includes configuration options for quantity tracking, minimum and PAR level thresholds, expiration date management, vendor associations, and notification settings. These configurations determine how the inventory item will behave when added to specific locations and when receiving orders throughout the system.
It’s important to understand that creating an inventory item establishes the item definition but does not add actual quantities to any locations. After creating the inventory item, quantities must be separately added to specific compartments, storages, or locations through receiving processes or direct location assignment. This separation allows for flexible deployment of inventory items across multiple locations with location-specific settings.
The system supports vendor associations, file attachments, and various packaging options to align with existing procurement and management processes. Proper configuration during creation ensures consistent tracking and reporting across the department.
Required Permissions
To create new inventory items, users must have access to the Assets module and permissions that allow them to manage Assets Setup and inventory configuration.
Recommended roles:
Administrator
Asset Manager / Inventory Manager
Info:
If a user cannot access Assets > Setup or does not see the Inventory Type List, confirm their role permissions allow setup/configuration changes.
Video
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Navigate to the Inventory List in Assets Setup
Go to Assets > Setup.
Select Inventory > Inventory List.
2. Select New Inventory
Select New Inventory
3. Configure Inventory Record Information
Input the following Inventory record information:
Select the appropriate Inventory Group
Enter the Name (required)
Enter the SKU # (optional)
Enter the Current Price Per Unit (optional)
Select the Packaging type (optional)
Enter a Description (optional)
Important Note:
Barcode scanning tip: If your agency uses a barcode scanner, place your cursor in the SKU # field and scan the barcode to populate the SKU automatically.
See the article Barcode Scanning: Finding and Managing Inventory to learn more.
Warning:
Packaging types are configured in Assets > Setup > Inventory > Packaging.
If the correct inventory group does not exist yet, create it first in Assets > Setup > Inventory > Inventory Groups.
4. Enable Applicable Inventory Metrics
These toggles control what users will see and track in places like inventory by location, an asset overview, and checklists:
Toggle Quantity on/off based on whether quantities should be tracked at locations
Toggle Min on/off if you want to set minimum levels at locations
(Optional) Enable Notify Below Min if you want alerts when stock drops below the minimum
Toggle Par on/off if you want to set a target PAR level for locations
Toggle Expiration Date on/off for items that expire
(Optional) Check Required field if expiration dates must be entered when completing checklists
5. Set the Default Vendor (Optional)
Select the Orders tab.
Choose the default vendor for this inventory item.
Vendors can be changed on a case-by-case basis during inventory receive workflows.
7. Add Attachments
Select the Attachments tab.
Upload supporting documentation (optional):
Supported file types: JPEG, PNG, PDF, DOC.
Limits: Up to 5 files per inventory item, and each file may be up to 64 MB.
8. Save the Inventory Item
Select Save
Return to the Inventory List
Confirm the new inventory item appears in the list
Inventory items cannot be received or associated to compartments, storages, or pouches until they are added into the system.
Best Practices
Planning and Organization
Establish consistent naming conventions for inventory items before creation
Use inventory groups strategically to organize related items for easier reporting
Include SKU numbers whenever possible to align with vendor catalogs and purchasing systems
Configuration Strategy
Enable Quantity for items where count tracking matters (supplies, consumables, controlled items)
Use Min thresholds to prevent critical shortages
Use PAR levels to standardize restock targets across rigs, stations, and storage areas
Enable Expiration Date for medical supplies, medications, and time-sensitive items
Only enable Required field when expiration dates must be captured during checklists
Vendor and Documentation Management
Assign a default vendor to speed up receiving workflows
Add attachments for product specs, SDS sheets, or reference images
Keep uploads under the 64MB limit and avoid unnecessary files to reduce clutter
Notification Strategy
Use “Notify Below Min” thoughtfully to prevent alert fatigue
Confirm notification rules are configured in Assets > Setup > Notification
Ensure recipients have the ability to act (ordering, restocking, station assignments)
Troubleshooting & FAQs
I created an inventory item but don’t see it in my compartment/storage location. Why?
Creating an inventory item only defines it in the system. You still need to assign it to a location and add quantities through receiving or location assignment.
I clicked Orders but can’t receive the item yet. What’s wrong?
A brand new inventory item must be saved first before it can be received or added to locations.
Why is the Locations section blank when I’m creating a new inventory item?
This is expected behavior. The Locations section will remain blank during creation because the item has not yet been assigned to any compartments, storages, pouches, or locations. Once the item is saved and added to locations through receiving or assignment, the Locations section will populate automatically.
What’s the difference between Min and PAR levels?
Minimum is the lowest acceptable quantity before alerts may trigger. PAR is the target quantity you want to keep on hand (example: PAR = 5, Minimum = 2).
Should I enable required expiration dates for all items?
No, only enable expiration settings for items that actually expire. Turning it on for non-expiring items adds unnecessary steps for end users.
Can I scan a barcode into the SKU field?
No, barcodes must be manually typed into the SKU data field.
My file attachment won’t upload. What’s wrong?
Confirm the file is an accepted format (JPEG, PNG, PDF, DOC), under 64MB, and the inventory item does not already have 5 attachments.