Purpose Statement

Effective medication inventory management depends on more than maintaining an accurate quantity. Agencies must also be able to understand where medication is located, how inventory changed, who performed the activity, and whether the current inventory reflects what is physically present.

First Due's Medications module connects Med Supply, Med Kits, pouches, Medication Forms, medication events, Counts, signatures, and the Med Log to create a consistent inventory record throughout the medication lifecycle.

This article provides administrative best practices for configuring and overseeing medication inventory in First Due. It is intended for medication administrators, supervisors, and agency leaders responsible for maintaining accurate inventory and establishing consistent medication-management practices.

Background Information

Medication inventory in First Due is affected by multiple workflows. Receives add inventory, Transfers move inventory between locations, Usages document medication that was used, Removes take inventory out of circulation, and Counts validate that the system inventory agrees with what personnel physically observe.

These events become especially important when an agency uses multiple Med Kits and pouches. The same Medication Form can be configured in multiple pouches, allowing inventory to be tracked according to its actual location rather than combining matching Medication Forms into a single quantity.

Agencies can also configure optional Par and Min values for Medication Forms within pouches. These values provide visual inventory awareness and help personnel recognize when medication requires attention.

The Med Log provides the audit history for medication activity. Administrators can use it to review events, investigate discrepancies, examine signatures, identify reversals, and generate reports when additional review is needed.

A reliable medication inventory process therefore depends on three connected practices:

• Consistent configuration — Med Kits, pouches, Medication Forms, Par, and Min should reflect how inventory is actually organized.
• Accurate operational documentation — Personnel should document Receives, Transfers, Usages, Removes, and Counts against the correct inventory and pouch.
• Administrative oversight — Supervisors and administrators should use inventory indicators, Counts, signatures, occurrences, and the Med Log to identify and investigate conditions requiring attention.

Required Permissions

The permissions required depend on the responsibilities assigned to the administrator, supervisor, or medication manager.

Review the Medications: Comprehensive Permissions Guide to understand all Medications module permissions and best practices.

Building a Consistent Medication Inventory Structure

The quality of medication inventory data begins with configuration. Med Kits and pouches should be organized so personnel can easily identify where medication is physically stored and select that same location when documenting medication activity.

Use Pouches to Represent Meaningful Inventory Locations

Each Med Kit includes a Default location, which is automatically created and cannot be deleted, moved, or replaced as the Default location. Agencies can rename it and create additional pouches to represent their inventory organization.

When designing a Med Kit:

• Use clear and recognizable pouch names.
• Configure Medication Forms in the pouch where they are expected to be stored.
• Keep the system configuration aligned with the physical organization personnel encounter in the field.
• Review pouch assignments when the physical organization of a Med Kit changes.
• Avoid relying on the Default location as a catch-all when a more specific pouch would better represent the medication's actual location.

Configure Medication Forms Intentionally

A medication may have different Medication Forms, and the same Medication Form can be configured in multiple pouches.

Administrators should make sure the configured Medication Forms represent the inventory personnel actually need to document. This becomes particularly important during Counts, Usages, Receives, and Transfers because users must select the correct form and, where applicable, the correct pouch.

Consistent configuration reduces the likelihood of documenting activity against the wrong inventory record.

Establishing Meaningful Par and Min Levels

Par and Min are optional inventory values configured for a Medication Form within a Med Kit pouch. They serve different purposes:

• Par represents the desired inventory level.
• Min represents the threshold used to indicate that inventory requires attention or restocking.

These values support visual inventory awareness without changing the need for accurate medication events and physical inventory practices.

Understand the Inventory Indicators

Medication cards use inventory status indicators based on the configured Par and Min values:

• Red — Restock Needed: Quantity is at or below Min (Qty ≤ Min).
• Yellow — Monitor: Quantity is above Min but at or below Par (Min < Qty ≤ Par).
• Light Gray — Well Stocked: Quantity is above Par (Qty > Par).

When Min is not configured, inventory displays yellow when quantity is at or below Par and gray when quantity is above Par.

When Min is configured without Par, inventory above Min displays gray.

When neither Par nor Min is configured, the medication displays gray.

Consider the Relationship Between Par and Min

Agencies should configure Par and Min according to how they want personnel to interpret inventory status.

If an agency wants the yellow Monitor status to provide an intermediate visual warning before inventory reaches the red Restock Needed condition, configure Min below Par. This creates a range where inventory can fall below the desired Par level while remaining above Min.

If Par and Min are configured at the same value, reaching that value may cause the medication to display the red Restock Needed condition without first providing an intermediate yellow state.

Maintaining Accurate Inventory Through Medication Events

Medication inventory changes as personnel perform events. Administrators should ensure users understand that each event contributes to the quantity and history displayed in First Due.

Receive

Use Receive when medication is being added to inventory.

Medication can be received into Med Supply or a Med Kit, depending on the user's permissions and intended destination. When receiving into a Med Kit, accurate pouch selection is important because the inventory becomes associated with that pouch.

Receives may include information such as expiration date, lot number, quantity, and serial number depending on agency and Medication Form configuration.

Transfer

Use Transfer when existing inventory is moving from one location to another rather than being newly received or removed.

Transfers can include movement:

• From Med Supply to a Med Kit.
• From a Med Kit to another applicable destination.
• Between inventory locations as supported by the workflow.

For Med Kits, the destination pouch matters. A Transfer documented to the wrong pouch may leave the overall quantity appearing reasonable while making the pouch-level inventory inaccurate.

Usage

Use Usage to document medication that was used.

When the same Medication Form exists in multiple pouches, users should select the pouch from which the medication was physically taken. Usage decreases the inventory associated with that location and can change its Par/Min status.

When only part of a container is administered, the Usage workflow can calculate the remaining amount as waste based on the amount administered.

Remove

Use Remove when medication needs to be taken out of inventory.

Removal may be appropriate for circumstances such as damaged inventory or other agency-defined removal reasons. Users should verify the Medication Form and available identifying information before completing the event.

A Remove can lower a pouch to or below Min, so administrators should consider whether additional inventory movement or restocking is necessary.

Use the Correct Event for What Physically Occurred

Administrators should reinforce a simple inventory principle:

The event documented in First Due should reflect what actually happened to the medication.

For example, moving existing inventory should be documented as a Transfer rather than creating a Receive at one location without documenting the corresponding movement from the original inventory.

This helps preserve both accurate quantities and a meaningful Med Log history.

Managing Inventory Across Multiple Pouches

Pouch-level inventory provides greater detail but also makes accurate selection more important.

The same Medication Form can exist in multiple pouches within a Med Kit. First Due displays those inventory locations separately so personnel can identify where medication is stored and where an event occurred.

Administrators should encourage users to verify the pouch, Medication Form, quantity, expiration date, lot number, and serial number when applicable before completing an inventory event.

Why Pouch Selection Matters

Selecting the wrong pouch can affect:

• The quantity displayed in each pouch.
• Par and Min inventory indicators.
• Restocking decisions.
• Medication Counts.
• Pouch-level medication event reporting.
• Administrative investigation of inventory activity.

A Med Kit's total inventory can therefore appear reasonable while individual pouches are inaccurate.

Monitoring Low and Zero Inventory

Par and Min indicators allow personnel and administrators to recognize inventory conditions requiring attention without waiting for a formal inventory review.

Monitor Restock Needed Inventory

A red Restock Needed status indicates that quantity is at or below the configured Min.

Agencies can also configure Critical Low Stock notifications. Based on the configured workflow, notification recipients can be alerted when inventory drops below Min and the low inventory condition is not corrected as part of the medication workflow.

Multi-Action Workflows can be especially useful in this situation because personnel may document an event that reduces inventory and then add a Transfer or Receive to correct the low-stock condition before completing the overall workflow.

Review Zero-Quantity Medication Forms

A configured Medication Form can remain visible on a medication card even when its quantity reaches 0.

This allows personnel and administrators to see that the Medication Form belongs in the pouch even though no individual inventory records are currently available.

Zero-quantity Medication Forms should therefore be treated as an inventory condition to review rather than assuming the medication has been removed from the configuration.

Depending on what physically occurred, inventory may need to be restored through an appropriate Receive or Transfer.

Managing Expiration Dates and Lot Information

Inventory accuracy includes identifying the correct medication inventory, not only maintaining the correct numerical quantity.

Expiration dates, lot numbers, and serial numbers where configured help distinguish individual inventory and support accurate event documentation.

Administrators should encourage personnel to verify available inventory details when performing medication events, particularly when multiple units or lots of the same Medication Form are present.

Expiration Dates Can Affect Inventory Status

Expired inventory may affect whether a pouch has sufficient usable inventory.

For example, the physical quantity may appear to meet Min, but an expired unit can result in the medication requiring attention because that unit should not be treated as usable inventory.

When reviewing inventory health, administrators should therefore consider both:

• How much inventory is present, and
• Whether that inventory is current and correctly documented.

When inventory must be taken out of circulation, personnel should use the appropriate medication workflow so the system quantity continues to reflect the physical inventory.

Using Counts to Validate Inventory

Medication events maintain the system quantity, while Counts provide an opportunity to compare that record against the inventory personnel physically observe.

During a Count, personnel can review configured pouches and verify medication inventory. When the same Medication Form is configured in multiple pouches, each pouch's inventory is presented separately and should be verified according to its actual location.

Depending on configuration and inventory type, users may review information such as:

• Medication Form.
• Quantity.
• Expiration date.
• Lot number.
• Serial number.

Personnel can indicate that inventory is present and correct or identify a discrepancy.

Treat Discrepancies as Information Requiring Investigation

A Count discrepancy should prompt review of both the physical inventory and the documented medication activity.

Potential areas to examine include:

• Whether a Usage was documented against the correct pouch.
• Whether inventory was transferred but the corresponding Transfer was not documented correctly.
• Whether a Receive was entered against the wrong destination.
• Whether medication was removed physically without the appropriate Remove event.
• Whether a previous event was entered with an incorrect quantity or inventory selection.

For controlled substance discrepancies, First Due can generate occurrence information and notifications according to the agency's configuration. Occurrence indicators remain available for follow-up until appropriately resolved through the supported medication workflows.

Using Multi-Action Workflows to Keep Inventory Synchronized

Multi-Action Workflows allow supported medication actions to be combined into one workflow and completed through one overall signature process.

This can help keep related inventory activity together.

For example, personnel may:

Usage → Transfer or Receive → Count

This can document the medication used, replenish the affected pouch, and then verify the resulting inventory before resealing a controlled substance Med Kit when applicable.

Other supported actions can be combined according to the work being performed.

Administrators should consider Multi-Action Workflows when multiple inventory changes are part of the same operational activity, rather than documenting disconnected events that make the resulting inventory history more difficult to follow.

Maintaining Documentation and Signature Accountability

Signatures provide accountability for medication events according to each agency's configured requirements.

Signature requirements can differ between controlled and non-controlled substance events and may include:

• No signature where configured.
• Signature only for applicable non-controlled substance events.
• Signature with authentication.
• Multiple required signers.

When supported by the workflow, Complete and Sign Later allows the medication event and its inventory changes to take effect immediately while placing the required signature into Pending Signatures for later completion.

This distinction is important for administrators: an outstanding signature does not necessarily mean that the associated inventory change is waiting to occur.

Administrators and authorized supervisors should therefore consider outstanding signatures as part of documentation oversight while evaluating inventory separately based on the completed medication activity.

Using the Med Log for Inventory Oversight

The Med Log provides the audit history for medication-related activity and is an important administrative resource when the current inventory does not match expectations.

Rather than looking only at the current quantity, administrators can use the Med Log to understand how the inventory reached its current state.

The Med Log can be used to review activity such as:

• Medication inventory events.
• Counts and discrepancies.
• Usage activity.
• Transfers.
• Receives.
• Removes.
• Reversed events.
• Users associated with medication activity.
• Event details and signatures where applicable.
• Occurrence and discrepancy information.

Views, searches, and filters can help administrators narrow the log to the relevant medication activity, event type, date/time, or other available criteria. Detailed reports can also be generated when additional audit information is needed. 

Investigate Before Correcting

When inventory appears incorrect, first determine whether the physical inventory or the documented event history explains the difference.

Review:

1. The affected Med Kit and pouch.
2. The Medication Form and available inventory identifiers.
3. Recent Receives, Transfers, Usages, Removes, and Counts.
4. Any discrepancy or occurrence indicators.
5. Reversed events.
6. Associated signatures when relevant.

This helps avoid creating an additional inventory event merely to compensate for an earlier documentation error without understanding its cause.

Reversing Incorrectly Documented Medication Events

When an eligible medication event was entered incorrectly, authorized users can use Reverse Event from the Med Log.

The following events can be reversed:

• Receive.
• Transfer.
• Remove.
• Usage.

A reversal does not delete or overwrite the original event. The original activity remains in the Med Log, and First Due records the reversal, including who performed it and the documented reason.

The following events cannot be reversed:

• Count.
• Report.
• Count Failed occurrences.
• Custody Exchange.

Administrators should use reversals when an eligible event itself was documented incorrectly rather than attempting to obscure the error through unrelated inventory activity.

Recommended Administrative Review Practices

Agencies should establish an inventory review process appropriate for their operations and policies. First Due provides several areas administrators can use together when conducting those reviews.

Review Inventory Conditions

Look for:

• Medication Forms displaying Restock Needed.
• Medication Forms in the yellow Monitor range.
• Configured Medication Forms with zero quantity.
• Upcoming or expired inventory.
• Inventory located in an unexpected pouch.
• Par or Min values that no longer reflect the agency's intended inventory structure.

Review Inventory Activity

Use the Med Log to identify activity requiring additional review, such as:

• Inventory discrepancies.
• Occurrence events.
• Reversed events.
• Unexpected or unusual inventory movement.
• Medication activity that does not align with the expected pouch or location.
• Events requiring additional documentation review.

Review Documentation

Evaluate:

• Outstanding Pending Signatures.
• Drafted Counts that still require completion.
• Signatures associated with events when applicable.
• Event details when investigating a discrepancy.
• Reasons documented for reversals or removals when relevant.

Review Configuration Against Operations

Periodically compare the First Due configuration with how medication is actually organized.

Changes in physical Med Kits, pouch organization, Medication Forms, or stocking practices may require corresponding configuration changes so personnel continue documenting events against the correct inventory.

First Due can only provide reliable inventory information when the configured structure, documented events, and physical inventory remain aligned.

Inventory Oversight Checklist

Administrators and supervisors can use the following checklist as part of their agency's established inventory review process. The frequency of these reviews should follow agency policy and applicable requirements.

Inventory Status

• Review medication cards displaying Restock Needed.
• Review medications in the yellow Monitor range.
• Identify configured Medication Forms displaying a quantity of 0.
• Confirm low inventory conditions are being addressed through the appropriate Receive or Transfer workflow.
• Review whether Par and Min values still represent the agency's intended stocking levels.
• Confirm Par and Min are configured intentionally when an intermediate yellow warning is desired.

Pouches and Inventory Placement

• Confirm Med Kit pouch names still correspond to the agency's physical inventory organization.
• Verify Medication Forms are configured in the appropriate pouches.
• Review inventory placement when the same Medication Form exists in multiple pouches.
• Investigate unexpected pouch-level quantities instead of relying only on the overall Med Kit inventory.

Inventory Details

• Review upcoming expiration dates.
• Identify expired inventory requiring attention.
• Verify lot information where applicable.
• Review serial-number information where configured.
• Confirm inventory events are being documented against the correct Medication Form and inventory record.

Counts and Discrepancies

• Review medication Count discrepancies.
• Investigate controlled substance occurrence indicators requiring follow-up.
• Check Med Kits for Resume Count when an unfinished Count requires completion.
• Compare recent medication events with physical inventory when investigating unexplained differences.

Events and Documentation

• Review Receives, Transfers, Usages, and Removes when inventory movement requires investigation.
• Confirm Transfers reflect the actual source, destination, and pouch.
• Review Pending Signatures for outstanding medication-event documentation.
• Review event signatures when needed for accountability.
• Review reversed medication events and their documented reasons.
• Confirm an eligible incorrectly documented event was reversed when appropriate rather than obscured through an unrelated inventory event.

Med Log Oversight

• Review occurrence and discrepancy activity.
• Use filters or saved views to focus administrative reviews where appropriate.
• Review event details when an inventory condition cannot be explained by the current quantity alone.
• Use the appropriate Med Log report when signatures or additional event details are needed for an administrative review.

Best Practices

• Align First Due with physical inventory. Med Kits, pouches, Medication Forms, and inventory locations should represent how medication is actually organized.
• Use Par and Min intentionally. Par identifies the desired inventory level, while Min identifies when inventory requires attention. Configure Min below Par when the agency wants a yellow intermediate warning range.
• Document what physically happened. Use Receive, Transfer, Usage, and Remove according to the actual inventory movement or activity.
• Treat pouch selection as part of inventory accuracy. When the same Medication Form exists in multiple pouches, selecting the correct pouch is essential.
• Use Counts to validate, not replace, event documentation. Routine medication activity should be documented through the appropriate event so the inventory history remains meaningful.
• Investigate discrepancies before making additional changes. Review physical inventory and the Med Log to understand why a difference exists.
• Use Multi-Action Workflows for related activity. When an operational event includes usage, replenishment, and a final count, keeping the actions together can create a clearer inventory history.
• Review more than quantity. Expiration dates, lot information, serial numbers where configured, pouch placement, signatures, and event history all contribute to inventory accountability.
• Correct eligible documentation errors with reversals. A reversal preserves the original event and documents the correction rather than deleting history.
• Keep configuration current. Changes to physical medication organization should be reflected in First Due so personnel can continue selecting the correct inventory.

Troubleshooting & FAQs

Why does our inventory show the correct total quantity, but an individual pouch is incorrect?

Review recent medication events for the affected Medication Form. The same Medication Form can exist in multiple pouches, and selecting the wrong pouch during a Usage, Receive, or Transfer can cause pouch-level quantities to become inaccurate even when the overall inventory appears reasonable.

What is the difference between Par and Min?

Par represents the desired inventory level. Min represents the threshold at which inventory requires attention or restocking. When quantity is above Min but at or below Par, the medication can display the yellow Monitor status. At or below Min, it displays the red Restock Needed status.

Can Par and Min be configured to the same value?

Yes. However, if Par and Min are the same value, reaching that quantity may result in the medication displaying the red Restock Needed condition without an intermediate yellow Monitor state. Configure Min below Par when the agency wants that intermediate visual warning.

Why is a Medication Form still displayed when its quantity is zero?

A configured Medication Form remains visible even when no inventory is currently available. This allows personnel to see that the Medication Form is configured for that pouch. Appropriate inventory can then be added through a Receive or Transfer when needed.

Why is a medication showing that it requires attention even though the physical quantity appears sufficient?

Review the inventory details, including expiration dates. Expired inventory can affect usable inventory status even when the physical quantity appears to meet the configured threshold.

Should we perform a Count to correct every inventory discrepancy?

A Count can validate what is physically present, but administrators should also investigate why the discrepancy occurred. Review recent medication events in the Med Log to determine whether a Usage, Receive, Transfer, Remove, or other documented activity explains the difference.

How should an incorrectly documented medication event be corrected?

Eligible Receive, Transfer, Remove, and Usage events can be reversed by an authorized user from the Med Log. The reversal preserves the original event and documents the reason for the correction. Counts, Reports, Count Failed occurrences, and Custody Exchanges cannot be reversed.

Does Complete and Sign Later delay the inventory update?

No. For workflows that support Complete and Sign Later, the medication event and inventory changes take effect immediately. The outstanding signature is added to Pending Signatures for later completion.

Why isn't an unfinished Count displayed under Pending Signatures?

A Count saved as a draft does not create a Pending Signatures item. Instead, Resume Count appears on the applicable Med Kit Overview so the unfinished Count can be resumed.

Can a Multi-Action Workflow help prevent a low-stock condition?

Yes. When supported by the activity being performed, personnel can add a Transfer or Receive after an inventory-reducing action to replenish the affected inventory before completing the overall workflow. A Count can then be used as the final action when appropriate. Count cannot begin a Multi-Action Workflow, and no additional actions can be added after Count.

Where should administrators start when investigating unexplained inventory?

Start with the affected Med Kit, pouch, Medication Form, and physical inventory. Then review the Med Log for recent medication events, Counts, discrepancies, reversals, and associated event details. The goal is to understand how the documented inventory reached its current state before making additional inventory changes.