Manual Inventory Creation

Set up a new item in Helm WMS from its item page, panel by panel, so it is ready to sell, pick and ship.

What the Item Page Does

Creating an item gives Helm its code and name. The item page is where you add everything else Helm needs to sell, pick and ship it: price, stock and where it sits, size and weight, channel links and how it is reordered.

The page has two columns. The panels on the left hold the detail, and each one opens and closes with the arrow on its right. The column on the right shows a live stock summary and the quick settings you will change less often.

A new lip liner arrives. You create it as PLL-SPICE, set the price to £14.99 and the cost to £6.20, put 66 units into location L2-B3-S5, enter its weight and size, check it has linked to its Shopify listing and set its ordering method to Consumption. Pickers can now find it, Shopify shows 66 available, and Helm suggests reorders based on how fast it sells.

Before You Start

Create the item first, by importing it or by clicking Create Inventory under Inventory. See Getting Started with Inventory.
Set up your locations. Stock can only be added to a location that already exists in Helm. See Mastering Stock Locations in Helm.
Create any custom fields you need. The item page lets you choose from existing custom fields. New ones are created under Settings > System Settings > Custom Field Settings.
Save as you go. Each panel has its own Save Changes button. Saving one panel does not save the others, so save each panel before you move on.

How to Set Up an Item in Helm

Work through the panels in this order. Each step builds on the one before it.

Check the product details. In Product Information:
1. Confirm the Product Code. It shows a padlock because it is fixed once the item is created; use the copy icon beside it to paste the code elsewhere.
2. Check the Name, then enter the Price (£) and Cost Price (£). Helm uses the cost price for margin and profit reporting.
3. Choose a Tax Group, and add a Family, Category and Description if you use them.
4. Click Save Changes.
Put stock into a location. In Stock Locations:
1. Click + to open Add Location.
2. Start typing in Location and choose the location from the list.
3. Enter the quantity in Location Stock and choose a Reason.
4. Click Add Location. Repeat for every location that holds this item.

Set picking and replenishment rules. Still in Stock Locations:
1. Drag the rows into the order you want stock picked from. The top row has the highest Action Priority.
2. For a pickable location, enter a Replenishment level. During replenishment movements, Helm tops that location up to this level from non-pickable locations.
3. Enter a Max Level if the location has limited space. Helm warns you if a move would put more than this into it.
4. Click Save Changes.
Enter weight and size. In Dimensions, click + to add a row, then fill in Type, Qty, Weight (kg), Length (cm), Width (cm) and Height (cm). Add a Nest Height (cm) if the item stacks inside itself (see Nested Heights). Click Save Changes.
Add customs details if the item will ever ship abroad. In Customs Information, enter the Customs Value (£), HS Code, Country of Origin and Description for Customs. Use Export Value if you declare different values for different countries. Click Save Changes.

Keep the Description for Customs literal and matched to the product description. A vague or mismatched description is a common cause of parcels being held at the border.

Check the item is linked to your sales channels. In Channel Linking, each channel listing linked to this item appears with its own Stock Sync switch. If your item code matches the channel’s SKU, Helm makes the link for you. If a listing is missing, click Channel Linking below the list to open Inventory Linking and link it by hand (see Inventory Linking). Leave Synchronise Stock to Channels on, and Stock Sync on for each link, so your channels show the stock you actually have.
Set how it is reordered. In Purchase Order Controls, choose an Ordering Method:
- Consumption: uses past sales to work out how much to order.
- Fixed Level: keeps stock at a level you set.
- Manual: you enter order quantities yourself.
Once a method is chosen, tick Warning Level and enter a quantity. When physical stock falls below it, Helm sends an email or notification to the account owner.
Then click + in Suppliers to add who you buy it from. Rank them by Priority and fill in each supplier’s Supplier Code, Item Cost, Min Order, Order Multiple and Lead Time, so reorder suggestions use the right figures. Click Save Changes. See Stock Levels & Replenishment and Mastering Suppliers in Helm.
Add barcodes, tags and an image. In the right-hand column:
1. Click + in Barcodes to add each barcode printed on the item.
2. Type a tag into Tags and click +. Tags such as Fragile or Seasonal are useful for filters and rules.
3. Drop a photo into the image area, or click browse. Helm stores images at a maximum width of 1000px.
Check the stock summary. In Stock Control, make sure Physical matches what is on the shelf before anyone starts selling the item.

Understanding the Rest of the Page

Product Reporting

The panel at the top shows how the item is selling. Use the menu on its right to switch between three reports:

Last 10 Weeks' Sales by Channel: weekly sales split by channel, for spotting trends and seasonal peaks.
Days of Stock Remaining: how long current stock will last at the current rate of sale.
Last 30 Days' Sales Report: units and revenue over the last 30 days, for regular product reviews.

All three show zeroes until the item starts selling.

Stock Control

Figure	What it means
Physical	Total units on hand across all locations
In Orders	Units allocated to open orders
Available	Units left to sell: Physical minus In Orders
Available to Pick	Available units held in locations pickers can pick from
Purchase Orders	Units on order from suppliers

Click Stock Logs to see every change to this item's stock, who made it and why. See Stock Logs.

Stock Locations

The Stock column shows unallocated stock against physical stock in that location, so 60 / 66 means six of the 66 units there are already allocated to orders. The ... menu on each row offers:

Edit Stock: opens Stock Count, where you enter the New Qty and a Reason. Use it to correct the count in that location.
Create Stock Movement: moves stock to another location. See Movements.
Delete: removes the location from this item.

Custom Fields

Click + in Custom Fields to choose which of your custom fields apply to this item, then fill them in. They are useful for anything Helm does not record by default, such as brand or warranty length.

Virtual Stock

This panel holds stock for this item that is kept by a third party, separate from your own warehouse stock. Click Manage Source to set it up. See Virtual Stock.

Overrides

Choose a Shipping Service or Package Type here to replace the default for this item, for example a tube for posters or a larger box for a bulky item.

Advanced Settings

Setting	What it does
Packaging Item	Turns the item into packaging, such as a box or mailer. You can switch it back. See Packaging Items & Free Gifts.
Not for Resale	For items you keep or use in the warehouse but do not sell
Single Parcel Per Item	Packs each unit in its own parcel at despatch
Count Period	How often the item should be counted: No Schedule, 7 Days, 15 Days or 30 Days. Items due a count appear in Inventory Checks under the Count Due filter. See Setting Up Rolling Stock Counts.

Best Practices & Notes

Weigh & Measure, Don't Estimate

Weights and dimensions decide which courier service and package an order gets. Measuring the item as it is packed saves money on every parcel.

Always Choose a Meaningful Reason

Every stock change asks for a reason, and that reason appears in Stock Logs. A clear reason now makes it far quicker to explain a stock difference later.

Read Days of Stock Remaining Against Lead Times

If Days of Stock Remaining shows 14 days and your supplier takes 10 days to deliver, reorder now. If it shows 300 days, hold off and review later.

Set Warning Levels From Real Sales

Base each item’s Warning Level on how fast it sells and how long your supplier takes to deliver, rather than a round number. A fast seller needs a higher level, so the warning arrives while there is still time to reorder.

Check Channel Links After Imports

After a bulk import, a new channel or a change of listings on a channel, check Unlinked Products in Inventory Linking rather than opening items one by one. An unlinked listing can lead to the same product appearing twice, or to stock not reaching the channel.

FAQ

Why can't I type into the Physical figure?

Stock is held per location. To change it, use Edit Stock on the location's row in Stock Locations, or add a location with +.

Can I change the Product Code?

No. The code is fixed once the item is created, which is why it shows a padlock. Check it carefully in the Create Inventory window.

How do I remove an item I no longer sell?

Archive it from the Inventory list: tick the item, then choose Actions > Archive. Delete Inventory at the bottom of the item page is for items created by mistake. Once an item has channel links or order history, that button reads Archive Inventory instead.

Still stuck? Get in touch with the team through Contacting Support.

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