Items

The Items module is the foundation of FabHub. It defines everything your organization buys, sells, produces, or manages.

Items are used across all modules — including Buy, Sell, Make, and Stock. Keeping item data accurate and structured ensures smooth operations and reliable reporting.

Viewing Items

What you see

The Items page displays a table of all items within your organization.

You can:

• View all items or filter by:

  • All
  • Products
  • Materials

• Search and filter across multiple fields

• Access item details by clicking on an item name

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Table structure

Each row represents a single item.

The table includes:

• Name — the item's display name used across the system
• Manufacturer Part Number (MPN) — the part number assigned by the manufacturer
• SKU — your internal unique identifier for the item
• Registered Barcode — the official barcode used for scanning and external tracking
• Internal Barcode — a system-generated or custom barcode used within your organization
• Supplier Item Code — the item code used by your supplier for ordering
• Category — the classification used to group similar items
• Sale Price — the price at which the item is sold to customers
• Cost — the purchase or production cost of the item
• Product — indicates the item is a finished good ready for sale
• Material — indicates the item is a raw material or component used in production
• Supplier(s) — the supplier(s) associated with this item
• Profit — the difference between sale price and cost
• Margin — the profit expressed as a percentage of the sale price
• Make Item — indicates the item is produced internally rather than purchased

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Actions available

You can:

• Click an item to view or edit details
• Select multiple items using checkboxes
• Use table controls for:
  • Export / Download
  • Delete

Notes

• Filters apply instantly to narrow down results
• Pagination is available for large item lists
• Table columns match operational needs across modules

Best Practices

• Use consistent naming conventions for items
• Ensure SKUs and barcodes are unique
• Regularly review pricing and cost fields

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Creating a new item

The Create New Item feature lets you define items used across purchasing, production, inventory, and sales. Each item must be configured correctly to ensure it behaves properly across modules.

Access

1. Go to Items
2. Click Add Item
3. The Create New Item page opens — default tab is General Information

Step 1 — select the item type

Choose one item type:

• Product — finished goods that can be sold or manufactured
• Material — raw materials or components used in production
• Service — non-physical items such as labor or fees

Warning

Choosing the wrong type will break downstream workflows such as stock tracking or production logic.

Best Practices

• Product — anything you deliver to a customer
• Material — anything consumed in production
• Service — anything that has no physical inventory

Tabs overview

Each item can be configured across multiple tabs:

• General Information
• BOM
• Instructions
• Maintenance

Not all tabs are relevant for every item type.

General Information tab

This is where the core item setup happens.

Required fields:

• Name
• SKU
• Category
• Unit Currency

Optional fields:

• MPN
• Registered Barcode
• Internal Barcode
• Supplier Item Code
• Description
• Image
• Datasheet

Pricing configuration:

• Cost Price
• Sales Price
• For Service items: controlled via Buy / Sell selection

Warning

SKU must be unique. Duplicate SKUs will block item creation.

Suppliers table

You can assign one or more suppliers. Each row includes:

• Supplier
• Currency
• Cost
• Tax (%)
• Supplier Item Code
• Reference Link

Best Practices

• Add at least one supplier for materials to ensure purchasing continuity.

Linked variants table

Used to define variations of the same item. Each variant includes:

• Variant reference
• SKU
• Unit
• Currency
• Cost Price
• Sales Price

Best Practices

• Use variants instead of duplicating items with minor differences.

BOM tab (Bills of Materials)

The BOM (Bill of Materials) is where you define what components are needed to create an item. If you are building a product, this is where you list all the materials and parts required.

When should you use this?

Use the BOM tab if your item:

• Is assembled from multiple components
• Requires materials to be produced
• Needs a cost breakdown from parts

You do not need a BOM for simple items or services.

If no BOM is created yet

You will see two options:

• Create Bill of Materials
• Import Bill of Materials

Use Create if you are adding components manually. Use Import if you already have a prepared BOM file.

How to create a BOM

1. Click Create Bill of Materials
2. Click + Add item
3. Select a component item
4. Enter the required quantity
5. Select the correct unit

Repeat this for all components needed to build the item.

Understanding the table

Each row represents one component:

• Item — the component you are using
• Quantity — how many units are needed to produce one item
• Unit — the measurement used (e.g., pcs, kg)
• Unit Cost — cost per unit of the component
• Tax Rate — tax applied to the component
• Total — calculated cost for that row

Working with multiple levels

You can group items under other items. Example:

• Main Product
  • Sub Assembly
    • Individual Components

This helps organize complex builds.

Total cost section

On the right side, you will see:

• Subtotal
• Tax
• Total

These values update automatically as you add or edit components.

Actions

Click the Actions button to:

• Import a BOM
• Reset the current BOM
• Delete the BOM

Notes

• Quantity should be based on one unit of the final item
• Make sure units match how the item is measured
• Costs are used to calculate total production cost

Best Practices

• Keep your BOM organized by grouping related components
• Double check quantities before saving
• Use consistent units across items
• Add all required components before creating the item

Instructions tab

The Instructions tab lets you define step-by-step guidance on how an item is built, handled, or executed.

This is useful for:

• Assembly processes
• Operational steps
• Service procedures

When should you use this?

Use this tab if your item:

• Requires step-by-step actions
• Needs standard operating procedures
• Should be executed consistently by different users

If no instructions are added

You will see "No manufacturing instructions are provided for this item" with a button: Provide Instructions. Click this to start adding steps.

How to add instructions

1. Click Provide Instructions
2. Add a new step
3. Fill in the required details
4. Repeat for each step

Each instruction step includes

• Instruction Name — a short title for the step (e.g. "Install Motor", "Quality Check")
• Duration — estimated time required for this step
• Cost — optional cost associated with the step
• Instruction Details — a description of what needs to be done
• Media — upload an image to support the step

Organizing steps

• Steps are numbered automatically
• Drag steps to reorder them
• Expand or collapse each step

Total cost section

On the right side, you will see Subtotal, Tax, and Total. These values update based on the cost entered per step.

Best Practices

• Keep each step focused on one action
• Use clear and simple wording
• Add images where possible for clarity
• Include realistic durations

Maintenance tab

The Maintenance tab lets you define standard upkeep procedures, repair workflows, and servicing schedules for an item.

This is highly useful for:

• Preventative maintenance routines (e.g. for equipment or machinery)
• Standardizing repair protocols
• Tracking the cost and time associated with item upkeep

When should you use this?

Use this tab if your item:

• Is a piece of equipment or machinery that requires regular servicing
• Has specific troubleshooting or repair workflows that must be documented
• Incurs predictable costs and time commitments for upkeep that need to be tracked

If no maintenance information is added

You will see "No maintenance interactions are provided for this item" with a button: + Provide Maintenance Information. Click this to start setting up your maintenance workflow.

How to add maintenance information

1. Click + Provide Maintenance Information
2. Define the overall service type
3. Add new steps for the procedure
4. Fill in the required details for each step
5. Repeat until the maintenance procedure is fully documented

Overall service details

At the top of the form, you must define the scope of the maintenance:

• Maintenance Service — a dropdown where you can select or type to add a new maintenance service (e.g. "Annual Calibration", "Motor Lubrication")
• Total Duration — automatically calculates and displays the combined time required for all individual steps

Each maintenance step includes

• Instruction Name — a short, descriptive title for the action (e.g. "Inspect wiring", "Replace O-rings")
• Duration — the estimated time required to complete this specific step
• Cost — the projected material or labor cost associated with this step
• Instruction — a detailed text area to describe exactly what the technician or operator needs to do
• Media — an upload area to attach reference photos, diagrams, or schematics

Organizing steps

• Steps are numbered sequentially (1, 2, 3, …)
• Expand or collapse each step using the arrow icon
• Steps can be reordered to ensure the correct chronological flow

Total cost section

At the bottom right of the screen, you will see a financial summary for the maintenance procedure: Subtotal, Tax, and Total. These values update automatically based on the individual costs entered in the steps.

Best Practices

• Be specific: title your maintenance service clearly so technicians know exactly which routine they're looking at
• Include safety warnings: use the Instruction text area to highlight any lockout/tagout (LOTO) procedures or safety gear required before beginning a step
• Leverage media: always upload clear, well-lit photos of the components being serviced — visual aids drastically reduce errors
• Accurate costing: ensure costs reflect real-world replacement parts (e.g. from your BOM) to keep analytics and budget tracking accurate

Creating a new service item

The General Information tab is the starting point for entering any new record. By selecting the Service item type, you can define non-tangible offerings such as labor, maintenance, consulting, sub-contracted work, or custom fabrication.

When should you use this?

Use the Service item type if what you are defining:

• Cannot be physically stocked or counted in inventory
• Represents time, labor, or an abstract task
• Can be bought from a supplier (e.g. outsourced painting) or sold to a customer (e.g. equipment repair)

How to add a service item

1. Ensure the Service checkbox is selected under Item Type
2. Fill in the core identifying details (Name, Description, SKU)
3. Define how this service interacts with your finances (Buy/Sell, pricing, time-based billing)
4. Upload any supporting media or documentation
5. Define linked variants if the service has different tiers or options
6. Click Create at the bottom right to save

Core information

• Name — a clear, concise title for the service (e.g. "CNC Machining Labor", "Annual Maintenance Setup")
• Description — a detailed explanation of what the service entails to prevent scope creep or miscommunication
• SKU (Stock Keeping Unit) — although services aren't stocked, an internal identifier is crucial for accurate billing and reporting; you can type an alphanumeric code or click Scan to input a barcode from a service catalog sheet
• Category — use the dropdown to group the service for easier filtering and analytics (e.g. "Labor", "Outsourced", "Consulting")

Financial and routing details

• Do you sell or buy it? Or both? — check Sell if this is a service you provide to customers (it will be available in the Sell module); check Buy if this is a service you purchase from a supplier (available in the Buy module); check both if you subcontract the service out but bill it to your final customer
• Currency — select or type the operating currency for this service
• Cost Price — your internal cost to perform or purchase the service
• Sales Price — the amount you charge your customer for the service
• Charge by time — check this box if the service is billed on an hourly, daily, or weekly rate rather than a flat fixed fee

Media and documentation

• Image — drop or browse for an image to visually represent the service; you can also click + Add description to caption the image
• Datasheet — upload relevant service-level agreements (SLAs), terms and conditions, or technical SOPs; you can also provide an external URL via + Add datasheet link

Linked variants table

If your service comes in different levels or tiers, use this table to create linked sub-services without cluttering your main item list.

• Click + Add variant to add a new row
• Select the variant from the dropdown (e.g. "Standard", "Premium", "Emergency 24/7")
• Define the specific SKU, Unit, Currency, Cost Price, and Sales Price for that variant
• Use the Trash icon to delete a variant row if needed

Best Practices

• Clear naming conventions: standardized names so your sales and purchasing teams can quickly find the right service during quoting
• Utilize "Charge by Time": always check this box for labor-intensive services so quoting tools prompt for "Quantity of Hours" rather than just "Quantity"
• Attach documentation: always attach your service scope or SLA in the Datasheet section so your sales team has the legal and technical boundaries immediately accessible

Related topics

• Buy — purchasing items from suppliers
• Sell — selling items to customers
• Make — manufacturing items using BOMs and instructions
• Stock Inventory — tracking item quantities across locations