Know what you have. Know what you can promise.
Stock quantities connected to orders and incoming supply.
See on-hand, reserved and available stock across your locations. Receipts, transfers, dispatches and adjustments keep the stock history connected to the work behind it.
Is the stock on the shelf already promised?
Separate what you hold from what is available for a new order. Include incoming supply when you discuss a later delivery date.
How much can we promise to a new customer?
Separate physical stock, commitments and incoming supply.
InventoryIllustrative records| Measure | Quantity | Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| On hand | 142 units | Current stock |
| Reserved | 38 units | Committed to existing orders |
| Available now | 104 units | 142 less 38 |
| On the way | 60 units | Expected receipt, not on hand |
104 units are available now.
Discuss a later delivery for any additional quantity after checking the incoming receipt and existing commitments.
- Product records — set up each product's code, units, cost and prices once, and use them on every order.
- Live stock levels — quantities change with every sale, delivery and adjustment, so you can trust the figure on screen.
- Stock movements — every item in and out is listed, so you can see how a number got where it is.
- Multi-location stock — track stock across more than one warehouse or site (Growth plan and above).
- Order-linked stock — a sales order sets stock aside, and a delivery from a supplier adds it back. Nobody updates stock by hand.
- Low-stock warnings — see what's running low so you can reorder before you run out. Cobalt ERP points it out, and you decide when to buy.
Stock stays accurate when it's tied to your orders.
A separate inventory app soon stops matching your orders and invoices. Cobalt ERP keeps one live quantity for each location.
Stock, orders and invoices are in the same system, so the warehouse and the office see the same figures.
See what's selling and what's low, so you can reorder on time without tying up cash in stock you don't need.
Every movement is recorded, so you can always explain a stock figure instead of guessing where items went.
Inventory linked to sales and purchasing.
Stock sits between what you buy and what you sell.
When you sell, stock is set aside and then sent out. When you buy, receiving the goods adds it back. That's how small distributors keep their promises to customers without over-ordering. The wholesale ERP overview shows how it all fits together.
Frequently asked questions.
What is the best inventory management for a small business?
For a small trading business, the best fit is usually inventory that's part of the same system as your sales and purchasing, rather than a separate app. In Cobalt ERP, stock updates with every order and every delivery you receive.
Does Cobalt ERP support multiple stock locations?
Yes, on the Growth plan and above. Each location has its own live quantity.
Does stock update automatically when I sell or buy?
Yes. A sales order sets stock aside and then sends it out, and receiving a supplier's delivery adds it back. There's no separate stock update to remember.
Can I see stock movement history?
Yes. Every stock movement is recorded, so you can see exactly how the current quantity came about.
Does Cobalt ERP do reorder points or forecasting?
Cobalt ERP shows live stock and what's running low, so you can spot what needs reordering. You decide when to buy and how much, and raise the purchase order in the same system.
Is it suitable for wholesale and distribution?
Yes. Cobalt ERP is built for small wholesale, distribution and trading teams that need stock tied to their orders and invoices.
Related pages.
Against the tools people usually try first.
A spreadsheet, an inventory app beside the accounts, or a full ERP.
Get stock numbers you can rely on.
Live stock tied to your orders and purchasing, so you stop keeping a spreadsheet that disagrees with the warehouse.
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