Inventory Modifiers tab (optional)

Topic overview

The Inventory Details window - Modifiers tab shown in Figure 1 allows you to set up an inventory item so when you sell the item you can specify item-specific options (for example, a 2 seat or 3-seat couch, it's color and type of wood trim or various cell phone/air time plans). The tab is only available if the modifiers feature is enabled in the Setup Wizard> Inventory Options 1 - Modifier check box.

You can have additional costs associated with specific options and specific options can have their own part number. You can link inventory items that have the same modifier options so if you need to change an option you do so once and it applies to all linked items. (Use caution when linking items; the only way to break the link is to delete linked inventory items and re-create them).You can also copy modifier options from another item which appends those modifiers to the current item for you to modify as desired.

Modifiers are commonly used for parts such as furniture that you may stock a demonstrator model of as an example but you would be special ordering the exact item with the options the customer specifies. Modifiers are useful for items that you manufacture. It is also commonly used for cell phone/air time packages.

Modifiers are not used with inventory kits but are rather another way to link items as options to a main item (2-seat or 3-seat) and/or to specify options that are integrated (Black, Blue or Orange). It is similar to using a size matrix but offers more than three dimensions for an inventory item. For example, a sofa may have two seats or three but the 2-seat version doesn't have wood trim whereas the 3-seat version has a choice of two types of wood trim. The 2-seat may have a choice of three colors while the 3 seat has a choice of five colors.

There are two types of modifier sub-options:

Integrated Selection - these items are contained within the item on the invoice. The descriptions show as comments and the cost and retail prices are included in the line Price and Retail Price.
Non Integrated Selection - these items show as separate items on the invoice. There must be actual parts created for these items.

Note: You cannot modify the order of the sub-options in the modifier group nor the order of the modifiers so ensure you create the modifiers in the order you wish them to appear at Point of Sale.

Related tasks

Some tab functions work in relation to the window's Toolbar. Click Toolbar to view detailed information about the Toolbar button options.

Figure 1: Inventory Details window - Modifiers tab

The contents and purpose of the fields and columns in the Modifier tab are detailed in Table 1. None of the columns can be re-ordered. The list of modifiers and the list of sub-options to a modifier are listed in the order they were created. This is also how the choices appear at Point of Sale.

Column	Contents and Purpose	Value
Tree View	Displays a tree view menu of the relationship of modifier options and sub-options, each entitled with the combination of the selected rule type and description. Once you enter a modifier description and select a rule, a new item appears in the tree view. If sub-option is created, the sub options appear subordinate to the main modifier. The group can be collapsed and expanded by clicking on the group node icon. To create a new modifier or sub-item or to delete an item in the tree view, right-click anywhere in the left-pane and select the desired command from the pop-up menu. To copy a sub-option to another modifier in the tree view, click and drag it to the new modifier group. Note: You cannot modify the order of the sub-options in the modifier group nor the order of the modifiers so ensure you create the modifiers in the order you wish them to appear at Point of Sale.	The number of items in the list is determined by the number of modifiers and modifier sub-options you configure. Pop-up menu options: New, New Sub-item, Delete
Description	Displays the description of the modifier or modifier sub-option. Type the description directly in the text box. This description appears at Point of Sale.	The number of items in the list is determined by the number of modifiers and modifier sub-options you configure. When a modifier is highlighted in the tree view menu, this column lists this inventory item's modifier details. When a modifier sub-option is highlighted in the tree view, this column lists all this modifier's sub-option details.
Part	For a modifier of rule type "Selection" , this displays the actual part number of the specific selection. Type the actual part number directly in the text box. For a modifier of rule types "Integrated Selection", this is not a part but part suffix and is only used for reporting. Type the suffix directly in the text box. For a modifier of rule types "Select Options", "Select One of" and "Select One or More of", this column is blank.	The number of items in the list is determined by the number of modifiers and modifier sub-options you configure. When a modifier is highlighted in the tree view menu, this column lists this inventory item's modifier details. When a modifier sub-option is highlighted in the tree view, this column lists all this modifier's sub-option details.
Rule	Displays the rule associated with the modifier or modifier sub-option. This choice affects your choice in the *Part* field. Click the cell button and select one of the following rules from the drop-down list: *Selection* - relates to a sub-option choice where the sub-option has it's own part number. *Integrated Selection* - relates to a sub-option choice where the sub-option doesn't have it's own part number but is an integral option of the modifier. The option shows as a comment only attached to the main item on the invoice. The cost and retail prices are built into the invoiced item. *Select Options* - relates to a modifier where you are not required to select sub-option but you can select more than one if so desired. *Select One of* - relates to a modifier where you can only select one of the sub-option choices. *Select One or More of* - relates to a modifier where you can only select one or more of the sub-option choices. *Production Part* - relates to a sub-option choice where the sub-option is a production part and not an inventory item.	Default = Selection When a modifier is highlighted in the tree view menu, this column lists this inventory item's modifier details. When a modifier sub-option is highlighted in the tree view, this column lists all this modifier's sub-option details.
Cost	Displays the additional cost of this option over and above the regular item cost, for example, oak trim vs. beach trim. This value can be negative as in the case of a purchase of a cell phone with a three year air time plan as a package. Both can be purchased separately but when purchased together, the air plan option creates a negative value against the cost of the cell phone by itself. Enter the amount directly in the text box.	Numeric When a modifier is highlighted in the tree view menu, this column lists this inventory item's modifier details. When a modifier sub-option is highlighted in the tree view, this column lists all this modifier's sub-option details.
Retail	Displays the additional retail cost to the customer or and above the regular item retail price, for example, oak trim vs. beach trim. This value can be negative as in the case of a purchase of a cell phone with a three year air time plan as a package. The air plan option creates a negative value against the cost of the cell phone by itself. Enter the amount directly in the text box.	Numeric When a modifier is highlighted in the tree view menu, this column lists this inventory item's modifier details. When a modifier sub-option is highlighted in the tree view, this column lists all this modifier's sub-option details.

Table 1: Inventory Details window - Modifiers tab columns

The tab's button bar contains buttons that perform various functions and tasks as detailed in Table 2.

Button	Function or Purpose
[Test]	Click to open example dialog boxes that appear at Point of Sale based on the current modifier/sub-option configuration within which you can test the rules and order are as desired.
[Link]	Click to open the Part Find window where you select the inventory item you wish to link the current modifier configuration to. Now if you make a change to one item's configuration, all linked items also change. WARNING: Carefully consider when you link inventory item modifier configurations that the only way to delete this link is to delete all inventory items involved and re-create them.
[Copy From]	Click to open the Part Find window where you select the inventory item (already configured with modifiers) whose modifier configuration you wish to append to the current item. This adds to the current configuration, it doesn't overwrite it. You can now modify the copied modifier configuration as desired.

Table 2: Inventory Details window - Modifier buttons - function and purpose