Introduction to Items

Jump to:

• Introduction to Items
• Applying Filters
• Sorting and Item Views
• Item Edit Submenu and Tabs
  • Item Tab
  • Codes Tab
  • Activities Tab
  • Notes Tab
  • History Tab

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Introduction to Items

The item list is where the designer will spend most of their time. This is where you will add new items, edit existing items, create and edit proposals, orders, and invoices, print requests for quotes (RFQ), print specifications (spec), maintain inventory and products, etc.

• Studio Designer is an Item-based system.
• Instead of creating a proposal, order and/or invoice and adding items to it, we create an item record that holds all of the pertinent information about the item and we then add it (and other items) to proposals, orders, and invoices.
• This means that we enter an item one time instead of multiple times, as with many other systems.
• This creates consistency and dramatically reduces the opportunity for mistakes. It also means a lot less work!
• To begin, select a client/project (pull from previously entered address records). 
• The list will be populated with active items for that client, depending on the filter criteria.
•  To view, inactive items remove the checkmark from the "Active" box.
• The items listed are sorted by Client, Room, Item, and Component but the sort can be changed by selecting the filters tab.

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Applying Item Filters

The items listed are sorted by Client, Room, Item, and Component but the sort can be changed by selecting the filters tab. 

To select more filter options, click on filters–example below: 

The box below will appear with additional options: 

 

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Sorting and item views

The item view shown in the example below is the item details screen. For more item view options select the drop-down on the right. 

This example below is the view of the items list screen:

To create a new item select the  button on the right of the screen. 

To edit an existing item or view the details of the item, select edit. In the example above the edit button is on the right side under actions. 

Alternately, an item can be created using the Studio Capture tool. Please see the Studio Capture article for more information on Studio Capture. 

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Item edit submenu and tabs

There are five tabs within each item:

1. Item

2. Codes

3. Activities

4. Notes

5. History 

1. Item tab:

Client / Project:  The address ID of the client or project that this item is for. This should be the address ID of the client if you don’t have multiple projects for this client. This should be the address ID of the project if you have multiple projects for your client.

Examples:

• • You may have a client address record for DOUGLAS and no project records for DOUGLAS.
  • You would enter the client ID DOUGLAS here.
  • You may have two project records for client DOUGLAS, DOUGLASNY, and DOUGLASFL.
  • You would enter one of the project IDs, DOUGLASNY or DOUGLASFL.

Vendor: The address ID of the vendor this item will be purchased from. The order will be addressed to this vendor.

Ship To: The address ID of the ship-to address for the order to the vendor. This may be the client’s address ID or another vendor’s address ID. It could also be the address ID of a receiving warehouse or a workroom.

Sales Code: The sales code identifies a category of products to associate this item with. This can be used to group items together on reports. It identifies the general ledger sales account to use when the item is invoiced. It identifies the general ledger cost of sales account to use when the vendor invoice is entered. It determines taxability.

Room List: This defines the room list you select rooms from for this client or project.

This defaults as the room list from the client or project address record.

Room: The room ID of the room that this item is going in.

Item #: The item # that you will use to refer to this item. It is recommended you use the item # 001 for the first item in a room. Then item # 002 for the second item is ongoing. This item # could also refer to an item # on a floor plan from the architect.

Component: The component identifier that you will use to refer to this item.

An item may have multiple components and each should have a unique component ID.

Example:

• • An item may have a sofa frame, fabric, and fringe.
  • The sofa frame may be item # 001 and component A.
  • The fabric may be item # 001 and component B.
  • The fringe may be item # 001 and component C.

Finish: This finish code of a finish you defined in the finish file. The finish file allows you to define finishes you specify often. The finish description automatically fills in for this item from the finish file.

Product: The product # of a product you defined in My Products. The product file allows you to define products you sell often. The description and costs automatically fill in for this item from the product file.

Inventory ID: The Inventory ID of a product you defined in My Inventory. The description and costs automatically fill in for this item from My Inventory.

Description: The primary description of the item. This is the description that will be visible within the item list. This description prints on request for quotes, proposals, orders, invoices, checks, and reports. This is a short description for quick reference to the item.

Sidemark: Sidemarks are automatically generated for orders. The sidemark contains 4 parts: Your company name / client / room / item. The sidemark entered here automatically fills in the item portion of the sidemark.

Example: SOFA

Client Description: The long description of the item for the client. The client description prints on proposals and invoices to the client.

Vendor Description: The long description of the item for the vendor. The vendor description prints on request for quotes and orders to the vendor.

Finish Description: The description of the finish for this item.

Copy Description: Copy description allows you to copy the client description to the vendor description. If the copy description is checked, the client description is copied to the vendor description.

Proposal #: The proposal # defines the proposal this item belongs to. This is automatically assigned when a proposal is created for this item.

Order #: The order # defines the order this item belongs to. This is automatically assigned when an order is created for this item.

Invoice #: The invoice # defines the invoice this item belongs to. This is automatically assigned when an invoice is created for this item.

Vendor Invoice #: The vendor’s invoice # for this item. This is entered when the vendor invoice is received.

Vendor Invoice Date: The date of the vendor’s invoice.

Vendor Invoice Due: The date the vendor’s invoice is due. This can be automatically calculated based on the vendor terms.

Add to/Remove from Proposal: Items can be added to or removed from proposals at any time.

• If the item is currently on a proposal, the Remove link will be visible, if the item is not currently on a proposal, the Add link is visible.
• Enter the proposal # you want to add the item to and click the Add link next to the Proposal # field.
• The item must belong to the same client/project as the pre-existing proposal.
• Click the Remove link and the item will be removed from the proposal.
• Add to/Remove from Order: Items can be added to or removed from existing orders at any time.
• If the item is currently on an order, the Remove link will be visible, if the item is not currently on an order, the Add link is visible.
• Enter the order # you want to add the item to and click the add to order link.
• The item must use the same vendor and ship-to as the pre-existing order.
• Click the Remove link and the item will be removed from the order.
• Note: An item with a blank ship to cannot be added to an existing order.  The item itself must be assigned a ship to and the order must be assigned a ship to.
• Add (to Invoice): Items can be added to or removed from existing invoices at any time.
• If the item is currently on an invoice, the Remove link will be visible, if the item is not currently on an invoice, the Add link is visible.
• Enter the invoice # you want to add the item to and click the Add link.
• The item must belong to the same client/project as the pre-existing invoice.
• Click the Remove link and the item will be removed from the invoice.

Amounts section: This section is no longer on a separate tab.  It has been incorporated into the Items tab.

There are 4 main areas in the amounts section.

• Purchase Cost
• Budget
• Selling Price
• Other Costs

  

 

• The Purchase Cost section is where your costs for the item are entered.
• The costs in this section are referred to as Purchase Costs.
• The Budget section is where your client’s budget amounts are entered.
• The amounts in this section are referred to as Budget Amounts.
• The Selling Price section is where the prices you are selling the item to your client for being entered.
• The amounts in this section are referred to as Selling Prices.
• The Other Costs section is where you enter amounts like freight (charged by the same vendor as the item), delivery fees, fabric guard, restocking fees, etc.
• There are rows of amounts on the amounts tab.
• Each row may have amounts that include Purchase Costs, Budgets, and Selling Prices.

The following describes the amounts in each row: 
Unit: The unit of measure for this item.

Example: Each

Quantity

1. The Quantity you are purchasing from the vendor.

2. The Quantity you are budgeting for the client.

3. The Quantity you are selling to the client

Unit Cost

4. The Purchase Unit Cost of the item you are purchasing from the vendor.

5. The Low Budget Unit Price of the item you are budgeting for the client.

6. The High Budget Unit Price of the item you are budgeting for the client.

7. The Selling Unit Price of the item you are selling to the client.

Sub Total

8. The Purchase Sub Total is calculated as Purchase Quantity 1 times Purchase Unit Cost 4.

9. The Purchase Deposit % is used to calculate the deposit amount to pay the vendor.

10. The Purchase Deposit is calculated as the Deposit % 9 times the Purchase Sub Total 8.

10. A specific Purchase Deposit Amount may be entered if the Deposit % 9 is blank.

11. The Low Budget Sub Total is calculated as Budget Quantity 2 times Low Budget Unit Cost 5.

12. The High Budget Sub Total is calculated as Budget Quantity 2 times High Budget Unit Cost 6.

13. The Selling Sub Total is calculated as Selling Quantity 3 times Selling Unit Cost 7.

14. The Selling Taxable defines if the Selling Sub Total 13 is taxable.

15. The Selling Deposit % is used to calculate the selling deposit to request from the client.

16. The Selling Deposit is calculated as the Deposit % 15 times the Selling Sub Total 13.

16. A specific Selling Deposit Amount may be entered if the Deposit % 15 is blank.

Mark Up %

17. The Low Budget Mark Up % is used to calculate the Low Budget Mark Up 20.

18. The High Budget Mark Up % is used to calculate the High Budget Mark Up 21.

19. The Selling Mark Up % is used to calculate the Selling Mark Up 22.

Mark Up

20. The Low Budget Mark Up is calculated as the Mark Up % 17 times the Low Budget Sub Total 11.

21. The High Budget Mark Up is calculated as the Mark Up % 18 times the High Budget Sub Total 12.

22. The Selling Mark Up is calculated as the Mark Up % 19 times the Selling Sub Total 13.

23. The Mark Up Taxable defines if the Selling Mark Up 22 is taxable.

24. The Mark Up Deposit % is used to calculate the markup deposit to request from the client.

25. The Mark Up Deposit is calculated as the Deposit % 24 times the Selling Mark Up 22.

Total

26. The Total Purchase is the Purchase Sub Total 8.

27. The Total Low Budget is calculated as the Low Budget Sub Total 11 plus the Low Budget Mark Up 20.

28. The Total High Budget is calculated as the High Budget Sub Total 12 plus the High Budget Mark Up 21.

29. The Total Selling is calculated as the Selling Sub Total 13 plus the Selling Mark Up 22.

Other Costs

30. The Purchase Other Costs is a sum of all Other Purchase Costs associated with this item.

31. The Purchase Other Costs Deposit is a sum of all Other Purchase Costs Deposits.

32. The Other Costs Low Budget for this item.

33. The Other Costs High Budget for this item.

34. The Selling Other Costs is a sum of all Other Selling Costs associated with this item.

35. The Selling Other Costs Deposit is a sum of all Other Selling Costs Deposits.

Other costs are entered by selecting the Other Costs link.

Sales Tax 1

36. The Purchase Sales Tax 1 is the amount of sales tax paid to the vendor.

A common support request is how to remove the sales tax that is being charged to the client when you have paid tax to the vendor.  Although in most cases, you shouldnt pay sales tax to your vendor, you are NOT paying twice because you charge your client sales tax.  If you have questions about this, please contact your CPA.  Alternately, our accounting consultants can help.

37. The Purchase Tax Deposit % is used to calculate the purchase tax deposit to pay the vendor.

38. The Purchase Tax Deposit is calculated as the Deposit % 37 times the Purchase Sales Tax 36.

38. A specific Purchase Tax Deposit Amount may be entered if the Deposit % 37 is blank.

39. The Selling Sales Tax is the sales tax amount for the client.

39. The Selling Sales Tax is calculated when the item is saved based on the Tax Rule.

40. The Selling Tax Deposit % is used to calculate the deposit to request from the client.

41. The Selling Tax Deposit is calculated as the Deposit % 40 times the Selling Sales Tax 39.

41. A specific Selling Tax Deposit Amount may be entered if the Deposit % 40 is blank.

Sales Tax 2

42. The Purchase Sales Tax 2 for this item.  (Not a calculated field. You must manually enter this.)

43. The Selling Sales Tax 2 is the second sales tax amount for the client.

43. The Selling Sales Tax 2 is calculated when the item is saved based on the Tax Rule.

43. The Selling Sales Tax 2 is used for countries/states with multiple sales tax rates.

Total

44. The Total Purchase Cost including other costs and sales tax.

45. The Total Purchase Deposit including other costs and sales tax deposits.

46. The Total Selling Price including other costs and sales tax.

47. The Total Selling Deposit including other cost and sales tax deposits.

Discount Taken

48. The Purchase Discount Taken based on the vendor invoice terms. This amount will automatically be calculated if the vendor terms for this item include an early payment discount percent and the vendor is paid within the time period defined.  This discount percent and time period would be defined in Settings > Terms.  The amount entered here will automatically be posted to the Discounts Taken income account.  This cannot be changed.

Example:
The vendor may offer a discount of 2% if the invoice is paid in 10 days.

Payments

49. The Vendor Payments made to the vendor.

50. The Client Payments received from the client.

Balance

51. The Vendor Total Balance is calculated as Total Purchase Cost 44 less Vendor Payments 49.

52. The Vendor Deposit Balance is calculated as Total Purchase Deposit 45 less Payments 49.

53. The Client Total Balance is calculated as the Total Selling Price 46 less Client Payments 50.

54. The Client Deposit Balance is calculated as the Total Selling Deposit 47 less Payments 50.

Budget Profit

55. The Budget Over Under is calculated as the Total Selling 46–Total Budget 27.

56. The Profit is calculated as the Total Selling 46–Total Purchase 44.

Foreign Currency

57. The Foreign Currency used to purchase the item if different from your standard currency.

USD = US Dollar

EUR = Euro

GBP = Great Britain Pound

CAD = Canadian Dollar

Exchange Rate

58. The Exchange Rate is used to convert the foreign currency to your standard currency.

If you click the Exchange Rate link the calculated amount fills in the Purchase Unit Cost 4.

Example:

• • The exchange rate is 1.5000
  • The Foreign Unit Cost is 500.00
  • The converted amount that fills in the Purchase Unit Cost is 750.00.

Foreign Unit Cost

59. The Foreign Unit Cost for this item in the foreign currency.

Foreign Cost

60. The Foreign Cost is calculated as the Purchase Quantity 1 time the Foreign Unit Cost 59.

  

Item Code 1

Item Code 1 allows you to create a list of categories for item records.

This can be used to select a group of items for project worksheets.

Example:

• • Shipped
  • In Warehouse
  • Accepted
  • Declined

Item Code 2

Item code 2 allows you to create a list of categories for item records (same as Item Code 1).

Client Status

Valid options are:

• Hold –
• 1 Presented–manually select to include an item in the Client Portal when it has not been proposed yet. 

• 2 Proposed–automatically updates when a Proposal is generated with the item
• 3 Approved–automatically updates when a client approves a Proposal or the items in the Proposal
• 4 Invoiced–automatically updates when the item is invoiced
• Rejected–automatically updates when client select Rejected in Client Portal

Vendor Status

Valid options are:

• Hold
• 1 RFQ–automatically updates when RFQs are generated and the date is entered and saved in the Request for Quote field in the Codes tab
• 2 RFQ Received–automatically updates when RFQs are received and the date is entered and saved in the Quote Received field in the Codes tab
• 3 Ordered–automatically updates when an Order is created
• 4 Acknowledged–automatically updates when the date is entered and saved in the Order Acknowledged field in the Codes tab
• 5 Invoiced–automatically updates when a Vendor Invoice # is entered and saved

Showroom

• The address ID of the showroom that the product is being purchased from.
• This field is optional and is for reference only.

Manufacturer

• The address ID of the manufacturer that manufactures this product.
• This field is optional and is for reference only.
  
  

2. Codes Tab: 

Designer

• The designer is responsible for this item.
• The designer should be left blank if a specific designer is not responsible for this item.
• This designer defaults to new item records for the client or project.

Client Ship Via

The client Ship Via for this item.

Vendor Ship Via

• The vendor ship via for this item.
• This will default as the ship via when a vendor order is generated for this item.

Client Terms

The client terms for this item.

Vendor Terms

• The vendor terms for this item.
• This will default as the terms when a vendor order is generated for this item.

Pinterest

• Link images to this item from a Board on Pinterest.
• Enter the URL of the Board on Pinterest.
• When clients view the Client Portal or Interactive Proposals they will be able to link to this Board on Pinterest.
• Copy Purchase
• Copy Purchase defines if you want the Purchase Cost to be copied to the Selling Price for items.

On the amounts tab, you will enter your cost (Purchase Cost). This amount can be copied to the amount you want to charge your client (Selling Price). This can save you from entering the same amount multiple times.

The valid options for Copy Purchase are:

• Always–always copy the Purchase Cost to the Selling Price.
• Never–never copy the Purchase Cost to the Selling Price.
• Zero–only copy the Purchase Cost to the Selling Price if the Selling Price is 0

CFA

• This defines if you want a cutting for approval for this item.
• This can also be used to define if you want a finish for approval.
• This can print on orders.

Valid options include:

• Yes
• No
• Approved

Specify Only

• Specify Only defines if you want general ledger transactions created for Accounts Payable.
• Specify Only should be Yes if you are not purchasing this item for your client.
• Specify Only should be No if you are purchasing this item and reselling to your client.                       

Valid options for Specify Only include:

• Yes–you are specifying only and not purchasing this item for your client.
  • In this case, you can enter a purchase cost but it will not pass through to the selling cost.
  • The selling markup will be calculated as your normal markup percent for the client (or sales code if applicable) so that you can invoice for the markup only.
• No–you are specifying and purchasing this item for your client.

Tax Location

• The tax location where this client or project is located.
• The tax location is used to calculate the sales tax for this item.
• Note: All items must be assigned a tax location prior to invoicing.

Tax Rule

• The tax rule associated with this tax location to calculate the sales tax.
• The tax rule is defined in the tax location file for this tax location.
• The tax rule may not be changed here.

Tax Percent 1

• The first tax percent is used to calculate sales tax.
• The tax percent 1 is defined in the tax location file for this tax location.
• The tax percent 1 may not be changed here.

Tax Percent 2

• The second tax percent is used to calculate sales tax.
• The tax percent 2 is defined in the tax location file for this tax location.
• The tax percent 2 may not be changed here.

Time Tax Percent

• The time tax percent is used to calculate sales tax.
• The time tax percent is defined in the tax location field for this tax location.
• The time tax percent may not be changed here.

Request for Quote

The date the request for quote was generated.

Quote Received

The date the request for quote was received.

CFA Approved

The date the cutting for approval was approved.

Order Acknowledged

The date the vendor acknowledgment is received.

Est Ship Date

The date the item is estimated to ship.

Est Delivery Date

The anticipated arrival date for this item.

Date Shipped

The date the item shipped.

Received

The date the item was received.

Delivered

The date the item was delivered.

Freight Tracking

Freight tracking number.

Expediting

A text box that can be used however you like. Normally a short description of the status of the item (on hold, waiting for ship notice, etc.)

Specification Date

The date the specification was mailed or emailed.

Specification Revision

The date the specification was revised.

Approved Date

The date the item is approved. To change the item status back to Proposed, remove the Approved Date and Save.

Rejected Date

The date the item is rejected by the client. To change the item status back to Proposed, remove the Rejected Date and Save.

Approved By
The name of the person who approved the item

Rejected By

The name of the person who rejected the item

Lead Time

Manage deliveries, coordinate install dates, and more, by entering lead times for each of your Items here. You are able to enter a date range of days, weeks, months, or years.

You can also run custom reports on data captured within the ‘Lead Time field.

Warehouse Receipt #

Keep track of Items received by warehouses or receivers with this field.

3. Activities Tab 

Activities (reminders and notes) related to this item record can be viewed on the activities tab. New activities for this item record can be added from this page as well as the Activities main section. 

4. Notes Tab

5. History

The Item History tab allows individual users to review what fields have been updated on an item and what data is new. You can see a complete list of changes to each item in chronological order with precise date and time stamps.

 

Request for Quote

Requests for quotes can be generated by selecting the RFQ link on the Items List page. RFQs are created for each item; multiple items cannot be combined on the same RFQ.

 

Specification 

Select the Spec link to open the specification report screen. Although a specification is normally used when you will not be doing the purchasing for the item, this specification form can be printed for any or all items. Specifications can be printed with individual or multiple items by changing the filters on the left side of the report screen prior to printing.

Example view below when selecting the Spec button to print > Filters. Each report option prints with varying information.

Client Proposals 

Items can be selected to generate client proposals from the Items List page. Check the proposal box for items you would like to generate a proposal for. Click the Create Proposal button and the proposal page will be displayed.

Select Print Proposal to print or email the proposal. One proposal will be created that will include all items selected at the time the Create Proposal button is selected.

Vendor Orders

Items can be selected to generate vendor orders from the Items List page. Check the order box for items you would like to generate orders for. Click the Create Order button and the order page will be displayed. Select Print Order to print or email the order.

 

Client Invoices  

Items can be selected to generate invoices from the Items List page. Check the invoice box for items you would like to generate an invoice for. Click the Create Invoice button and the invoice page will be displayed. Select Print Invoice to print or email the invoice.

 

Mass Selection 

Items can be mass selected for Proposal, Purchase Order or Invoices based on the filters entered at the top of the screen. To select all visible items, use the links at the bottom of the screen: