Mass Edit Inventory Items

Overview:

The Mass Edit Inventory Items feature displays information about multiple inventory items and allows you to make modifications to multiple items, in one place. When you need to make a common modification to multiple inventory items, it is a more efficient feature than the inventory item setup feature which only allows you to make changes to one item at a time.

Things to know!

The Mass Edit Inventory Items feature will only be available to System Administrators.
If you want to sort, filter, or find inventory items that meet specific criteria, this feature is very effective.
The Mass Edit Items grid includes columns showing item validation and update activity. These columns make it easy for you to see what is new or has been changed.
As a reminder, the Inventory Item Name defaults to use the vendor's item name. The Inventory Item Name can be edited if you prefer to use a different name for the item.
The data in columns on the Grid highlighted in light blue can be edited. The data in columns on the Grid highlighted in white are informational only.
There are numerous tools, buttons, sorts, and filters that can be used on the Mass edit grid to make viewing or editing easier. They are explained below.

Mass Edit Inventory Items - Overview:

Below is an example of the Mass Edit Inventory Items grid. The Inventory Items are in rows and there are columns on the grid for item information and configurable attributes.

You can use the grid to view items, make modifications to items, or filter or sort columns to display only the items that meet your desired criteria. The data in columns on the Grid highlighted in light blue can be edited. The data in columns on the Grid highlighted in white are informational only.

A lot of columns are needed on the grid to display all of the different inventory item attributes; therefore, the grid has more columns than can be displayed at one time on most monitors. When more columns can be displayed, there will be a scrollbar at the bottom of the grid to click and drag the display right or back to the left to show other columns:

Before we talk about the information in each column, we will start this article with a review of the unique tools available on the grid that will help you control what items and what item attributes are displayed (or not displayed) on the grid.

Column Chooser:

Column Chooser: The button at the top left (to the left of the "Mass Edit Inventory Items header) is a “Column Selector”. This button allows you to choose what columns to display on the grid so that you can eliminate columns to increase the display area for the columns you are interested in viewing or modifying without scrolling to the right.

Column Chooser: In the example below, the Column Chooser has been clicked and the column selection box is displayed on the right. Columns with checkmarks will display and you can click the box to add or remove a checkmark. Scroll down to see more columns in the chooser. When you exit the mass edit feature the column display will reset to the original default:

Column Chooser - Added Columns: You can also select columns using the column chooser that don't show up on the mass edits grid's default display such as the vendor pack size, the item's initial cost, if the item can be ordered, if the item stored in bins, and the default bin number.

Colum Searches and Filters:

Column Search: Columns with a magnifying glass under the header can search the column for text, numbers, or characters that you type to the right of the magnifying glass. The search will display items that have what you type in any part of their description for the selected column on the grid.

For example, in the above example, typing "Cost" in the vendor column will find and display only items you purchase from Costco.

Column Search Filter: The magnifying glass at the top of a column can be used to further refine a search. For example, if you want to search and filter to display all items with a Current Cost of $10 or higher, enter 10 in the Current Cost column header. Next, hover over the magnifying glass to see the filter options and select Greater than or Equal to. An example is below:

In the below example, we have selected to display items with a $10 current cost or greater. The greater than or equal to symbol now displays where the magnifying glass was. If you want to remove the filter then hover offer the symbol and use the drop-down to select the Reset option.

Column Header Drop-Down Filters:

If the top of a column displays "(All)" and has a drop-down on the right side, you can use the drop-down to filter the items on the grid for a specific setting. For example, you can filter the "Count When" column for Active items only, or as we show in the example below, use the Category column to only display items in a selected category such as Produce.

Column Header Sorts:

Any column will be sorted in ascending or descending order when you click on the name of the column (click once for ascending and twice for descending). An arrow appears to indicate that the column has been sorted and is displayed in ascending or descending order. In the example below we have clicked on the Inventory Name column twice to reverse the alphabetic sort order:

Eliminate Column Sort: To eliminate the sort for any column, right-click on the column name and then select "Clear Sorting":

Mass Edit Toolbar and Item Selection:

The Mass Edit Toolbar is powerful. It is used to make a common change to all of the inventory items that have been selected on the grid. The example below shows the mass edit toolbar on the top right and the Item Selection column to the left of the Inventory Name column:

Item Selection: An Inventory Item is selected by clicking the box in the item selection column to add a checkmark. In the example above, 14/16 Daily Bacon is selected. If you click on the box at the top of the column, it will select all items that are displayed on the grid. Please note that when you use this select all option there may be items selected below what you see on the display so page down.

When using the mass edit tools, it is normally best to first filter or sort the grid to only show the items you wish to edit. For example, if you wanted to change the "Count When" status for all of your Wine Items, then you should first use the drop-down at the top of the category column to select the wine category so only your inventory items assigned to this category display.

Mass Edit Toolbar Buttons: The first five buttons in the Mass Edit Toolbar at the top right of the Mass Edit display (example above) are for making a common edit to multiple items. Explanations for each button on the toolbar are provided below:

This is the "Count When" button and it impacts the Count When column. Click the button to select the Count When definition you desire after you have checked/selected the items you want to make the change to. To provide an example, if you want to change all items in the paper category to Count Never, you could first select "Paper" as the category to filter, then click the box at the top of the Select column to select all of the items on the grid, then click the Count When button, and then select Never.

This is the "Fill Category" button, and it impacts the Category column. Click the button to select the Category definition you desire after you have checked/selected the items you want to make the change to. To provide an example, if you want to change all items from Joe's Bakery to the "Bread" Category, you could first select Joe's Bakery as the Vendor to search, then click the box at the top of the Select column to select all of the items on the grid, then click the Fill Category button, and then select Bread as the Category.

This is the "Used In Recipes = Yes" button, and it impacts the Used in Recipes column. Click the "Yes button" after you have checked/selected the items you want to make the change to. To provide an example, if you want to make sure all of your "Active" items are flagged to be used in Recipes, you could first select Active as the filter for the Count When column, then click the box at the top of the Select column to select all of the items on the grid, then click the Used in Recipes = Yes button.

This is the "Used In Recipes = No" button and it impacts the Used in Recipes column. Click the "No button" after you have checked/selected the items you want to make the change to. To provide an example, if you want to make sure all of your "Count Never" items are flagged not to be used in Recipes, you could first select Never as the filter for the Count When column, then click the box at the top of the Select column to select all of the items on the grid, then click the Used in Recipes = No button.

This is the "Merge" button. The Merge Item function should only be used when you know an item is a duplicate of another item from the same vendor. If you get the same item from a single vendor in two different pack sizes (this means it has two different item codes) and you use this item as an ingredient in recipe items, then you should use the Combined Item feature. Only use this button if you have a very solid understanding of how and why to merge items. If you have any doubts, please send an email to support@cogs-well.com for help.

This is the Delete button. The delete button function should only be used if you know an item in your database is in error. Otherwise, it may be more appropriate to make the item inactive.

Reminder When Making Mass Edits: Mass Edits will not apply to items if they are not first selected via the boxes in the select column on the far left of the grid. Also, if you check the box to select all items via the column header, you may be selecting items on the grid that are not displaying unless you page down.

Our recommendation is whenever you use the Mass Edit buttons, you also always page down in the display to make sure you are viewing or selecting all the items that are either available or that have been selected.

Invoice Snippets:

When you click on an item row on the grid, an invoice snippet for that item will display if you are using Ottimate. A Snippet is an image from the vendor's most current invoice for the item. Ottimate is not consistent with providing item snippets. If you do not see a snippet you will see the "Show Last Image" button explained below:

Buttons at the bottom of the Grid:

Show Last Image Button: Highlight the row for an item on the grid that you wish to see the invoice for and then click the "Show Last Image" button. An image (or images) that show the entire detail for the invoice will open on another tab(s) in your browser. Please note that EDI vendors do not include images for us to import so no invoice image will be available. An example of an invoice image is below:

Save Button: The Save button will save any changes for selected items that you have made on the Mass Edit Grid. If you exit without first clicking the Save button, your changes will not be saved.

Exit Button: The Exit Button will exit the Mass Edit Grid. Please make sure you save your changes before exiting.

Mass Edit Inventory Items - Screenshot #1 Column Definitions:

This article will use three sections to explain each column on the mass edit grid. By breaking this into three sections we can keep the screenshot images large enough for easy viewing in this article. Below is a screenshot of the first 8 columns on the Mass Edit Grid:

Inventory Item Name: The Inventory Name in COGS-Well will default to be the same as the vendor's item name unless you have previously edited the name. You don't need to edit the item name unless the name was imported incorrectly, or you would like to use a name different from the vendor's. An example is changing the vendor's name for a case of Diet Coke to something easier for your users to understand.

Vendor: This is the vendor that the item was purchased from. The vendor name cannot be edited for auditing reasons.

Combined Item Name: This field is informational and tells you if an item has been assigned to a Combined Item. This article on Combined Items - FAQs provides more information on Combined Items.

Item Code: This is the code the vendor uses to identify the item. Some vendors do not have item codes (Plate IQ assigns one randomly in this situation). Sometimes Plate IQ exports the wrong item code. Most vendors utilize a unique item code Item for the same item if they sell it in different pack sizes. Be careful when editing item codes and contact support at support@cogs-well.com if you have questions.

Count When: There are three options in the drop-down selection. Count When "Active" means the item should always be included in an inventory count until it is flagged during a count as inactive. Count "Always" means the item will always be included in the Inventory Count entry. Count "Never" means the Item will never be included in the Inventory Count entry (an example is a supplies item).

Category: Inventory Categories will roll up the usage, costs, or on-hand values for the items assigned to that Category. Inventory Categories can also be used to sort items for inventory counts (if you don't use storage locations). COGS-Well initially sets up your Inventory Categories for you based on your Chart of Accounts. An example of common categories are Meat, Dairy, Produce, and Grocery.

GL Account: COGS-Well assigns a General Ledger Account to each item. The GL account for an item is imported from Ottimate or based on the item's category if you are not using Ottimate. Items flagged as Count When Active do not display the GL Account (you can only change the Category) and items flagged as Count Never only display their GL Account (you can modify the account).

Current Cost: This cost reflects the last time you purchased this item and it will reflect the Pack Size displayed in the next column to the right. The cost and pack size for an item are imported from vendor invoices.

Pack Size: The Pack Size will reflect how you are charged for the item by the vendor. Pack sizes for a new item are assigned automatically by the COGS-Well system based on the vendor's pack size description on the invoice using the Standard Packaging Definitions. Our Audit team then reviews these assignments to ensure accuracy.

If you want to change a pack size, it should be done via the Inventory Item Setup feature. Changing a Pack Size is impactful so please review this article on Inventory Item Pack Size Changes - FAQs before making changes. Also, support@cogs-well.com is happy to help you with pack size changes.

Mass Edit Inventory Items - Screenshot #2 Column Definitions:

As mentioned above, there are multiple columns on the Mass Edit Inventory Items grid, so we are using multiple screenshots of the columns for this Help article. Below is a screenshot of the next 4 columns on the Mass Edit Grid (Pack Size is explained directly above):

Count Unit: For items that have pack sizes that include units that may be counted (a 12/750 mL Pack), The Count Unit Name and Count Units per pack will reflect the partial pack (Bottle and 12 Bottles per Pack). Count Unit configurations are assigned automatically by the COGS-Well system based on the Standard Packaging Definitions. Our Audit team then reviews these assignments to ensure accuracy.

If you want to change a Count Unit configuration, it should be done via the Inventory Item Setup feature. Changing a Count Unit can be impactful so please review this article on Inventory Item Pack Size Changes - FAQs before making changes. Also, support@cogs-well.com is happy to help you with count unit changes.

Used In Recipes: The COGS-Well system defaults any item that is flagged as Count When "Active" as "Yes" for Used in Recipes. It also defaults any item flagged "Never" for Count When " to "No" for Used in Recipes.

Primary Measure Class: Any item flagged as used in recipes will have a Primary Measure Class assignment. The Primary Measure class assignment is based on how the item is purchased (by Weight, Volume, or Count) and it is assigned automatically by the COGS-Well system based on the Standard Packaging Definitions. Our Audit team then reviews these assignments to ensure accuracy.

Measure Class Information Columns:

To the right of the Primary Measure Class column, there are 3 Measure Class Information columns on the mass edit grid as shown in the example below.

All of the measure class columns are informational about the recipe units per pack and their cost. Only one measure class configuration is required for an item that is used in recipes so if there is information in additional columns it means added recipe units were configured. Please review this article If you desire to add or make changes to an item's measure class or recipe unit configuration:

Mass Edit Inventory Items - Screenshot #3 Column Definitions:

Vendor's Item Name: This is the item name that is imported from the vendor's invoice. The vendor item name cannot be edited for auditing reasons. However, if you want to change the name of an item then you can do so by changing the name in the Inventory Name column.

Active: There is an option to make an inventory item inactive so this field will show you the item's status. You can use the drop-down to filter for active or not active (True or False).

Validated: This is the date that an item was initially validated in your database. You can use the Calender button at the top right of the column to search for a specific date. Once you select a date, you can use the magnifying glass to the top left of the column to refine the search (such as any date equal to or greater than July 6, 2022). For example, if you want to view what new items were validated by the COGS-Well Audit Team this last week, you could use this column to select your criteria.

Calendar Search: The calendar search and the calendar search refinement tools that are at the top of the Validated and Last Updated columns can be useful. Use the calendar to select a date and then use the magnifying glass to refine the search.

In the example below, we have first selected the date and then we have moved the mouse over the magnifying glass to the left of the calendar icon. For example, If March 1st was the selected date, and Greater than or Equal to is selected below, we would see all updates from March 1st or later only.

Validated By: This column will tell you what user did the validation. Most of our customers will see "COGS-Well" Audit Team" in this column.

Last Updated: This is the date that an item was last modified. If the item was modified after it was initially validated, you will see a different date than the Validated At date. You can use the Calender button at the top right of the column to search for a specific date. Once you select a date, you can use the magnifying glass to the top left of the column to refine the search (such as any date equal to or greater than July 6, 2022). The same calendar and search options that exist for the Validated At column exist for this column.

Last Updated By: This column will tell you what user updated an Item. If you are looking for a specific person, you can type in a portion of their name at the top of the column.

Save or Exit:

Save - Click the save button to save your entries.

Exit - Click the exit button to exit. If you have made unsaved changes, you will be asked if you are sure.