Creating Consumables - Track Supplies and Inventory Items

Overview

Consumables are items tracked by quantity rather than individually. Examples: printer toner, office supplies, screws, safety equipment. Unlike assets (tracked individually with serial numbers), consumables are fungible items you withdraw and restock.

Consumables vs. Assets

When to Use Consumables

Use consumables for:

• Items purchased in bulk
• Interchangeable items (one unit same as another)
• Items consumed/depleted over time
• Items tracked by quantity, not individual identity
• Low-value items not worth individual tracking

Examples:

• Printer toner cartridges
• Office supplies (pens, paper, folders)
• Cleaning supplies
• Safety equipment (gloves, masks, earplugs)
• Computer accessories (cables, mice, keyboards - if not serialized)
• Spare parts for repairs (screws, bolts, filters)

When to Use Assets Instead

Use assets (not consumables) for:

• High-value items requiring individual accountability
• Items with serial numbers
• Items requiring maintenance tracking
• Items requiring warranties
• Items assigned to specific users

Examples:

• Laptops (track individually even if you have 100)
• Vehicles (each unique, requires maintenance)
• Furniture (valuable, requires location tracking)
• Specialized equipment (serial numbered, warranty tracked)

Comparison Table

Creating a Consumable

Step-by-Step

1. Go to Consumables page (main navigation)
2. Click "+ New Consumable" button
3. Fill out consumable form (see fields below)
4. Click "Create Consumable"
5. Consumable appears in list with initial quantity

Required Fields

Name (required)

• What is the item?
• Be specific: "HP 950XL Black Ink Cartridge" not just "Ink"
• Include brand, model, size if relevant

Category (required)

• Group similar consumables: Office Supplies, IT Supplies, Safety Equipment, Maintenance Parts
• Create categories in Settings → Manage Categories
• Use same categories as assets or separate consumables-specific categories

Current Quantity (required)

• How many units do you currently have in stock?
• Enter whole numbers (no decimals)
• Can be 0 if adding consumable template before stocking

Unit of Measure (required)

• Each, Box, Pack, Case, Pair, Roll, Bottle, etc.
• Defines what "1 quantity" means
• Examples:
  • Toner cartridge: "Each"
  • Printer paper: "Ream" or "Box"
  • Safety gloves: "Pair"
  • Cleaning supplies: "Bottle"

Optional Fields

SKU / Part Number

• Manufacturer part number or your internal SKU
• Useful for reordering: "HP C2P23AN"
• Searchable field

Location (optional but recommended)

• Where is this consumable stored?
• Examples: "Supply Closet - Building A", "IT Storage Room", "Warehouse - Aisle 5"
• Helps users find items when withdrawing

Department (optional)

• Which department manages this consumable?
• May be different from location (IT dept manages toner stored in supply closet)
• Useful for budget allocation

Minimum Quantity (threshold for low-stock alerts)

• When quantity drops to this number, trigger alert
• Example: If minimum = 5, alert when stock reaches 5 units
• Leave blank to disable low-stock alerts for this item
• See Low Stock Alerts guide

Cost Per Unit (optional)

• How much does one unit cost?
• Used to calculate total inventory value
• Example: Toner cartridge costs $45 each, stock of 20 = $900 total value
• Updates automatically if not specified on withdrawal/restock

Vendor / Supplier (optional)

• Where do you buy this consumable?
• Free text field
• Example: "Office Depot", "Amazon Business", "Grainger"
• Useful for reorder workflows

Description / Notes (optional)

• Any additional info: compatible models, storage requirements, usage tips
• Example: "Compatible with HP OfficeJet Pro 8600. Store in cool, dry place."

Example: Creating Office Supplies

Example 1: Printer Toner

Name: HP 950XL Black Ink Cartridge
Category: IT Supplies
Current Quantity: 15
Unit of Measure: Each
SKU: C2P23AN
Location: IT Storage - Cabinet 3
Department: IT
Minimum Quantity: 5
Cost Per Unit: $45.00
Vendor: Office Depot
Notes: Compatible with HP OfficeJet Pro 8600, 8610, 8620

After creation:

• 15 cartridges in stock
• Alert when stock drops to 5
• Total value: $675 (15 × $45)

Example 2: Safety Equipment

Name: Nitrile Gloves - Medium
Category: Safety Equipment
Current Quantity: 50
Unit of Measure: Pair
SKU: GLV-MED-NIT
Location: Warehouse - Safety Station 1
Department: Operations
Minimum Quantity: 20
Cost Per Unit: $1.50
Vendor: Grainger
Notes: Powder-free, industrial grade, complies with OSHA standards

Example 3: Cleaning Supplies

Name: Multi-Surface Disinfectant Spray
Category: Cleaning Supplies
Current Quantity: 8
Unit of Measure: Bottle
SKU: CLN-DISINF-32OZ
Location: Janitorial Closet - Floor 1
Department: Facilities
Minimum Quantity: 3
Cost Per Unit: $7.99
Vendor: Amazon Business
Notes: 32 oz bottle. EPA registered. Use for daily terminal sanitization.

After Creating a Consumable

What you can do next:

1. Withdraw Units

• When someone uses/takes units from stock
• See Withdraw Items

2. Restock Units

• When you purchase more
• See Restock Consumables

3. Set Up Low-Stock Alerts

• Get notified when running low
• See Low Stock Alerts

4. View Quantity History

• Track withdrawals and restocks over time
• On consumable detail page, click "History" tab

5. Export Consumables List

• Generate inventory reports
• Consumables page → Export → CSV

Bulk Creating Consumables

Via CSV Import

Create many consumables at once:

1. Go to Consumables page
2. Click "Import CSV"
3. Download CSV template
4. Fill out spreadsheet with consumables:

   Name, Category, Quantity, Unit, SKU, Location, Min Qty, Cost, Vendor
   HP 950XL Black Toner, IT Supplies, 15, Each, C2P23AN, IT Storage, 5, 45.00, Office Depot
   HP 951XL Cyan Toner, IT Supplies, 10, Each, C2P24AN, IT Storage, 5, 48.00, Office Depot
   ...
   

5. Upload CSV
6. Review import preview
7. Click "Import Consumables"
8. All consumables created

Use cases:

• Initial system setup (migrate from spreadsheet)
• Large restock orders (add 50 new SKUs from vendor catalog)

See CSV Import Guide for details.

Consumable Organization Strategies

Strategy 1: Mirror Asset Categories

Use same categories for consumables as assets:

Categories:

• IT Equipment (assets) / IT Supplies (consumables)
• Office Furniture (assets) / Office Supplies (consumables)
• Manufacturing Equipment (assets) / Maintenance Parts (consumables)

Benefit: Consistency, easier to manage

Strategy 2: Separate Consumable Categories

Create entirely different categories:

Asset categories:

• Laptops, Monitors, Furniture, Vehicles

Consumable categories:

• Office Supplies, Safety Gear, Cleaning Supplies, Spare Parts

Benefit: Clearer separation, avoids confusion

Strategy 3: Hybrid by Value

High-value or serialized items = assets. Low-value or bulk = consumables.

Examples:

• Mice: If generic bulk mice ($5 each), create as consumable "Wireless Mouse - Black" with quantity 20
• Mice: If high-end ergo mice ($150 each) assigned to users, create as individual assets

Common Use Cases

IT Supplies

Track consumables like:

• Printer toner/ink
• Network cables
• USB drives (bulk, untracked)
• Mice and keyboards (generic)
• Monitor stands
• Cable organizers

Withdrawal workflow: IT staff withdraw from stock when deploying to user

Maintenance Spare Parts

For organizations maintaining equipment:

• Filters (HVAC, equipment)
• Belts and hoses
• Fasteners (screws, bolts, washers)
• Lubricants
• Replacement components (fuses, switches)

Withdrawal workflow: Technician withdraws parts during maintenance, logs on work order

Medical/Lab Supplies

Hospitals, clinics, labs track:

• PPE (gloves, masks, gowns)
• Syringes and needles
• Bandages and dressings
• Lab reagents
• Cleaning/sterilization supplies

Compliance note: Track expiration dates in Notes field, set low-stock alerts for critical items

Safety Equipment

Manufacturing, construction:

• Hard hats
• Safety glasses
• Earplugs
• Gloves (various types)
• Reflective vests
• First aid supplies

Best practice: Set minimum quantities high enough to never run out of critical safety items

Troubleshooting

"Can't create consumable - category required"

Solution: Create categories first:

1. Go to Settings → Manage Categories
2. Click "+ New Category"
3. Name it (e.g., "IT Supplies")
4. Save
5. Return to consumables, now category appears in dropdown

"Should I track this as consumable or asset?"

Decision flowchart:

1. Does it have a unique serial number? → Asset
2. Is it high value (>$500)? → Asset
3. Does it require individual maintenance? → Asset
4. Is it assigned to specific person with accountability? → Asset
5. Is it bulk, interchangeable, low-value? → Consumable

"What if I need to convert consumable to asset?"

If you've been tracking mice as consumable (quantity 20) but now want individual tracking:

1. Create 20 individual assets (one per mouse)
2. Assign each to user
3. Delete or zero-out consumable entry

Not automatic - you must manually create assets.

"Can I track expiration dates?"

Currently, expiration date is not a dedicated field.

Workarounds:

• Use Notes field: "Expires: 2026-12-31"
• Use Name field: "Nitrile Gloves - Medium (Exp 12/26)"
• Create custom reminder outside UniAsset

Permissions

Who can create consumables:

• Owner: Yes
• Admin: Yes
• Manager: Yes
• Viewer: No (read-only)

Viewers can view consumables list and quantities but cannot create, edit, or withdraw.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I convert a consumable to an asset?

Not automatically. You must create individual assets manually, then delete or reduce consumable quantity.

What happens if quantity reaches 0?

Nothing automatic. Consumable remains in system with 0 quantity. You can restock later. Optionally archive if discontinued.

Can I track consumables by serial number?

No. Consumables are inherently non-serialized. If you need serial tracking, use assets instead.

Do consumables depreciate?

No. Consumables are expensed when purchased (typically), not depreciated. UniAsset does not calculate consumable depreciation.

Can I assign consumables to users?

Indirectly. When user withdraws units, withdrawal record tracks who took items. But consumables aren't "assigned" like assets.

How do I handle damaged/expired consumables?

1. Go to consumable detail page
2. Click "Withdraw" (reduces quantity)
3. Reason: "Damaged" or "Expired - discarded"
4. Quantity decreases without transferring to user

Related Articles

• Tracking Consumable Quantity - Monitor stock levels
• Withdrawing Items - Reduce quantity when used
• Restocking Consumables - Increase quantity when purchased
• Low Stock Alerts - Get notified before running out
• Assets vs. Consumables - Understanding the difference

Need Help?

If you're unsure whether to track items as consumables or assets, contact support for guidance based on your specific use case.