Materials Management in shopVOX: A Comprehensive Guide

In any manufacturing or production environment, efficient materials management is crucial for smooth operations and cost-effective production. shopVOX, with its robust materials module, offers businesses a comprehensive solution for managing materials effectively. This guide will walk you through the processes of adding, editing, importing, exporting, and updating materials in shopVOX, covering all essential fields within the materials module.

General Overview of Material Processes

Before diving into the step-by-step guide for each process, here's a brief overview:

Adding Materials

Adding materials in shopVOX is straightforward. Begin by navigating to the materials module and clicking the "Add Material" button. You'll be prompted to fill in various fields such as material name, category, unit of measurement, cost per unit, and supplier information. Ensure accuracy and completeness to maintain a well-organized materials database.

Editing Materials

To edit existing materials, locate the material within the materials module. Click on it to access its details, then select the "Edit" option. Update any relevant information, such as cost, supplier details, or descriptions. Make sure to save your changes to reflect the updated information across your shopVOX platform.

Importing Materials

For businesses with a large inventory, manually adding each item can be time-consuming. shopVOX offers bulk import functionality to streamline this process. Prepare your material data in a compatible format, such as CSV, and navigate to the import option within the materials module. Follow the prompts to map the fields correctly and ensure a smooth import process. This feature saves time and reduces the risk of errors associated with manual data entry.

Exporting Materials

Exporting materials from shopVOX allows businesses to share or analyze material data easily. Navigate to the materials module and select the desired materials to export. You can export data in formats like CSV or Excel. This process ensures data backup, facilitates integration with other systems, enables in-depth analysis, and simplifies sharing with stakeholders. Exporting materials enhances data management and supports informed decision-making.

Updating Materials

Materials management requires regular updates to reflect changes in pricing, availability, or specifications. With shopVOX, updating materials is hassle-free. Locate the material you need to update, make the necessary changes, and save. These updates are instantly reflected throughout the platform, ensuring accurate information across all projects and workflows.

With this foundational understanding, let's delve into the mechanics of how each of these processes operates.

Setting up your Material Board

Establishing your material board to showcase materials in your preferred format is a recommended practice. In this example, I created a new view and configured the columns to display pertinent information.

Before you begin, it's important to understand Forms

If you're new to shopVOX or unaware of the forms section where you can control the visibility or requirement status of fields, it's advisable to check the forms for Materials. This ensures that all the fields you desire are activated.

1. Got to Settings, and from the left hand side choose "Forms"

   

2. You will be presented with a list of all the fields you can make visible or required. Go through the list and turn on all the fields you would like to make available in your material

   

3. To save your changes select "Update Form" once completed

   

Step by Step: Adding Materials

Let's delve into the steps of adding a material and explore the various fields linked to it.

1. Go to settings, then Pricing from the left side, and click on "Material List"

   

2. Click "+Add New Material"

   

3. You will see the Add New Material screen

   

   Understanding how you intend to sell your materials is essential. You'll need to structure your products accordingly to align with your sales strategy. For instance, banners might be sold by the square foot since they come from rolls, while rigid signs may be sold by the sheet. Typically, the printing industry sells by the square foot. Therefore, knowing your preferred method of selling materials is crucial when setting up your products.
4. From this screen we will add in our new material. Lets set up a Roll by the square foot, and we will set up another material by the sheet so you can understand the process.

Step by Step: Adding Materials - Roll Material sold by the Square Foot

1. I've completed filling in the required fields to sell this roll material by the square foot. Take a look at the example provided, and let's review it together.

   

   1. Name: Opt for a naming convention that ensures the material is easily understandable. This step is often underestimated initially. I recommend dedicating time to devise a comprehensive naming convention.
   2. Type: Establish or pick a Type. Think of a Type as the top-level file folder on your computer, with Categories being the subfolders within.
   3. Category: Create or select a Category. Categories serve as the subfolders stored within the Type, where your Materials are organized.
   4. Selling Units: Select "Sqft" since we're selling this material by the square foot.
   5. Sell/Buy Ratio: The sell/buy ratio is simply the total square footage of the Roll. The formula is (Sheet Width * Sheet Height)/144. In this case, the total is 675sqft so that is what is inputted into the Sell/Buy Ratio.
   6. Sheet Width: Enter the width of the roll, which is 54 inches for this example, into this field.
   7. Sheet Height: Enter the total length of the roll in inches, which is 1800 inches for this example, into this field.
   8. Sheet Cost: For this example I used $500.00. The Sheet Cost/ ( Sell/Buy Ratio) = the cost per square foot
   9. Setup, Labor, Machine and Other Charge(s): 0 for this example
   10. Multiplier: set to 1. This is what the final Sqrft gets multiplied with, and is useful if you need to increase the final value
   For any product utilizing materials configured as square feet, ensure that its formulas are set up to calculate square footage to obtain the expected output.

Step by Step: Adding Materials - Material sold by the Sheet

1. I've completed filling in the required fields to sell this material by the sheet. Take a look at the example provided, and let's review it together.

   

   1. ​Name: Opt for a naming convention that ensures the material is easily understandable. This step is often underestimated initially. I recommend dedicating time to devise a comprehensive naming convention.
   2. Type: Establish or pick a Type. Think of a Type as the top-level file folder on your computer, with Categories being the subfolders within.
   3. Category: Create or select a Category. Categories serve as the subfolders stored within the Type, where your Materials are organized.
   4. Selling Units: Select "Sheet" since we're selling this material by the sheet.
   5. Sell/Buy Ratio: The sell/buy ratio is 1, because we are selling this material buy the sheet
   6. Sheet Width: Enter the width of the sheet, which is 54 inches for this example, into this field.
   7. Sheet Height: Enter the total height of the sheet in inches, which is 120 inches for this example, into this field.
   8. Sheet Cost: For this example I used $25. The Sheet Cost/ ( Sell/Buy Ratio) = the sheet cost
   9. Setup, Labor, Machine and Other Charge(s): 0 for this example
   10. Multiplier: set to 1. This is what the final sheet gets multiplied with, and is useful if you need to increase the final value

Step by Step: Editing Materials

Editing a material in shopVOX is straightforward. Just search for the material you want to modify and either click its name or the blue pencil icon.

Step by Step: Importing Materials

You can Import new Materials easily

1. Select the blue action button and choose "Import csv"

   

2. From the import screen select "Choose File" and select the file you wish to import

   

   If needed, you can download a sample file by clicking on the highlighted link labelled "our sample file" above.
3. shopVOX will automatically try to map the columns from your spreadsheet. It's recommended to utilize "our sample file" or export the "Materials CSV" to ensure your spreadsheet contains the exact headers required.

   

4. Select "Skip Duplicates - Update Nothing", and select "Import Material"

   

Step by Step: Exporting Materials

You can your export Materials easily

1. Select the blue action button and choose "Export csv"

   

2. Choose your exporting criteria, and select "Export to CSV"

   

3. The system will alert you when the Export is in Progress

   

   When the Export is complete you will receive the CSV in your Email inbox

Step by Step: Updating Materials

You can revise materials using a spreadsheet. Simply follow the instructions above to export your CSV file. Once downloaded, you only need to edit the information you wish to update.

Once your done editing. Save as a CSV and import it following the instructions above, with the only difference being to select "Update Existing Material Data", then click "Import Material"

Mastering materials management in shopVOX is crucial for businesses aiming to streamline production processes and enhance operational efficiency. By leveraging the robust features of shopVOX's materials module, users can seamlessly add, edit, import, export, and update materials to maintain a well-organized database. Attention to detail in material setup, from establishing naming conventions to configuring selling units and ratios, ensures accurate pricing and smooth workflow execution. Additionally, the ability to export material data allows businesses to analyze trends, integrate with other systems, and collaborate effectively with stakeholders. With shopVOX, businesses can take control of their materials management, driving productivity and success in their operations.