Adding Materials to Your Inventory

Your materials inventory is the foundation of accurate cost tracking and production planning in MakeFlow. This guide shows you how to add materials effectively.

Why Track Materials?

Tracking materials allows MakeFlow to:

• Calculate accurate product costs
• Reserve materials when orders enter the build queue
• Alert you when stock runs low
• Track spending and material usage over time

Adding a Material

Step 1: Navigate to Materials

Click Materials in the sidebar, then click Add Material.

Step 2: Basic Information

Name: Give your material a clear, descriptive name

• Good: “White Stoneware Clay”
• Avoid: “Clay” (too vague)

Category: Select or create a category to organize materials

• Examples: Raw Materials, Glazes, Hardware, Packaging

Supplier: Optionally link to a supplier for reordering

Step 3: Quantity and Units

Current Quantity: How much you currently have in stock

Unit: Select the unit of measurement

• Weight: g, kg, oz, lb
• Volume: ml, L, fl oz, gal
• Length: mm, cm, m, in, ft
• Count: pieces, sets, sheets, etc.

Example:

• 50 kg of clay
• 250 ml of glaze
• 100 pieces of buttons

Step 4: Pricing

MakeFlow supports two pricing models:

Unit Pricing (Simple)

For countable items where you buy and use individual units.

Example: Buttons at €0.50 per piece

• Pricing Type: Unit
• Cost Per Unit: €0.50
• When you use 10 buttons, cost = 10 × €0.50 = €5.00

Package Pricing (Bulk Materials)

For bulk materials sold in packages or containers.

Example: Clay sold in 25kg bags for €40

• Pricing Type: Package
• Package Quantity: 25
• Package Unit: kg
• Cost Per Package: €40
• Unit Cost calculated: €40 ÷ 25kg = €1.60 per kg

When you use 5kg of clay: (€40 ÷ 25kg) × 5kg = €8.00

Learn more about package pricing →

Step 5: Additional Information

Low Stock Threshold: Set when to alert you about low stock

• Example: Alert when clay drops below 10 kg

Notes: Add any important details

• Storage location
• Special handling instructions
• Alternative suppliers

Step 6: Save

Click Save Material to add it to your inventory.

Quick Add Methods

Using Receipt OCR

The fastest way to add materials from supplier purchases:

1. Go to Finances → Expenses
2. Click Add Expense
3. Upload a photo of the receipt
4. MakeFlow extracts items and suggests adding them to inventory
5. Review and confirm

Learn more about Receipt OCR →

Bulk Import (Coming Soon)

Import multiple materials from a CSV file.

Material Categories

Organize materials into categories that make sense for your craft:

For Ceramic Studios

• Raw Materials (clays, plaster)
• Glazes & Underglazes
• Tools & Equipment
• Kiln Supplies
• Packaging

For Woodworking

• Lumber (by wood type)
• Adhesives & Finishes
• Hardware (screws, hinges, etc.)
• Sandpaper & Abrasives
• Packaging

For Jewelry

• Precious Metals (by type and purity)
• Gemstones (by type)
• Findings (clasps, earring hooks, etc.)
• Tools & Supplies
• Packaging

Updating Inventory

Adding Stock

When you receive new materials:

1. Find the material in your inventory
2. Click Adjust Stock
3. Enter the quantity received
4. Optionally link to the expense/receipt

Using Stock

Stock is automatically reserved and deducted when:

• Orders are added to the build queue
• You manually adjust quantities

Manual Adjustments

For waste, damage, or corrections:

1. Go to the material detail page
2. Click Adjust Stock
3. Enter the change (positive or negative)
4. Add a note explaining why

Best Practices

Use Consistent Units

Stick to one unit type per material. Don’t switch between kg and g—pick one and stay with it.

Update Costs Regularly

Material prices change. When you restock at a new price, update the cost per unit to keep calculations accurate.

Set Realistic Thresholds

Set low stock alerts high enough to give you time to reorder before running out.

Include Waste Factor

For materials with significant waste (like clay or fabric), consider tracking a bit extra to account for scrap.

Link to Suppliers

Adding supplier information makes reordering easy. Keep contact details and product codes handy.

Troubleshooting

Q: Should I track small, cheap items like nails or glue? A: It depends. If it’s used in every project and costs add up, yes. If it’s negligible (a few cents per project), you might skip it to save time.

Q: What if I buy materials in one unit but use them in another? A: Use the unit you work with. MakeFlow handles conversions. Example: Buy clay in 25kg bags, but track in kg.

Q: Can I archive materials I no longer use? A: Yes! Materials can be archived to keep your active inventory clean while preserving historical data.

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Need help? Contact support@makeflow.xyz