What you can do
Task | Where to find it |
Browse and search materials | Material > Material List |
Create a new material | Material List toolbar > Create |
View or edit a material | Click any row in the Material List |
Manage catalogues and categories | Material > Categorisation |
Configure material types | Material > Categorisation > Types |
Set up units of measure | Material > Settings > Units of Measure |
Manage user groups | Material > Settings > User Groups |
View the material dashboard | Material > Dashboard (company only) |
─────────────────────────────────
Key concepts
Materials
A material is any item your organisation tracks -- a spare part, a consumable, a piece of equipment, or a service. Each material record carries:
An identity (name, code, part number)
A classification (catalogue, category group, category, material type)
Units of measure (base/inventory, purchase, and sales units)
Tracking dimension settings (batch, serial, owner, space, status)
Physical dimensions (weight, height, width, depth, volume)
Coverage and planning parameters per inventory location
Materials have a five-stage lifecycle:
Draft --> Active --> Inactive --> Deprecated --> Deleted
^ | |
+--------------+ |
+-------------------------------+
Draft -- the material is being set up; it cannot be used in transactions.
Active -- the material is available for procurement, inventory, and sales.
Inactive -- temporarily suspended; can be reactivated.
Deprecated -- marked for phase-out; can still be reactivated if needed.
Deleted -- permanently removed from active use.
Catalogue materials vs. temporary materials
In procurement workflows, users may enter items that do not yet exist in the material catalogue. These appear as temporary materials and can later be converted into full material records. Only catalogue materials participate in inventory tracking and stock-level calculations.
Two levels of editability
Material fields are divided into two groups:
Basic fields -- name, description, code, part number, tags. These can be changed as long as the material is not deprecated or deleted.
Structural fields -- material type, category, units of measure, tracking dimensions, and physical dimensions. These are locked once any inventory transaction has been recorded for the material. A banner at the top of the material page warns you when this lock is in effect.
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How Material Management connects to other modules
+-----------------------+
| Material Management |
| (master data) |
+-----------+-----------+
|
+---------------------+---------------------+
| | |
+---------v---------+ +---------v---------+ +---------v---------+
| Procurement | | Inventory | | Maintenance |
| (requisitions, | | (journals, | | (equipment, |
| orders, receipts)| | on-hand, stock) | | spare parts) |
+-------------------+ +-------------------+ +-------------------+
Procurement uses material records on requisition lines, purchase orders, and goods receipts. The material's purchase unit and supplier catalogue drive pricing and ordering.
Inventory uses material records to track on-hand quantities, create journal entries, and enforce tracking dimensions (batch, serial, etc.).
Maintenance links materials to equipment as spare parts, with quantity and criticality ratings.
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Navigation (company application)
Menu item | Description |
Dashboard | Customisable widgets showing material statistics |
Material List | Browse, search, and create materials |
Categorisation |
|
  Types | Define material types (purchasable, stockable, etc.) |
  Catalogues | Top-level catalogue containers |
  Categories | Hierarchical category groups and categories |
  Attributes | Custom attribute types and attribute groups |
  Dimensions | Variant dimensions (colour, size, style, etc.) |
Settings |
|
  Units of Measure | Unit definitions, systems, and conversions |
  User Groups | Groups for authorisation-rule assignment |
Navigation (ship application)
The ship application provides a subset of the company navigation:
Menu item | Description |
Material List | Browse, search, and create materials |
Categorisation |
|
  Types | View material types |
  Catalogues | View catalogues |
  Categories | View category groups and categories |
The ship application has full material create-and-edit capabilities but does not expose catalogue/type/category configuration screens. Configuration is managed from the company application and synchronised.
─────────────────────────────────
See also
[Working with Materials](02-materials.md) -- create your first material
[Classification](03-classification.md) -- set up catalogues and categories
[Units of Measure](04-units-of-measure.md) -- configure unit systems
Last updated: March 2026
Working with Materials
A material record is the central object in Material Management. This chapter covers every aspect of creating, viewing, editing, and managing material records through their full lifecycle.
─────────────────────────────────
Creating a material
Open Material > Material List.
Click Create in the toolbar. A creation form appears.
Fill in the fields:
Field | Required | Notes |
Variation type | Yes | Choose Standalone (single item) or Master (has variants). See [Variants](06-variants.md). |
Name | Yes | The display name of the material. |
Category group | No | If selected, the Category field becomes required. Groups that do not allow the selected type are greyed out. |
Category | Conditional | Required when a category group is selected. |
Type | No | Material type (e.g., Spare Part, Consumable). Types not permitted by the selected category group are greyed out. If a default type exists, it is pre-selected. |
Base unit | No | The inventory (base) unit of measure. |
Purchase unit | No | Visible only if you have access to the Procurement module. Disabled if the selected type is not purchasable. |
Sales unit | No | Visible only if you have access to the Sales module. Disabled if the selected type is not salable. |
Click Save. The material is created in Draft status.
**Tip** -- You can always add or change the type, category, and units later from the material detail page, as long as no inventory transactions have been recorded.
─────────────────────────────────
Material detail page
Opening any material from the list takes you to the detail page. The page is organised into panels:
Page header
Title -- the material name. Click to edit it inline (when editable).
Status badge -- shows the current lifecycle status with colour coding.
Toolbar -- lifecycle action buttons (see [Lifecycle actions](#lifecycle-actions) below).
Banner messages
Two types of banner may appear below the title:
Structural lock (amber) -- "Structural fields are locked because this material has inventory transactions." Appears when the material has been used in at least one journal or transaction. Basic fields remain editable.
Validation warnings -- one banner per active violation. See [Validation and violations](#validation-and-violations) for the full list. You can dismiss (mute) a violation by closing its banner.
Left sidebar
Section | Contents |
Images | Photo carousel with upload (up to 4 images at once) and delete. |
Definition | Part number, code, status, variation type (if not Standalone), created by/date. |
Units of Measure | Base, purchase, and sales units with inline editing. Unit-of-measure conversions appear below when two or more distinct units are assigned. |
Hierarchy | Material type, category (with category group), and tags. |
Description | Free-text description field. |
Centre area
Section | Visible when | Contents |
Variants | Variation type is Master | Table of existing variants; button to generate new variants from dimension combinations. |
Equipment | Always | Linked equipment (spare-part relationships) with add button. |
Coverage | Variation type is not Master, type is stockable | Per-location planning parameters. See [Coverage and Planning](07-coverage-and-planning.md). |
Journal Reason Policy | Type is stockable | Per-journal-type reason requirement configuration. |
Right sidebar
Section | Visible when | Contents |
Product IDs | Always | Commercial identifiers: GTIN, UPC, EAN, ISBN, SKU, ASIN, GCID. Add, edit, or remove. |
External Part Numbers | Variation type is not Master | Manufacturer, customer, or supplier part numbers with company reference. |
Dimensions | Variation type is Master | Dimension group assignments (colour, size, etc.). |
Attributes | Attribute types exist for this material, not Master | Custom attribute values. Data types include text, number, date, and boolean. |
Physical Dimensions | Type is stockable, not Master | Weight (net, tare, gross), dimensions (width, height, depth), and volume. |
Tracking Dimensions | Type is stockable, not Master | Toggle switches for space, status, batch, serial, and owner tracking. See [Tracking Dimensions](05-tracking-dimensions.md). |
Left dock (full-width panels)
Section | Visible when | Contents |
On Hand | Type is stockable | Current stock quantities per location, with tracking-dimension drill-down. |
Transactions | Not Master, type is stockable | Complete transaction history for this material. |
Price History | Not Master, type is purchasable | Historical purchase prices with statistics (min, max, average), a trend chart, and a detail grid. Filterable by legal entity. |
Right dock (tabs)
Tab | Contents |
Comments | Free-text comments (add, edit your own, delete your own). 350-character limit. |
Attachments | File uploads and downloads. Supports any file type. |
Events | Read-only chronological audit log of every change made to the material. |
─────────────────────────────────
Lifecycle actions
The toolbar shows different buttons depending on the material's current status:
Current status | Available actions |
Draft | Activate, Deprecate |
Active | Deactivate |
Inactive | Activate, Deprecate, Delete |
Deprecated | Activate, Delete |
Deleted | *(none -- record is read-only)* |
All lifecycle actions require the Edit Material access right. The Activate action is available even when the page is otherwise read-only (e.g., you only have view access), as long as you hold the access right.
─────────────────────────────────
Editing fields
Inline editing
Most fields on the detail page support inline editing: click the field value, make your change, and confirm. Changes are saved immediately.
Basic fields (always editable while material is not Deprecated or Deleted)
Name
Description
Code
Part number
Tags
Product IDs
External part numbers
Bullet points
Comments and attachments
Manufacturer
Attributes
Images
Structural fields (locked once inventory transactions exist)
Material type
Category (and category group)
Base (inventory) unit, purchase unit, sales unit
Unit-of-measure conversions
Tracking dimensions (batch, serial, owner, space, status)
Physical dimensions
Dimension groups (for master materials)
When structural fields are locked, the system displays an amber banner and the fields show a lock icon with the message: "This field cannot be changed because inventory transactions already exist for this material."
─────────────────────────────────
Validation and violations
The system continuously validates materials against a set of rules. Violations appear as coloured banners at the top of the material page. You can mute (dismiss) a violation if you intentionally accept the condition; muted violations can be un-muted from the Violations popover in the toolbar.
Error-level violations (prevent proper operation)
Violation | Description |
Corrupted category data | Internal data integrity issue. Contact support. |
Base unit not assigned | The material has no inventory unit of measure. |
Dimension groups not set | A master material has no dimension groups assigned. |
No variants generated | A master material has dimension groups but no variants have been created. |
Type not allowed in category group | The material type is not permitted by the assigned category group. |
Missing conversion: base to purchase | No unit conversion exists between the inventory and purchase units. |
Missing conversion: base to sales | No unit conversion exists between the inventory and sales units. |
Missing conversion: purchase to sales | No unit conversion exists between the purchase and sales units. |
Warning-level violations
Violation | Description |
Type not assigned | The material has no material type. |
Inactive catalogue | The catalogue this material belongs to has been deactivated. |
Inactive category group | The category group has been deactivated. |
Inactive category | The category has been deactivated. |
Inactive type | The material type has been deactivated. |
Category not assigned | The material has no category. |
Batch enabled but no properties set | Batch tracking is turned on but no batch properties are configured. |
Informational violations
Violation | Description |
Part number not set | The part number field is empty. |
Sales unit not assigned | The material has no sales unit (relevant if salable). |
Purchase unit not assigned | The material has no purchase unit (relevant if purchasable). |
Violations related to procurement are hidden if you do not have Procurement module access. Likewise, sales-related violations are hidden without Sales module access.
─────────────────────────────────
Unit-of-measure conversions
When a material has two or more distinct units assigned (e.g., base unit is "Piece" and purchase unit is "Box"), you need conversions to translate between them.
Adding a conversion
In the Units of Measure section, scroll to the Conversions area.
Click Add.
Select the two units (A and B). Pairs already covered are excluded.
Enter the conversion factor (e.g., 1 Box = 12 Pieces).
Select a rounding mode (e.g., Half Up, Half Down, Floor, Ceiling).
Click Save.
The maximum number of conversions equals n x (n - 1), where n is the number of distinct units. For three units (base, purchase, sales) that's up to six conversions.
Editing or removing a conversion
Click the conversion in the list to edit the factor or rounding mode. The unit pair cannot be changed after creation -- delete and re-create if needed.
─────────────────────────────────
Equipment linking
Materials can be linked to equipment as spare parts:
In the Equipment section, click Add Equipment.
Select an inventory location (filtered to vessel locations).
Select the equipment from that vessel.
Set the quantity, criticality, and optional notes.
Click Save.
The equipment count is shown as a badge on the section header.
─────────────────────────────────
Journal reason policy
For stockable materials, you can configure whether a reason is required, optional, or not shown when this material appears on each type of inventory journal:
Journal type | Default policy |
Arrival | Optional |
Adjustment | Optional |
Counting | Optional |
Movement | Optional |
Transfer | Optional |
Internal Transfer | Optional |
Ownership Transfer | Optional |
Click the policy cell in the table to change it. This material-level policy works together with the location-level reason policy (see [Inventory Management](../inventory-docs/README.md)).
─────────────────────────────────
See also
[Classification](03-classification.md) -- catalogues, category groups, and categories
[Tracking Dimensions](05-tracking-dimensions.md) -- batch, serial, owner configuration
[Variants and Dimensions](06-variants.md) -- master materials and variant generation
[Status Reference](09-status-reference.md) -- complete editability matrix
Last updated: March 2026
Classification
Materials are organised into a three-level hierarchy: Catalogue > Category Group > Category. This structure lets you browse materials the way your organisation thinks about them (e.g., by system, by deck, by function) and apply shared rules at each level.
─────────────────────────────────
Catalogues
A catalogue is the top-level container. Typical examples: IMPA Catalogue, Company Catalogue, Ship Systems.
What a catalogue defines
Property | Description |
Name | Display name of the catalogue. |
Status | Draft, Active, Inactive, or Deprecated. |
Allowed locations | Restrict which inventory locations can use materials from this catalogue. Leave empty to allow all. |
Read-only | When set, materials imported from this catalogue cannot be edited locally. Used for shared/distributed catalogues. |
Require type for procurement | If enabled, materials in this catalogue must have a material type assigned before they can be added to purchase requisitions. |
Category groups | The list of category groups that belong to this catalogue. |
Creating a catalogue
Go to Material > Categorisation > Catalogues.
Click Create in the toolbar.
Enter a name and optionally set allowed locations.
Click Save. The catalogue is created in Draft status.
Open the catalogue and click Activate to make it available.
Catalogue detail page
Section | Contents |
Definition | Name, status, description, read-only flag. |
Category Groups | Table of category groups in this catalogue. Add or remove groups. |
Materials | All materials assigned to this catalogue (read-only list). |
Description | Free-text description. |
Comments | Threaded comments. |
Attachments | File uploads. |
Events | Audit log of all changes. |
Distributed catalogues
Catalogues can be distributed from a central Navatom database to your organisation's database. Distributed catalogue materials are marked as read-only -- you cannot edit their core fields locally. This is used when your organisation subscribes to a standard catalogue maintained by Navatom or a third party.
To request a distributed catalogue:
Open the catalogue list.
Switch to the Distributed tab.
Click Request next to the catalogue you want.
The catalogue and its materials will be imported into your database.
─────────────────────────────────
Category groups
A category group sits between a catalogue and its categories. It lets you group related categories together and control which material types are allowed within the group.
What a category group defines
Property | Description |
Name | Display name (e.g., "Deck Equipment", "Engine Room Spares"). |
Status | Draft, Active, Inactive, or Deprecated. |
Catalogue | The parent catalogue this group belongs to. |
Allowed material types | Only these material types can be assigned to materials in this group. Leave empty to allow all types. |
Creating a category group
Go to Material > Categorisation > Categories and select the Groups tab.
Click Create.
Enter a name and select the parent catalogue.
Optionally restrict allowed material types.
Click Save (created in Draft), then Activate.
Category group detail page
Section | Contents |
Definition | Name, status, catalogue, description. |
Categories | Tree-structured list of categories in this group. |
Allowed Types | Material types permitted in this group. |
Materials | All materials in this group (read-only list). |
Description | Free-text description. |
Comments | Threaded comments. |
Attachments | File uploads. |
Events | Audit log. |
─────────────────────────────────
Categories
Categories are the leaf level of the hierarchy. They support an unlimited tree depth -- a category can have sub-categories, which can have their own sub-categories, and so on.
What a category defines
Property | Description |
Name | Display name (e.g., "Lubricants", "Navigation Lights"). |
Status | Draft, Active, Inactive, or Deprecated. |
Parent category | The parent in the tree (or root if top-level). |
Attribute types | Custom attribute types inherited by materials in this category. |
Inherit attributes | When enabled, the category inherits attribute types from its parent. |
Default tracking dimensions | Override the default tracking settings for materials in this category. |
Cross-catalogue mappings | Map this category to equivalent categories in other catalogues for interoperability. |
Creating a category
Categories are created from within a category group:
Open a category group's detail page.
In the Categories section, click Add Root Category (or right-click an existing category and choose Add Sub-Category).
Enter a name.
Optionally configure attribute types and tracking dimension defaults.
Click Save.
Category detail page
Section | Contents |
Definition | Name, status, parent path (breadcrumb from root). |
Attributes | Attribute types assigned to this category. |
Materials | All materials in this category (read-only list). |
Description | Free-text description. |
Comments | Threaded comments. |
Attachments | File uploads. |
Events | Audit log. |
Category path
Every category maintains a path -- the chain of parent categories from the root down. For example:
Ship Systems > Propulsion > Main Engine > Lubricants
This path is displayed as a breadcrumb on the category detail page and is searchable from the material list.
─────────────────────────────────
How classification affects other modules
Rule | Effect |
Category group restricts allowed types | When creating or editing a material, only permitted types appear in the dropdown. |
Catalogue restricts allowed locations | Materials from a location-restricted catalogue are available only at the specified inventory locations. |
Category defines default tracking dimensions | New materials in the category inherit the category's tracking configuration. |
Category assigns attribute types | Materials in the category display the assigned attribute fields on their detail page. |
Category group is used in approval rules | Approval and authorisation rules can match by category group (e.g., require approval for all "Engine Room" materials). |
Catalogue read-only flag | Materials in a read-only catalogue cannot have their core fields edited. |
─────────────────────────────────
Lifecycle for classification entities
All three levels (catalogue, category group, category) share the same lifecycle statuses:
Status | Meaning |
Draft | Being configured. Not yet available for material assignment. |
Active | Available for use. |
Inactive | Suspended. Existing materials are unaffected, but new materials cannot be assigned to it. A warning violation appears on affected materials. |
Deprecated | Marked for phase-out. Same restrictions as Inactive. |
─────────────────────────────────
See also
[Working with Materials](02-materials.md) -- how classification is used during material creation
[Settings and Configuration](08-settings.md) -- material types that interact with category groups
[Status Reference](09-status-reference.md) -- complete status tables
Last updated: March 2026
Units of Measure
Every material in Navatom can have up to three unit-of-measure assignments: one for inventory tracking, one for purchasing, and one for sales. This chapter explains how to set up unit systems, create units, define conversions, and assign units to materials.
─────────────────────────────────
Concepts
Unit of measure
A unit of measure (UoM) is a standardised quantity for expressing amounts. Examples: Piece, Kilogram, Litre, Box, Metre.
Each unit has:
Property | Description |
Name | Display name (e.g., "Kilogram"). |
Plural name | Used when the quantity is not one (e.g., "Kilograms"). |
Symbol | Abbreviation shown in grids and badges (e.g., "kg"). |
Code | Unique identifier, typically aligned with UNECE Recommendation 20. |
Type | The physical quantity it measures. See [Measurement types](#measurement-types). |
Precision | Number of decimal places (0 to 10) used when displaying quantities. |
Rounding mode | How to round: Half Up, Half Down, Floor, Ceiling, etc. |
Commercial | Flag indicating whether the unit is used in commercial contexts. |
System | Optional grouping (see [Unit systems](#unit-systems)). |
Three unit roles on a material
Role | Purpose |
Base (Inventory) | The fundamental unit for stock tracking and on-hand calculations. All inventory transactions use this unit. |
Purchase | The unit used on purchase orders and vendor quotations. Requires a conversion to the base unit. Only visible if the material type is purchasable. |
Sales | The unit used on sales documents. Requires a conversion to the base unit. Only visible if the material type is salable. |
Global vs. local units
Navatom provides a set of global (system-provided) units of measure that are shared across all organisations (e.g., standard metric and imperial units). Your organisation can also create local units specific to your needs (e.g., "Drum" with a custom capacity).
When searching for a unit, global units are checked first, then local units.
─────────────────────────────────
Unit systems
A unit system groups related units together (e.g., "Metric", "Imperial", "Maritime"). Systems are optional and purely organisational.
Creating a unit system
Go to Material > Settings > Units of Measure and select the Systems tab.
Click Create.
Enter a name and description.
Click Save.
Unit system detail page
Section | Contents |
Definition | Name, status (Draft / Active / Inactive). |
Description | Free-text description. |
Units | Table of all units assigned to this system. |
Comments | Threaded comments. |
Attachments | File uploads. |
Events | Audit log. |
─────────────────────────────────
Creating a unit of measure
Go to Material > Settings > Units of Measure (Units tab).
Click Create.
Fill in the form:
Field | Required | Notes |
System | No | Assign to a unit system for grouping. |
Type | Yes | The measurement type (see list below). |
Name | Yes | Display name. |
Plural name | No | Shown when quantity is not one. |
Symbol | Yes | Short abbreviation (e.g., "kg", "pcs"). |
Description | No | Optional notes. |
Precision | Yes | Decimal places, 0--10. |
Rounding mode | Yes | How to round calculated quantities. |
Commercial | No | Toggle if used in commercial/trade contexts. |
Click Save. The unit is created in Draft status.
Activate it to make it available for material assignment.
Unit detail page
Section | Contents |
Definition | Name, symbol, type, precision, rounding mode, commercial flag. |
System | Parent system assignment. |
Materials | Table of all materials using this unit (as base, purchase, or sales). |
Comments | Threaded comments. |
Attachments | File uploads. |
Events | Audit log. |
─────────────────────────────────
Measurement types
Units are classified by their physical quantity. The available types are:
Type | Examples |
Length | Metre, Foot, Inch |
Mass | Kilogram, Pound, Tonne |
Volume | Litre, Gallon, Cubic Metre |
Quantity | Piece, Each, Dozen |
Area | Square Metre, Acre |
Time | Hour, Day, Minute |
Temperature | Celsius, Fahrenheit |
Pressure | Bar, PSI, Pascal |
Velocity | Knot, km/h, m/s |
Force | Newton, Kilogram-force |
Energy | Joule, kWh, BTU |
Power | Watt, Horsepower |
Electric Current | Ampere |
Voltage | Volt |
Frequency | Hertz, RPM |
Density | kg/m3, lb/ft3 |
Flow Rate | m3/h, GPM |
Torque | Nm, lb-ft |
Viscosity | cSt, Pa.s |
Concentration | ppm, mg/L |
Luminous Intensity | Candela, Lumen |
Angle | Degree, Radian |
Data | Byte, Megabyte |
Proportion | Percentage, Ratio |
Electrical Resistance | Ohm |
Currency | USD, EUR |
Custom | For non-standard quantities |
─────────────────────────────────
Unit conversions
A conversion defines how to translate between two units. Conversions are stored at two levels:
Global conversions -- between global (system-provided) units; shared across all organisations.
Material-level conversions -- on individual materials, between any two of that material's assigned units.
Creating a global conversion
Go to Material > Settings > Units of Measure and select the Conversions tab.
Click Create.
Select Unit A and Unit B.
Enter the conversion factor (how many of B equal one A).
Select a rounding mode.
Click Save.
Material-level conversions
These are configured on the material detail page in the Units of Measure section. See [Working with Materials > Unit-of-measure conversions](02-materials.md#unit-of-measure-conversions).
Conversion direction
Conversions are bidirectional. If you define "1 Box = 12 Pieces", the system automatically knows that 1 Piece = 0.0833 Boxes (using the inverse of the factor, subject to the configured rounding).
─────────────────────────────────
Assigning units to a material
From the creation form
Select the base, purchase, and/or sales units during material creation.
From the material detail page
Open the material.
In the Units of Measure section, click the unit field you want to set.
Search for and select the unit from the dropdown.
The unit is saved immediately.
**Important** -- Changing a unit is a structural edit. Once any inventory transaction exists for the material, unit assignments cannot be changed. The field will show a lock icon and the message: *"This field cannot be changed because inventory transactions already exist."*
Validation
If you assign two or more distinct units but do not create the conversion between them, a red validation violation will appear:
*"Missing conversion: base to purchase"*
*"Missing conversion: base to sales"*
*"Missing conversion: purchase to sales"*
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See also
[Working with Materials](02-materials.md) -- unit assignment in context
[Settings and Configuration](08-settings.md) -- unit systems and global setup
[Status Reference](09-status-reference.md) -- unit lifecycle statuses
Last updated: March 2026
Tracking Dimensions
Tracking dimensions add granularity to your inventory records. Instead of knowing only "we have 100 litres of lubricant at Warehouse A", tracking dimensions let you know which batch, which serial number, who owns it, which shelf it's on, and what quality status it has.
─────────────────────────────────
Overview
Each material can enable up to five independent tracking dimensions:
Dimension | What it tracks | Typical use case |
Space | The physical storage location within a warehouse | Shelves, bins, holds, racks |
Status | The quality or condition state of the stock | Available, Quarantine, Inspection, Blocked |
Batch | A manufacturing or procurement lot | Lot-controlled chemicals, paints, food items |
Serial | An individual item's unique identifier | High-value equipment, certified components |
Owner | The legal entity that owns the stock | Consignment stock, vendor-managed inventory |
Tracking dimensions are configured per material on the material detail page (Tracking Dimensions section in the right sidebar). They are structural fields -- once any inventory transaction exists for the material, tracking toggles cannot be changed.
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Space tracking
When enabled, every inventory transaction for this material records the space (sub-location) where the stock is stored. Spaces are defined within inventory locations.
On inventory journal lines, a Space column appears for selecting the space.
On-hand quantities are broken down by space.
Transfer journals can move stock between spaces.
─────────────────────────────────
Status tracking
When enabled, each unit of stock carries an inventory status -- a user-defined quality state.
Inventory statuses
Inventory statuses are configured under Inventory > Settings > Inventory Statuses. Each status has:
Property | Description |
Code | Short identifier (e.g., "AVAIL", "QUAR"). |
Name | Display name (e.g., "Available", "Quarantine"). |
Description | Optional explanation. |
Available | When unchecked, stock with this status is excluded from picking and consumption. |
Blocked | When checked, stock with this status is excluded from planning calculations. |
Changing the status of on-hand stock
You can change the quality status of stock directly from the On Hand > Tracking view:
Find the stock row you want to reclassify.
Click the Change Status action.
Select the new status and the quantity to reclassify.
Confirm.
Behind the scenes, this creates paired inventory transactions: one removing stock from the old status and one adding it to the new status.
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Batch tracking
Batch (or lot) tracking groups stock by a production or procurement batch. This is essential for traceability, recalls, and expiry management.
Enabling batch tracking
Open the material and go to Tracking Dimensions.
Toggle Batch to on.
Configure Batch Properties -- select which fields to track:
Property | Description |
Batch Number | Required identifier for the batch. |
Manufacturing Date | When the batch was produced. |
Shelf Life Date | When the batch reaches end of shelf life. |
Best Before Date | When the batch is no longer at peak quality. |
Expiry Date | When the batch expires and can no longer be used. |
Country of Origin | Where the batch was manufactured or sourced. |
Automatic date calculation
If Manufacturing Date is enabled alongside any of the date properties, you can configure period days that automatically calculate the target date:
Shelf life period (days) -- *Manufacturing Date + N days = Shelf Life Date*
Best before period (days) -- *Manufacturing Date + N days = Best Before Date*
Expiry period (days) -- *Manufacturing Date + N days = Expiry Date*
**Warning** -- If you enable batch tracking but do not configure any batch properties, a yellow validation warning will appear: *"Batch tracking is enabled but no batch properties are configured."*
Batch lifecycle
Status | Meaning |
New | Just created; not yet used in a transaction. |
Active | In use. Inventory transactions reference this batch. |
Quarantine | Isolated for quality investigation. Stock is typically blocked. |
Depleted | All stock from this batch has been consumed or transferred out. |
Archived | Permanently closed for historical reference. |
When an arrival journal is posted, any New batches referenced in its tracking lines are automatically transitioned to Active.
Expiry monitoring
The On Hand > Expiry view provides a dedicated grid for monitoring batch expiry across all locations. Each row shows:
Material name and batch number
All configured date fields (manufacturing, shelf life, best before, expiry)
Remaining days -- calculated as the number of days until expiry, with colour-coded urgency
Shelf life status: - *Valid* -- not yet approaching expiry - *Expiring Soon* -- approaching the configured threshold - *Expired* -- past the expiry date - *No Expiry* -- no expiry date is set for this batch
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Serial number tracking
Serial tracking assigns a unique identifier to each individual item. Unlike batch tracking (which groups items), serial tracking is one-to-one: each serial number represents exactly one unit.
Serial number lifecycle
Status | Meaning |
New | Created but not yet in inventory. |
Active | Currently in stock. |
Quarantine | Isolated for investigation. |
Sold | Transferred to a customer. |
Consumed | Used internally (maintenance, production). |
Scrapped | Permanently removed from service. |
Issued | Issued to a department or work order. |
Serial numbers can optionally be linked to a batch (when both serial and batch tracking are enabled on the same material).
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Ownership tracking
Ownership tracking records who owns each unit of stock. This is important for consignment inventory, vendor-managed inventory, and multi-party warehouse scenarios.
Owner types
Type | Description |
Internal | Owned by your organisation. |
Supplier | Owned by a vendor (consignment stock). |
Customer | Owned by a customer (held on their behalf). |
Owner lifecycle
Status | Meaning |
New | Owner record created but not yet used in transactions. |
Active | In use. Inventory references this owner. |
Blocked | Owner is suspended; stock cannot be transacted under this owner. |
Ownership transfer journal
When stock ownership needs to change (e.g., consignment stock is purchased, or stock is transferred to a customer), use an Ownership Transfer Journal. See [Inventory Management > Ownership Transfer](../inventory-docs/07-ownership-transfer.md).
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How tracking dimensions work in journal lines
When a material with tracking dimensions is added to an inventory journal, each journal line can have tracking lines -- sub-rows that break the line's quantity down by dimension:
Journal Line: Lubricant Oil, 100 L
├─ Tracking Line 1: Batch B-2024-001, Space A1, 60 L
├─ Tracking Line 2: Batch B-2024-002, Space A2, 30 L
└─ Tracking Line 3: Batch B-2024-003, Space B1, 10 L
The sum of tracking line quantities must equal the parent line's quantity.
Tracking line locking
Once a tracking dimension entity (batch, serial, or owner) has been used in a posted transaction (i.e., its status is no longer New), it becomes immutable on that tracking line. You cannot change the batch number, serial number, or owner after the fact. You can only create new tracking lines with different values.
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See also
[Working with Materials](02-materials.md) -- where to configure tracking on a material
[Coverage and Planning](07-coverage-and-planning.md) -- how tracking affects stock calculations
[Status Reference](09-status-reference.md) -- batch, serial, and owner status tables
Last updated: March 2026
Variants and Dimensions
When a material comes in multiple variations -- different colours, sizes, styles, or capacities -- Navatom uses a master-variant system. A single master material defines the shared properties, and individual variant materials represent each specific combination.
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Concepts
Master material
A master material is a template. It cannot be used directly in transactions (you cannot stock or purchase a "T-Shirt" -- you stock a "T-Shirt, Red, XL"). The master holds shared properties:
Name, code, description
Material type and category
Dimension group assignments (which axes of variation apply)
Optionally: shared attributes and shared physical dimensions
Variant material
A variant is a concrete, transactable material generated from a master. Each variant represents a unique combination of dimension values (e.g., Colour=Red + Size=XL). Variants have their own:
Code and part number
Lifecycle status (independent of the master)
Units of measure
Tracking dimensions
Coverage settings
On-hand quantities
Standalone material
A material that does not participate in the variant system. Most materials are standalone -- they represent a single item without variations.
Dimension group
A dimension group defines one axis of variation. Each group has a type that describes what kind of variation it represents:
Type | Examples |
Colour | Red, Blue, Black |
Size | S, M, L, XL, XXL |
Style | Classic, Modern, Sport |
Capacity | 500ml, 1L, 2L |
Material | Steel, Aluminium, Plastic |
Flavour | Vanilla, Chocolate, Mint |
Version | v1.0, v2.0, v3.0 |
Dimension
A dimension is a single value within a group (e.g., "Red" in the Colour group). Each dimension has a name, an optional code, and a status (Draft / Active / Inactive).
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Setting up dimension groups and dimensions
Dimension groups and dimensions are configured from the **company application** only, under **Material > Categorisation > Dimensions**.
Creating a dimension group
Go to Material > Categorisation > Dimensions and select the Groups tab.
Click Create.
Enter a name (e.g., "Paint Colours") and select the type (e.g., Colour).
Click Save. The group is created in Draft status.
Activate the group.
Adding dimensions to a group
Open the dimension group.
In the Dimensions section, click Create.
Enter the dimension name (e.g., "Red"), optional code, and description.
Click Save and Activate.
Repeat for each value in the group.
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Creating a master material
Open Material > Material List and click Create.
Set Variation type to Master.
Fill in the name, category, and type as usual.
Click Save.
Assigning dimension groups
Once the master material is created:
Open it and find the Dimensions section in the right sidebar.
For each relevant dimension type (Colour, Size, etc.), select a dimension group from the dropdown.
Once at least one group is assigned, the system can generate variants.
**Validation** -- If you assign dimension groups but do not generate any variants, a red violation will appear: *"No variants generated for this master material."* If you forget to assign dimension groups entirely, you'll see: *"Dimension groups not set."*
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Generating variants
Open the master material and go to the Variants section in the centre.
Click Add Variant. A modal opens showing all possible variants -- the full cartesian product of all dimension group values. For example, if you have: - Colour group: Red, Blue - Size group: S, M, L The possible variants table shows six rows: | Name | Colour | Size | |----------------------------|--------|------| | T-Shirt - Red - S | Red | S | | T-Shirt - Red - M | Red | M | | T-Shirt - Red - L | Red | L | | T-Shirt - Blue - S | Blue | S | | T-Shirt - Blue - M | Blue | M | | T-Shirt - Blue - L | Blue | L |
Select the variants you want to create (check individual rows or use the header checkbox to select all).
Click Create. Selected variants are generated as new material records in Draft status.
Each generated variant:
Gets an auto-generated name: *"[Master name] - [Dim1] - [Dim2] - ..."*
Inherits the master's type and category
Can optionally inherit attributes and physical dimensions (see below)
Has its own independent lifecycle
Already-created variants
Variants that already exist are excluded from the possible-variants table. You will only see combinations that have not yet been generated.
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Shared properties
A master material can optionally share certain properties with its variants:
Shared attributes
When Share Attributes is enabled on the master:
Attribute values set on the master are inherited by all variants.
Editing an attribute on the master propagates to all variants.
Shared physical dimensions
When Share Physical Dimensions is enabled:
Physical measurements (weight, height, width, depth, volume) set on the master are inherited by all variants.
Both sharing toggles can be controlled from the master material's detail page.
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What master materials cannot do
Because a master is a template, several features are hidden or disabled:
Feature | Available on Master? |
On Hand | No |
Transactions | No |
Price History | No |
Coverage | No |
External Part Numbers | No |
Attributes | Only if sharing is enabled |
Physical Dimensions | Only if sharing is enabled |
Tracking Dimensions | No |
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Managing variants
Each variant is a full material record. You can:
Open it from the master's Variants table (click the row).
Edit its name, code, part number, and other basic fields independently.
Assign different units of measure.
Configure tracking dimensions.
Set up coverage per location.
Activate, deactivate, or deprecate it independently of the master.
The variant's detail page shows a Hierarchy section indicating its master material with a navigation link back to the master.
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Removing a dimension group from a master
You can remove a dimension group from a master only if no variants have been generated yet. Once variants exist, the dimension group assignment is locked -- you would need to delete all variants first.
The dimension group dropdown shows a clear (x) button only when there are no variants.
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See also
[Working with Materials](02-materials.md) -- creating materials
[Settings and Configuration](08-settings.md) -- dimension group setup
[Classification](03-classification.md) -- how categories interact with types
Last updated: March 2026
Coverage and Planning
Coverage settings define how much of each material you want to keep at each inventory location -- minimum stock levels, reorder points, lot sizes, and lead times. These parameters drive stock-level monitoring, coverage analysis, and future MRP calculations.
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Where coverage is configured
Coverage is set per material, per location. A single material can have different planning parameters at different warehouses or vessels.
You can manage coverage from two places:
Material detail page > Coverage section (centre area) -- shows all locations where this material has coverage settings.
Inventory location detail page > Coverage tab -- shows all materials with coverage settings at this location.
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Creating a coverage record
Open a material's detail page.
Go to the Coverage section.
Click Add.
Select the inventory location. Locations that already have coverage for this material are excluded from the dropdown.
Fill in the planning parameters (see table below).
Click Save.
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Coverage parameters
Stock levels
Field | Description |
Minimum | The reorder point. When on-hand drops below this, replenishment should be triggered. |
Optimal | The target stock level after replenishment. |
Maximum | The upper limit. Replenishment should not exceed this. |
Classification
Field | Description |
Critical | Toggle indicating this is a critical item at this location. |
Criticality | Qualitative rating: Low, Medium, or High. Used for ABC analysis. |
Valuation | Qualitative rating: Low, Medium, or High. Used for XYZ analysis. |
MRP planning
Field | Description |
MRP type | The planning strategy. See [MRP types](#mrp-types). |
Lot size procedure | How to calculate order quantities. See [Lot sizing](#lot-sizing). |
Planning period | Number of days per planning cycle. |
Shrinkage rate | Expected percentage loss during storage or handling. |
Order modifiers
Field | Description |
Minimum order quantity | Smallest quantity that can be ordered. |
Maximum order quantity | Largest quantity that can be ordered at once. |
Fixed order quantity | If set, orders are always this exact quantity. |
Order quantity multiple | Orders must be in multiples of this value (e.g., 10). |
Procurement lead times
Field | Description |
Planned delivery days | Expected number of days from order placement to delivery. |
GR processing days | Number of days to process the goods receipt after arrival. |
Over-delivery tolerance | Percentage by which a delivery may exceed the ordered quantity. |
Under-delivery tolerance | Percentage by which a delivery may fall short of the ordered quantity. |
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MRP types
The MRP type determines how the system evaluates replenishment needs:
MRP type | Behaviour |
Not Planned | No automatic planning. Stock levels are monitored but no replenishment suggestions are generated. |
Reorder Point | Triggers replenishment when on-hand falls below the minimum level. Simple and effective for steady-demand items. |
MRP | Demand-driven planning. Considers open orders, forecasts, and lead times to schedule replenishment. |
Forecast-Based | Uses historical consumption data and forecasts to project future needs. |
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Lot sizing
The lot size procedure determines how much to order when replenishment is triggered:
Procedure | Behaviour |
Exact | Order exactly the quantity needed to fill the gap. |
Fixed | Always order the fixed order quantity (from order modifiers). |
Min/Max | Order enough to bring stock up to the maximum level. |
Period | Consolidate demand over the planning period into a single order. |
Manual | No automatic calculation; the planner decides the quantity. |
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Coverage monitoring
On Hand > Coverage view
The On Hand > Coverage view (under Inventory > On Hand) provides a real-time analysis of stock levels against coverage targets across all materials and locations:
Column | Description |
Material | Material name, code, and type. |
Location | Inventory location. |
On-hand quantity | Current stock level. |
Minimum | Configured minimum stock level. |
Optimal | Configured optimal stock level. |
Maximum | Configured maximum stock level. |
Coverage ratio | Percentage of optimal level currently on hand. Colour-coded. |
Coverage status | Qualitative assessment based on the ratio. |
Coverage statuses
Status | Meaning | Visual indicator |
Critical | On-hand is zero or dangerously low. | Red |
Below Minimum | On-hand is below the minimum level. | Orange |
Below Optimal | On-hand is between minimum and optimal. | Yellow |
Adequate | On-hand is at or above the optimal level. | Green |
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Editing and removing coverage
Editing
In the Coverage table, click the Edit button on the row.
A form opens pre-populated with the current values.
Make your changes and click Save.
Removing
Click the Delete button on the row.
Confirm the deletion. This cannot be undone.
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Coverage vs. location-level reason policy
Coverage parameters and location-level reason policies serve different purposes:
Coverage answers: *"How much should we have?"*
Reason policy answers: *"Why are we making this inventory change?"*
Both are configured per location but address different aspects of inventory management.
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See also
[Working with Materials](02-materials.md) -- coverage section on the material detail page
[Tracking Dimensions](05-tracking-dimensions.md) -- how tracking granularity affects stock calculations
[Status Reference](09-status-reference.md) -- coverage status definitions
Last updated: March 2026
Settings and Configuration
This chapter covers the configuration entities that support Material Management: material types, attributes, dimension groups, user groups, and access rights.
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Material types
A material type defines the behavioural profile of a material -- whether it can be purchased, stocked, sold, or manufactured. Types also control which sections appear on the material detail page.
Type capabilities
Capability | Effect when enabled |
Purchasable | Material can appear on purchase requisitions, orders, and quotations. The purchase unit field is visible. Price history is available. |
Stockable | Material participates in inventory tracking. On-hand, transactions, coverage, tracking dimensions, physical dimensions, and journal reason policy sections are visible. |
Valuated | Material has financial value and participates in valuation calculations. |
Salable | Material can appear on sales documents. The sales unit field is visible. |
Manufacturable | Material can be produced internally. |
Creating a material type
Go to Material > Categorisation > Types.
Click Create.
Fill in:
Field | Required | Notes |
Name | Yes | Display name (e.g., "Spare Part", "Consumable"). |
Code | No | Short identifier. |
Code prefix | No | 3-letter uppercase prefix used for auto-generating material codes (e.g., "SPR" produces codes like SPR 000001). |
Description | No | Explanation of when to use this type. |
Capabilities | No | Toggle each capability on or off. |
Default for creation | No | When enabled, this type is pre-selected in the material creation form. Only one type can be the default. |
Allowed units | No | Restrict which units of measure can be assigned to materials of this type. Leave empty to allow all. |
Click Save (created in Draft), then Activate.
Material type detail page
Section | Contents |
Definition | Name, code, code prefix, capabilities, status, default flag. |
Description | Free-text description. |
Allowed Units | Units permitted for this type. |
Materials | All materials of this type (read-only list). |
Comments | Threaded comments. |
Attachments | File uploads. |
Events | Audit log. |
Type lifecycle
Status | Meaning |
Draft | Being configured. Cannot be assigned to materials. |
Active | Available for assignment. |
Inactive | Suspended. Existing materials keep the type, but new materials cannot use it. A warning violation appears. |
Deprecated | Marked for phase-out. |
Deleted | Permanently removed. |
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Attributes
Attributes let you attach custom data fields to materials based on their category. This is useful for industry-specific properties that are not part of the standard material record.
Attribute types
An attribute type is a field definition. Examples: "Viscosity Grade", "Colour Code", "CE Marking Date".
Property | Description |
Name | Display name. |
Value type | Data type of the value. Options: Text, Integer, Decimal, Date, Date-Time, Year, Month, Year-Month, Boolean. |
Allow multiple | Whether the attribute can have multiple values. |
Options | For text attributes, a fixed list of selectable options (dropdown). |
Range | For numeric attributes, minimum and maximum constraints. |
Status | Draft, Active, or Inactive. |
Creating an attribute type
Go to Material > Categorisation > Attributes (Details tab).
Click Create.
Define the name, value type, and constraints.
Click Save and Activate.
Attribute type groups
Groups organise related attribute types together. For example, a "Chemical Properties" group might contain "Viscosity Grade", "Flash Point", and "pH".
Groups have their own lifecycle (Draft / Active / Inactive) and can be assigned to categories.
Assigning attributes to categories
Attribute types are linked to categories (see [Classification](03-classification.md)):
Open a category's detail page.
In the Attributes section, add the desired attribute types.
Optionally enable Inherit Attributes to pull in attribute types from the parent category.
Once assigned, any material in that category will display the attribute fields on its detail page.
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Dimension groups and dimensions
Dimension groups and dimensions power the variant system. See [Variants and Dimensions](06-variants.md) for full details.
Managing dimension groups
Go to Material > Categorisation > Dimensions (Groups tab).
Create groups, set their type (Colour, Size, etc.), and activate.
Managing dimensions
Go to Material > Categorisation > Dimensions (Details tab).
Create dimensions, assign them to groups, and activate.
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User groups
Material user groups are used in authorisation rules to control which users can perform certain actions on materials based on their category group assignment.
Managing user groups
Go to Material > Settings > User Groups.
Create, edit, or delete groups.
Assign users to groups.
User groups defined here are referenced in inventory approval rules and authorisation rules. For example, a rule might say: "Users in the 'Engine Room Team' group can create requisitions for materials in the 'Engine Room Spares' category group."
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Access rights
Material Management uses access rights to control who can perform specific actions. These are configured in the Administration module.
Company-side access rights
Access right | Controls |
Create Material | Ability to create new material records. |
Edit Material | Ability to edit material fields and perform lifecycle actions. |
Create Material Type | Ability to create new material types. |
Edit Material Type | Ability to edit material types. |
Create Material Category | Ability to create categories. |
Edit Material Category | Ability to edit categories. |
Create Material Category Group | Ability to create category groups. |
Edit Material Category Group | Ability to edit category groups. |
Edit Material Catalogue | Ability to edit catalogues. |
Ship-side access rights
Access right | Controls |
Create Material | Ability to create materials from the ship application. |
Edit Material | Ability to edit materials from the ship application. |
Create Material Category | Ability to create categories from the ship application. |
Edit Material Category | Ability to edit categories from the ship application. |
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See also
[Working with Materials](02-materials.md) -- how types and attributes affect the material detail page
[Classification](03-classification.md) -- how types interact with category groups
[Variants and Dimensions](06-variants.md) -- dimension groups in the variant system
Last updated: March 2026
Status Reference
This document is a quick-reference for every status, editability rule, and lifecycle in the Material Management module.
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Material statuses
Status | Colour | Can be used in transactions? | Basic fields editable? | Structural fields editable? |
Draft | Amber | No | Yes | Yes (if no transactions) |
Active | Green | Yes | Yes | Yes (if no transactions) |
Inactive | Grey | No | Yes | Yes (if no transactions) |
Deprecated | Orange | No | No | No |
Deleted | Red | No | No | No |
Material status transitions
From | Allowed transitions |
Draft | Activate, Deprecate |
Active | Deactivate |
Inactive | Activate, Deprecate, Delete |
Deprecated | Activate, Delete |
Deleted | *(terminal state)* |
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Material editability matrix
Basic fields
Field | Draft | Active | Inactive | Deprecated | Deleted |
Name | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View |
Description | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View |
Code | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View |
Part Number | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View |
Tags | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View |
Product IDs | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View |
External Part Nos. | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View |
Attributes | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View |
Manufacturer | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View |
Images | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View |
Comments | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View |
Attachments | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View |
Structural fields
These fields are additionally locked when inventory transactions exist, regardless of status.
Field | Draft | Active | Inactive | Deprecated | Deleted | After transactions? |
Material Type | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View | Locked |
Category | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View | Locked |
Base Unit | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View | Locked |
Purchase Unit | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View | Locked |
Sales Unit | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View | Locked |
UoM Conversions | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View | Locked |
Tracking Dimensions | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View | Locked |
Physical Dimensions | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View | Locked |
Dimension Groups | Edit | Edit | Edit | View | View | Locked |
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Material type statuses
Status | Colour | Assignable to new materials? |
Draft | Amber | No |
Active | Green | Yes |
Inactive | Grey | No (warning on existing) |
Deprecated | Orange | No (warning on existing) |
Deleted | Red | No |
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Catalogue statuses
Status | Colour | Materials can be assigned? |
Draft | Amber | No |
Active | Green | Yes |
Inactive | Grey | No (warning on existing) |
Deprecated | Orange | No (warning on existing) |
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Category group statuses
Status | Colour | Materials can be assigned? |
Draft | Amber | No |
Active | Green | Yes |
Inactive | Grey | No (warning on existing) |
Deprecated | Orange | No (warning on existing) |
Deleted | Red | No |
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Category statuses
Status | Colour | Materials can be assigned? |
Draft | Amber | No |
Active | Green | Yes |
Inactive | Grey | No (warning on existing) |
Deprecated | Orange | No (warning on existing) |
Deleted | Red | No |
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Unit of measure statuses
Status | Colour | Assignable to materials? |
Draft | Amber | No |
Active | Green | Yes |
Inactive | Grey | No |
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Unit of measure conversion statuses
Status | Colour | Used in calculations? |
Draft | Amber | No |
Active | Green | Yes |
Inactive | Grey | No |
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Unit of measure system statuses
Status | Colour | Units can be assigned? |
Draft | Amber | No |
Active | Green | Yes |
Inactive | Grey | No |
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Attribute type statuses
Status | Colour | Assignable to categories? |
Draft | Amber | No |
Active | Green | Yes |
Inactive | Grey | No |
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Attribute type group statuses
Status | Colour | Can hold attribute types? |
Draft | Amber | No |
Active | Green | Yes |
Inactive | Grey | No |
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Dimension statuses
Status | Colour | Assignable to groups? |
Draft | Amber | No |
Active | Green | Yes |
Inactive | Grey | No |
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Dimension group statuses
Status | Colour | Assignable to masters? |
Draft | Amber | No |
Active | Green | Yes |
Inactive | Grey | No |
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Batch statuses
Status | Colour | Description |
New | Grey | Just created; transitions to Active on first post. |
Active | Green | In use in inventory. |
Quarantine | Orange | Isolated for quality investigation. |
Depleted | Yellow | All stock consumed. |
Archived | Grey | Permanently closed. |
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Serial number statuses
Status | Colour | Description |
New | Grey | Created but not yet in inventory. |
Active | Green | Currently in stock. |
Quarantine | Orange | Isolated for investigation. |
Sold | Blue | Transferred to a customer. |
Consumed | Grey | Used internally. |
Scrapped | Red | Permanently removed from service. |
Issued | Teal | Issued to a department or work order. |
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Owner statuses
Status | Colour | Description |
New | Grey | Created but not yet used in transactions. |
Active | Green | In use. |
Blocked | Red | Suspended; stock cannot be transacted under this owner. |
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Validation violations quick reference
Violation | Severity | Colour |
Corrupted category data | Error | Purple |
Base unit not assigned | Error | Red |
Dimension groups not set | Error | Red |
No variants generated | Error | Red |
Type not allowed in category group | Error | Red |
Missing conversion: base to purchase | Error | Red |
Missing conversion: base to sales | Error | Red |
Missing conversion: purchase to sales | Error | Red |
Type not assigned | Warning | Orange |
Inactive catalogue | Warning | Orange |
Inactive category group | Warning | Orange |
Inactive category | Warning | Orange |
Inactive type | Warning | Orange |
Category not assigned | Warning | Yellow |
Batch enabled, no properties set | Warning | Yellow |
Part number not set | Info | Grey |
Sales unit not assigned | Info | Grey |
Purchase unit not assigned | Info | Grey |
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Glossary
Term | Definition |
Base unit | The fundamental unit of measure used for inventory tracking. Also called the inventory unit. |
Batch | A manufacturing or procurement lot, used for traceability. |
Catalogue | The top-level container in the classification hierarchy. |
Category | A leaf-level classification node within a category group. |
Category group | A mid-level grouping within a catalogue that can restrict material types. |
Coverage | Per-material, per-location stock planning parameters. |
Dimension | A single value in a dimension group (e.g., "Red"). |
Dimension group | An axis of variation for master materials (e.g., "Colour Group"). |
Master material | A template material that generates variants. |
Material type | A behavioural profile defining what a material can do (purchase, stock, sell). |
MRP | Material Requirements Planning -- demand-driven replenishment. |
On hand | The current stock quantity, calculated from inventory transactions. |
Serial number | A unique identifier for an individual item. |
Space | A sub-location within an inventory location (shelf, bin, hold). |
Standalone material | A material that does not participate in the variant system. |
Structural field | A field that is locked once inventory transactions exist. |
Tracking dimension | A dimension (batch, serial, owner, space, status) that adds granularity to inventory records. |
UoM | Unit of Measure. |
Variant | A concrete, transactable material generated from a master. |
Violation | A validation issue detected on a material record. |
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Last updated: March 2026
