Kits

Kits

Kits in Retailer allow you to add multiple items to a sale by scanning a single barcode. Each component of the Kit appears on the receipt and is included in sales reporting.  Kits can be used for packages, bundles, and similar grouped sales. A Kit should be thought of as a virtual stock item or container item that groups component items together.
Kit items themselves do not have a quantity on hand or a price. Both stock levels and pricing are always managed at the component level.

How are Manufactured Goods and Kits Different?

Kits share some similarities with Manufactured Goods, but there are important distinctions in how they are created, sold, and tracked in inventory.
  1. Manufactured Goods (MFG)
    1. Consumption of Components: When a Manufactured Good is created, its components are consumed and their quantity on hand (QOH) is reduced. This happens whether the item is pre-made or automatically made when sold.
    2. Sales Reporting: Sales reports for a Manufactured Good reflect sales of the finished item, not the individual components.
    3. Inventory Management: Stock can be managed at either the Manufactured Good level or the component level. Items can be 'Made' to increase MFG stock and reduce component stock, or 'Unmade' to do the reverse.
  2. Kits
    1. Container Product: A Kit is a container for its component products. When sold, the system records the sale of each component, not the Kit itself.
    2. Flexibility at POS: Kits can be modified at the point of sale, allowing components to be swapped or upgraded. You can even pre-set allowable alteration items.  
    3. Sales Reporting: Reports show sales of the individual Kit components, which is useful when you want visibility of each item sold.
    4. Inventory Management: Kits do not hold stock themselves. The QOH is always tracked at the component level.

Activating the Kits Module

To use Kits, the Kits module must be enabled. To check this:
  1. On the top menu bar of Retailer, click on Help → Register.
  2. The Kits tick-box needs to be ticked. If it isn't, follow the steps below to enable it:
    1. The Kits feature is available only to Software Rental users on the Advanced or Ultimate rental level.
    2. Standard rental users must contact accounts@towersystems.com.au to request an upgrade to Advanced.
    3. Legacy Support users will need to Switch to Rental.
If you are unsure, you can check your plan on our Billing page. Log in and look under 'Current Subscriptions'. If the plan is called 'Retailer Software Rental Standard' or 'Support Plan...' followed by a colour, you will need to contact Accounts by email accounts@towersystems.com.au

Kit Terminology

Kit Item: A Kit Item is a product made up of multiple products
Component Item: The Stock Items that are normally sold when a Kit item is added to POS
Notes
Note: Kit Items cannot be set as a Component of another Kit item
Alteration: Select Stock Items that can be added to a Kit for a single sale from the list of Alternate Items
Addition: Stock Items that are added to a Kit for a single sale. Can be any product in system

Create a Kit

  1. Open the Stock Screen and click the Magnifying Glass 🔎︎ at the bottom to open the Find Stock Screen
  2. Select the Stock Item you wish to make a kit and click Ok
    1. If the Kit Stock Item doesn't exist, click the Add button in the bottom left. See Creating a Stock Item
      Notes
      Do not use the normal Item you wish to be in a Kit as the Kit Item. A Kit Item should be a separate item that has the normal item as a Component
  3. In the Stock Screen, click the Kit/Package button on the right hand side.
    1. If you cannot see the Kit/Package button, check the Activating the Kits Module section above
  4. You will be prompted, 'Would you like to make X a Kit?' Click Yes. The Kits screen will open.
  5. The first step is to add Components for the Kit. In the 'Components' grid at the bottom of the screen, click into the first row labeled 'Click Here to add a new row'.
  6. Scan a Barcode into the Barcode box or press [Enter] on the keyboard to open the Find Stock Screen to select a Component Stock Item.
  7. Enter the Quantity of the Component Item required for the Kit
  8. For 'Pricing Method', you can choose between 'Retail' and 'Set Price'.
    1. 'Retail' will always use the current 'Retail' price of the Component Item when the Kit is sold. 
    2. 'Set Price' allows you to set a custom price for the Component in the 'Unit Price' column which will be used when the Kit is sold.  Beware, this will not change if component items prices are changed. 
  9. Repeat Steps 5 to 8 to add any additional Components to the Kit.
  10. To add Alternate Items, click into the 'Add Item' box in the bottom right corner.
  11. Scan a Barcode into the 'Add Item' box or press [Enter] on the keyboard to open the Find Stock Screen to select an Alternate Stock Item.
    1. If the Alternate Item has multiple images, you can click an Image in the 'Selected Image' box
  12. In the top left, select a Restriction setting for the Kit Item. This applies to altering Kit Components during a sale.
    1. No Alterations: (Default) The Component Items of the Kit cannot be changed when sold
    2. Alterations: Extra Component Items for a single sale can be selected from the list of 'Alternate Items'
    3. Additions & Alterations: Any Stock Item can be added as a Component Item for a single sale
  13. If you wish to make any Notes for the Kit, add these to the Note box in the top left.
  14. Click Save in the bottom right corner.
    1. The Estimated QOH in the top left corner will update based on the current Component Quantities

Edit a Kit

  1. Open the Stock Screen and click the Magnifying Glass 🔎︎ at the bottom to open the Find Stock Screen.
  2. Select the Kit Stock Item you wish to edit and click Ok.
  3. In the Stock Screen, click the Kit/Package button on the right-hand side.
  4. You can then make changes to the Kit Item.
  5. Once finished, click Save in the bottom right corner.
Add Alterations to a Kit
To add Alternate Items to a Kit Item:
  1. Follow the above steps to open the Kits Setup screen.
  2. Click into the 'Add Item' box in the bottom right corner.
  3. Scan a Barcode into the 'Add Item' box or press [Enter] on the keyboard to open the Find Stock Screen to select an Alternate Stock Item.
    1. If the Alternate Item has multiple images, you can click an Image in the 'Selected Image' box
  4. Once finished, click Save in the bottom right corner.

Copy a Kit

  1. Open the Stock Screen and click the Magnifying Glass 🔎︎ at the bottom to open the Find Stock Screen.
  2. Select the Kit Stock Item you wish to copy and click Ok.
  3. In the Stock Screen, click the Kit/Package button on the right-hand side.
  4. Click the Copy button in the bottom left corner.
  5. The Find Stock Screen will open. Select the existing item you wish to make a Kit with, or click Add to create a new Kit Item.
  6. Follow the Create a Kit steps above from Step 5.

Sell A Kit

When selling a Kit, the component items will be automatically added to the Sale.
Note: This can only be done in Point of Sale and Quote and Invoice Management. Other areas of Retailer will treat a Kit Item as a regular product and will not include the Component Items (e.g. Orders Maintenance, Invoice Arrivals, Repairs, Recurring Invoices, etc.)

Point of Sale

  1. To sell a Kit, scan the Kit Item into the Point of Sale.
  2. If the Kit Item components have sufficient quantity on hand, the Kit and Component Items will be added to the POS Screen.
  3. If one or more of the components have insufficient quantity on hand, you will be prompted:
    1. Fill all items regardless of QOH
    2. Fill only the items that are in stock
    3. Do not sell this kit
  4. To edit a Kit Item in POS, double click the Kit Item description in the POS Screen.
  5. You will be able to edit the Kit Item Components for this sale, depending on the 'Restriction' setting of the Kit.
    Note: You cannot change the 'Restriction' setting when selling a Kit. That can only be done from the Kits Setup screen. 
  6. Click Alternate Items on the right-hand side to add to the Kit Components list for this sale only.
  7. In the 'Components' grid at the bottom of the screen, click into the first row labeled 'Click Here to add a new row'
  8. Scan a Barcode into the Barcode box or press [Enter] on the keyboard to open the Find Stock Screen to select a Component Stock Item for this sale only.
  9. In the 'Components' grid at the bottom of the screen, click the Barcode of a Component Item and press [Enter] on the keyboard to open the Find Stock Screen to select a new stock item to replace the selected Component Stock Item, for this sale only.
  10. Once finished, click Save in the bottom right corner to return to the sale.

Quote and Invoice Management

  1. To sell a Kit, scan the Kit Item into a Quote or Proforma
  2. You will be prompted to enter the number of the Kit Item you wish to Add. Click Ok.
  3. If the Kit Item components have sufficient quantity on hand, the Kit and Component Items will be added to the Quote or Proforma.
  4. If one or more of the components have insufficient quantity on hand, you will be prompted:
    1. Fill all items regardless of QOH
    2. Fill only the items that are in stock
    3. Do not sell this kit
  5. To edit a Kit Item, double click the Kit Item line in Quote and Invoice Management.
  6. You will be able to edit the Kit Item Components for this Quote or Proforma, depending on the 'Restriction' setting of the Kit.
    Notes
    Note: You cannot change the 'Restriction' setting when selling a Kit. That can only be done from the Kits Setup screen.
  7. Click Alternate Items on the right-hand side to add to the Kit Components list for this Quote or Proforma only.
  8. In the 'Components' grid at the bottom of the screen, click into the first row labeled 'Click Here to add a new row'
  9. Scan a Barcode into the Barcode box or press [Enter] on the keyboard to open the Find Stock Screen to select a Component Stock Item for this Quote or Proforma only.
  10. In the 'Components' grid at the bottom of the screen, click the Barcode of a Component Item and press [Enter] on the keyboard to open the Find Stock Screen to select a new stock item to replace the selected Component Stock Item for this Quote or Proforma only.
  11. Once finished, click Save in the bottom right corner to return to the Quote or Proforma.

Reporting on Kit Sales

Both Kit Items and their components will appear on Sales Reports.
Kit Items will be highlighted with a Letter Ⓐ on the left-hand side of the Detailed Takings Report and Stock Listing Report

Kit Items and Webstore

Kit Items can sync to Shopify as a 'Bundle'. WooCommerce support is coming soon.
To sync a Kit to your website, each Component Item must be ticked as a Webstore Item. The Kit Item also needs to be ticked as a Webstore Item.
For Shopify, you must have migrated to the new Shopify GraphQL connection in Tower Web Connect. See Tower Web Connect Shopify Migration.
Login to Tower Web Connect and select your Shopify Connection
In the Setup tab, scroll down to Resources and tick 'Kits'. Scroll up and click Save.
By default, the available quantity of the Kit Item will sync to Shopify. If you don't wish to display the Kit Item available quantity in Shopify, open Tower Web Connect, open the 'Preferences' tab, untick 'Track Bundle Inventory'

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