In Lightspeed Retail POS, you can add items to your inventory in a number of different ways. More specifically, you can:
Although all of the above workflows are helpful to learn about, determining which one will help you get started as quickly and easily as possible is mainly dependent on the following factors:
- Are you migrating your inventory data from your previous POS system to Lightspeed Retail POS?
- Is your current quantity on hand (QOH) accurate?
- Do you have access to a spreadsheet program like Google Sheets?
- Are you planning to sell items while you migrate your inventory data from your previous POS to Lightspeed Retail POS?
- How many items are you adding to your inventory?
- Are some of your items the same but vary in size, color or by another attribute (e.g. t-shirts)?
We recommend keeping them in mind as you explore the articles in this section of the getting started guide. You can also read the Factors to consider before adding your inventory article for additional guidance on each factor.
Importing items
In most cases, importing your items is the fastest way to get your inventory into your Lightspeed Retail POS account. This is especially true if:
- You're able to export your inventory data from your previous POS
- You have access to a spreadsheet program like Google Sheets
- You have a large inventory
Because formatting your import file can take longer than expected, we recommend you get started on it as soon as possible. We also recommend deleting all unnecessary columns in your import file and only importing the essential inventory data you need to get started with Lightspeed Retail POS. You can always update your inventory to include the rest of your non-essential inventory data in the future.
To learn how to import your items:
- If you're migrating your inventory data from your previous POS to Lightspeed Retail POS, please see to Migrating from your previous POS as a starting point.
- If you're building your inventory from scratch but are familiar with spreadsheet software like Google Sheets, please see Formatting item import files as a starting point.
Importing items from catalogs
Another efficient way to add items to your inventory is to search for items in the pre-built vendor catalogs in your account. If you find the items you need, simply import them directly into your inventory. By doing so, it'll save you the time and expense of having to manually enter your item details (e.g. Description, UPC and MSRP) or having to include them in an import file.
For more information, please see Importing items from catalogs.
Adding items manually
Although other workflows might be more efficient at adding all your items to your inventory, knowing how to add items manually is a basic workflow that will come in handy in the future. It'll also help you become familiar with the item details that are available to you in Lightspeed Retail POS.
For more information, please see Adding items manually.
Creating matrices
If you need to add items that are the same but vary in size, color or by another attribute (e.g. t-shirts), creating matrices under Inventory > Matrix could be an efficient workflow for you and an alternative to adding individual items manually or importing them.
For more information, please see Creating matrices.
Creating categories
As a new merchant, you'll also benefit from organizing your inventory into categories when it comes time to run reports and inventory counts. We recommend deciding on a category structure for your inventory and creating it before you add items to your inventory. This way, you'll be able to assign items to a category as you add them. If you plan to import all your items, however, we recommend entering the categories you want your items to be assigned to in your import file. Once the items are imported, Lightspeed Retail POS will create the category structure of your inventory automatically.
For more information on categories, please see Creating categories.