Quick Start

Get Next Inventory tracking your first items in three steps.

Step 1: Install & Open

Install the bundle ZIP through System > Install > Extensions, then open Components > Next Inventory from the Joomla admin menu. The dashboard appears with widgets for recent activity, low-stock items, and stock valuation. See Installation for detailed instructions.

Step 2: Set Up Your First Warehouse, Category, and Item

From the Next Inventory dashboard, open the Warehouses tab and click New to create at least one warehouse (e.g. "Main Office", "Warehouse A")
Open the Categories tab and add a category or two (e.g. "Laptops", "Office Supplies")
Open the Items tab and click New:
- Pick an Item Type: Asset, Consumable, or Sellable
- Enter a Title and (optionally) an SKU or Barcode
- Assign the Category and Warehouse you just created
- Set the initial Stock Quantity and optionally a Low-Stock Threshold
- Click Save & Close

Tip: If you have a USB barcode scanner, scan a barcode into the Barcode field while editing the item. The scanner acts as a keyboard wedge — no configuration needed. Items can then be found instantly from the top bar's quick lookup.

Step 3: Record Your First Transaction

Click the Transactions tab, then New. Pick the item you just created, choose a transaction type (Check Out for assets, Add Stock / Remove Stock for consumables and sellables), enter a quantity, and save. The item's stock quantity updates automatically, and the transaction appears in the uneditable audit log.

What Happens Next

Stock tracking is live: Every future transaction updates the item's quantity automatically — no manual maintenance needed
Low-stock alerts fire: When quantities drop below the threshold, the item shows in red on the Items list, appears in the dashboard widget, and triggers email and browser push notifications for subscribed users
Reports build themselves: Open the Reports tab any time to see stock valuation, transaction history by date range, and movement trends — all built automatically from your transaction log
Scanner is ready: Open the dedicated Scanner page from the navigation for a warehouse-floor-optimised interface with large fonts, high contrast, and big tap targets