Inventory Management

Running out of zirconia blocks mid-case or discovering you're out of a specific shade of porcelain is costly and embarrassing. Odento's inventory module tracks materials, monitors stock levels, and alerts you before you run out.

Materials

Every material your lab uses is tracked as an inventory item. Each item records:

Name and description: e.g., "Zirconia Block — Whitepeaks Zolid HT — 98mm disc"
Category: Ceramics, metals, acrylics, consumables, etc.
Unit of measure: Each, gram, ml, sheet, etc.
Current stock level: Updated automatically as materials are consumed
Reorder point: The stock level that triggers a reorder alert
Reorder quantity: How many units to order when reordering
Supplier: Primary and backup suppliers with contact details
Unit cost: For cost tracking and profitability analysis
Location: Which shelf, bin, or storage area the material is in

Screenshot — Materials

Stock Levels

Stock levels update automatically in two ways:

Consumption: When a technician logs material usage against a case, the stock level decreases. For example, when a crown case is completed, Odento deducts one zirconia block from inventory.
Purchases: When you record a purchase order receipt, stock levels increase by the received quantity.

You can also adjust stock levels manually for reasons like physical inventory counts, spoilage, or samples. Every adjustment requires a reason and is logged for audit.

Material Consumption

Link material consumption to case types in Settings. When a case of a given type is completed, Odento automatically deducts the materials typically used. Technicians can adjust the actual quantity if a case used more or less than standard.

Screenshot — Stock Levels

Reorder Points

When a material's stock level drops to its reorder point, Odento sends an alert via WhatsApp and email. The alert includes:

The material name and current stock level
The suggested reorder quantity
The primary supplier's contact information
A one-click link to create a purchase order

Set reorder points based on your lead time and usage rate. If a supplier takes 5 days to deliver and you use 3 units per day, set the reorder point at 15 units (5 days × 3 units) plus a safety buffer.

Suppliers

Manage your supplier directory in Settings › Inventory › Suppliers. For each supplier, record:

Company name and contact details
Primary sales representative with phone and email
Payment terms (e.g., 30 days net, advance, COD)
Typical lead time for orders
Materials they supply

Each material can have a primary and a backup supplier, so you're never stuck if one supplier is out of stock.

Purchase Orders

Create purchase orders directly from a reorder alert or manually. A purchase order includes:

Supplier details
Line items with material, quantity, and unit cost
Expected delivery date
Status: Draft, Sent, Partially Received, Received, Cancelled

When goods arrive, record the receipt against the purchase order. Odento updates stock levels and marks the PO as received. If the received quantity is less than ordered, the PO stays open as "Partially Received."

Screenshot — Purchase Orders

Inventory Reports

Odento provides several inventory reports:

Stock valuation: Total value of current inventory at cost
Low stock report: All materials at or below their reorder point
Usage report: Material consumption over time, by material and by case type
Supplier performance: On-time delivery rate and price trends per supplier
Expiry tracking: Materials with expiry dates, sorted by soonest to expire

Expiry Management