Tracking inventory items with multiple variations

[gwhamon]

The single reason I'm not using Square webspace is the most frustrating shortcoming in the design. I sell engraved items. I have a specific number of inventory in various colors. Each item can be engraved with one of any number of designs. Currently, inventory tracks the designs instead of the material being engraved. What I need is a way to have the system keep track of the inventory items instead of the designs.

For example, I start with 50 red metal tags. If someone orders 3 tags of design A, I need the system to know I have 47 red tags left.

I don't need to track the number of designs I have because the designs don't exist in physical inventory, only the raw materials exist. Since I don't have a store front, I don't use the Square reader to take payments. No online store means Square doesn't make any money from me. I'd LOVE to give customers the convenience of being able to order and pay online, but I don't see a way to make it work. Here in Canada, Interac e-transfers are so common that it's easier to email money than it is to use the Square reader for in-person sales.

I need an inventory process that works the way I manage inventory. Am I using it wrong?? Am I missing something?? 

[MayaP]

Hey there @gwhamon, I see this is your first post in the Seller Community so I'd like to officially welcome you!  

Outside of creating variations I am blanking on how you can accomplish this. I have tagged some of our amazing super sellers who can hopefully provide some suggestions for you ! Feel free to reach out to me or any of our Seller Community moderators if we can help with anything else

[HC_Charlie]

Hello @gwhamon thanks for your post. I don't know what your website is so I cannot see for certain, but would this be a solution? Instead of listing your items with design, change to only list colors. Then add a note field where the design could be input from the customer. That way this would take the design out of the options totally. ??? Not sure if this would work for you.

[Donnie-M]

@MayaP Your item would be either the number of red metal tags or a variation of red metal tags.  Then you could list your designs as a modifier set.  You can set your modifier set to be "customized" so they have to select a design, but can select only 1 design.

Now, if I am guessing correctly, your items are the designs?  This would require a little reworking, but you could do items as examples with 0 stock and then the ordering process would be  1.  Choose your desired material/color.  2.  Choose your design.  3. Custom/Notes options.

This way you could easily track what raw material you have available.  I think the key is in modifiers make sure to limit the selection to only 1 modifier.  If you can select 2 different customizations, just have a second modifier set where appropriate.