Find stock items using search categories

Find a stock item using search categories

You can create a list of search categories for your stock items, to help you find stock items without knowing the item's code.

1. You can find a stock item using search categories in several places:

   • Select Find product where you see it, for example in Amend Stock Item.

   • Select Find Item to add items to a sales order.

   Note: If this isn't available, you must enable Allow searching using search categories and values in the Stock Control Settings Options tab (in the Sage 200 desktop).

2. Select Add to add a new search criteria.

3. Select a search Category.

   For example, this might be a colour, size, or voltage

4. Select the Value for that category.

   For example, this might be red or blue for a colour category.

5. Add more search categories if required.

6. Select Display to show the results for your search.

7. Select the stock item you're looking for, then select OK.

Why use search categories?

You can search for stock items without knowing the item's stock code. You do this by creating a list of search categories for your stock items.

A search category consists of:

• A category. This is the type such as colour, size or voltage.
• A value. This is the specifics of the category such as green, red and blue for the category colour.

Searching by categories is a powerful tool. To work effectively, you need a comprehensive list of categories and values.

Using search categories is optional. Deciding whether to use search categories depends on the range and complexity of your stock items.

Set up search categories

First, look at your stock items and think about how you'd like to search for them. Can you think of some common properties that you'd want to search for? For example, you might want to find items that are red, so you'd include a search category for colour.

To set up search categories:

1. Select Allow searching using search categories and values in Stock Control Settings in the Sage 200 desktop.

2. Create a list of search categories and associated values.

   To do this, use Search Categories in the Sage 200 desktop.

3. Choose which search categories are used on each product group.

   These are set on the product group Searching tab in the Sage 200 desktop.

4. Set the search category values for each stock item.

   These are set on the stock item's Search categories tab.

   See Search categories (stock item).