Consumables are a new material type in Ply that help you manage non-stock inventory — items that get used in the field, but don’t need to be tracked at the job level. Think of stuff like:
- 🐝 Wasp spray
- 🧼 Shop towels
- 🥾 Booties
- 🪣 Primers
- 🧴 Pipe thread compound
They're small, often cheap, and used all the time — but you still want to track how much you’ve got, where they are, and when to restock. That’s where Consumables come in.
🎯 What Exactly Are Consumables?
Consumables are materials that are:
- Ordered to the warehouse
- Transferred to trucks
- Consumed in the field (not billed to jobs)
- Tracked only at the warehouse + fleet level
They don’t clutter your job invoicing or materials list — but you still get visibility and control over usage, transfers, and replenishment.
🔧 Key Differences: Consumables vs Materials
Feature | Materials | Consumables |
Tracked on jobs? | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Show up on invoices? | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Require consumption tracking? | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Used frequently in the field? | ⚠️ Sometimes | ✅ Absolutely |
Auto-replenishment support? | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
📁 Where to Manage Consumables
You'll find dedicated Consumables tabs in these places:
- Catalog > Consumables → View all consumables in your system.
- Stock > Warehouse > Consumables → Track consumables in your warehouse.
- Stock > Fleet > Consumables → See what’s been transferred to trucks.
We’ve kept them separate from materials so your workflows stay clean and organized.
✏️ How to Create a Consumable
- Go to Catalog > Consumables
- Click “Add Consumable”
- Fill in the details:
- Name, item number, description
- Unit of measurement, cost, tags
- Add to a warehouse
- Set min/max quantities for auto-replenishment
- Optionally generate a barcode
- Click Save to warehouse
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💡 Setting min/max quantities allows Ply to automatically add the item to your replenishment list when it’s running low.
🚚 Transfer Consumables to Trucks
Once created, you can transfer consumables from a warehouse to a truck — and once they’re on a truck, they’re considered consumed (no need to track individual usage).
How to Transfer:
- Go to Stock > Warehouse > Consumables
- Select the consumable(s)
- Click Transfer
- Choose the truck and enter quantity
- Hit Confirm.
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🛻 Once transferred, check Stock > Fleet > Truck > Consumables Tab to see what’s onboard.
📦 Replenishment & Purchase Orders
You can keep consumables stocked just like materials.
Replenishment:
- Set Min/Max values per warehouse
- When stock falls below min, Ply adds the item to your Replenishment List
- Replenishment happens at the warehouse level only, not from trucks
Creating a PO with Consumables:
- Go to Catalog > Consumables
- Select item(s) → click Create Purchase Order
- Choose a supplier, required date, and ship-to warehouse
- Confirm quantities (based on min/max logic)
- Click Create PO
Your PO will now include both materials and consumables in separate sections ✅
📋 Other Key Features
- 🧾 Barcodes: Print or generate new ones for easy tracking
- 🔄 Bulk actions: Edit, delete, or transfer multiple items at once
- 📱 Mobile support: Field techs can view + transfer consumables if permissions allow
- 🔒 Permissions: Admins can control who sees or moves consumables
- 📊 Reporting: Coming soon! Separate reporting for consumables to understand usage and cost impact
🎥 Video Walkthrough
Prefer to watch it in action? Here’s a complete demo covering:
- What consumables are
- How to create one
- How to transfer to a truck
- How to create purchase orders
- Tips for managing stock and replenishment
💬 Still Have Questions?
Reach out to the Ply team anytime, we’re happy to help you set up your consumables strategy like a pro.