Quick answer
Clean item names, units, duplicates, locations, and opening quantities before asking a new system to produce reliable stock information.
Build a product master
Start with one row per sellable or managed item. Give each item a stable code, a clear name, a unit of measure, a category, and any supplier or location information needed for daily decisions. Do not preserve three spellings of the same product simply because they appear in old files.
Separate identity from changing information. Product name and unit should be stable; quantity, cost, reorder level, and location may change over time.
- Remove duplicate item names
- Choose one unit of measure
- Standardize codes and categories
- Mark inactive items instead of deleting history
Treat opening quantity as a controlled event
The opening count is not just an import value. Record when it was counted, who approved it, which location it represents, and how discrepancies were handled. That gives the new system a defensible starting point.
Frequently asked questions
Should old inventory data be imported completely?
Import active items and the history needed for current operations. Archive obsolete records rather than allowing them to clutter daily selection lists.
Why do inventory imports fail?
Common causes include inconsistent units, duplicate products, missing identifiers, mixed locations, and quantities captured at different times.
Sources and further reading
Next step