Inventory-Manager - FAQ

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For questions or issues, please contact: support@sebag.de

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

What should I do if I can't find the answer to my question here?

Please send an Email to support@sebag.de

 

How is the best-before date monitored?

Each time the app is launched, it checks whether any stored items have reached or exceeded their best-before date. If this is the case, a list of the items in question is displayed before the main menu (sorted in ascending order by best-before date). In the settings, you can also specify a number of days BEFORE the best-before date that you want to be warned.

However, this automatic display of expired supplies can also be turned off in the settings.

In addition, under the Quick Search - Supplies by Best Before Date menu, you can display a list of all supplies that have a best before date, sorted in ascending order by best before date, i.e., with the one whose best before date is reached earliest at the top.

 

What is the difference between quantity and number in the product mask?

Depending on the product type,"Quantity"refers to the volume ("l" or "ml") or weight ("kg" or "g") of a single item, e.g., 200g or 1.5l—possibly also a multiple specification (10 bags, double pack, etc.) for multiple packages. Any text can be entered here, which is not checked further. Whether the quantity is also displayed in the stock list can be specified in the settings.

The 'Quantity'field specifies the number of individual items you want to buy or have stored in the warehouse. Therefore, only a number can be entered here – with decimal places if necessary.

 

How can I specify a stock in several versions with different best-before dates?

To do this, you must call up an existing stock item using 'Edit stock' and create a copy using the ' ' button. All data will be transferred. It will then be displayed as 'new' in the header. You can then change all data in the copy, including the best-before date, and save the copy with OK.

 

How can I save two copies of a stock item in different storage locations?

To do this, you must call up an existing stock item using 'Edit stock' and create a copy using the ' ' button. All data will be transferred. It will then be displayed as 'new' in the header. You can then change all the data in the copy, including the storage location, and save the copy by clicking OK.

 

Why is the best-before date sometimes missing from the mask?

The best-before date field is missing from the mask if the mask is not a stock item but only a known product. The best-before date only makes sense for stock items that are in the warehouse.

 

What does "best before date = ???" or "invalid best before date" mean?

A 'very old' best-before date prior to January 1, 2019 is interpreted as a typing error and is rejected with an error message when entered. If you really want to use such an old best-before date (the question of whether this makes sense can be asked), you must suppress this check by activating the 'allow any best-before date' switch in the settings. If such an old best-before date is found in the data (e.g., entered with this switch enabled) and the switch is not enabled, the best-before date is displayed as '???'.
 

Can I also enter the best-before date, quantity, etc. via voice input?

All text fields can be entered very easily by voice using special keywords .

 

How do the shopping list, place of purchase, and storage location work together?

A shopping list is not linked to the place of purchase. You can bundle several places of purchase in one shopping list, depending on your preferences (which is why shopping lists are usually sorted by place of purchase if there are several places of purchase).

If you want to link them, you have to create several shopping lists via the configuration (e.g., with the same name as the place of purchase) and then add the products to the desired shopping list. This works best if you first open the shopping list and then add the desired products to it.

Checking a product in a shopping list does not determine the storage location (which is not necessarily linked to the item), but only indicates that the item is now in the shopping cart and no longer needs to be purchased.

You can decide where it will be stored when you get home (e.g., which freezer compartment is currently free) by opening the shopping list and selecting the storage location for each checked item one by one. Alternatively (and more conveniently), you can click on each individual item and select"Add to storage" from the menu.

 

How do minimum stock and demand planning work?

Minimum stock and demand planning must first be activated in the settings. You can then specify the minimum stock you want for each product (not for supplies) and any other demand planning requirements. The exact interaction is described here.

 

What does "Combine items with the same name" mean in the inventory?

If you have saved several stocks for a product (e.g., because they have different best-before dates or different storage locations), you often still want to see them as a single item in the stock list. The menu item 'Combine items with the same name' is used for this purpose. All stocks with exactly the same name are then displayed as one pseudo-stock item with the total number (indicated by the sum sign Σ) and the oldest best-before date of the associated stocks.

If such a sum element is called up for editing, a list of the associated stocks is first presented for selection.

 

How can I create, rename, or delete categories/storage locations/purchase locations/shopping lists?

All this data can be structured in two levels according to your own preferences. The desired selection can be accessed via the Configuration button.

If there are already stocks/products for categories/storage locations/purchase locations to be renamed, you can adjust this with 'Configuration' -> 'Global renaming'.

 

What are the tags for?

The tags can be used to assign a rating to products that are not covered by standard terms such as category or similar.

Example: Marker 1 is assigned to all supplies that I want to buy at the local market every second Saturday of the month.

I can then search for the appropriate items using this tag or add them to a shopping list if necessary.

You can assign any number of tags with any text you like under 'Configuration' -> 'Tags'.

 

How can I back up my data?

The simplest and most effective form of data backup is to create a group or joining a group. This means that all data (including your own product photos) is stored on the Vorrats-Manager's own server and can be restored at any time, even after purchasing a new cell phone. A group therefore makes sense even if you are the only member. The data on the server is also backed up daily. The server is located in Germany and complies with the GDPR.

In addition , the Pro version allows you to export your entire inventory as a CSV file and send it by email , for example (however, this does not include photos). In the free version, this function is available for testing purposes, limited to 5 products.

 

How can I organize two shopping groups—household and business?

It's best to divide this into two separate groups —one for the household and one for the business—so that nothing gets mixed up.

 

What are additional fields?

Additional fields are a paid extension that allows you to manage up to 20 freely definable additional input values per group in inventories, which can also be used for selecting and sorting.

 

What is a requirement group?

A requirement group is a collection of several similar products for requirement planning. It is part of the paid extension 'additional fields'. With its help, you can ensure that the requirement group is automatically added to the intended shopping list by minimum stock monitoring when the sum of all associated stocks falls below the minimum stock level.

 

What is the extension for large photos?

If the normal resolution of your product images is not sufficient, this paid extension allows you to store and synchronize product images up to 10 times larger in a group.

 

Where can I buy extensions?

Extensions such as additional fields or large product images are paid extensions. These can be purchased per group by selecting an option in the menu on the start page. The menu item "Buy extension" appears if you have the Pro version, because only then can you purchase them. If you are not in a group or the current group already has one of the extensions, the corresponding purchase button cannot be selected. The purchase itself is always made through the Apple Store.

 

How can I tell which group I am currently in?

If you set a separate photo as the group logo for each group, you can see which group you are currently active in when you start the app and again on the home screen, because the group logo replaces the stylized broccoli.

 

Why do umlauts look so strange when importing from Excel?

When exporting CSV files, the app outputs the data in the universal Unicode UTF-8 code (or optionally in the Windows character set).

Unfortunately, Excel is very error-prone during import—among other things, it always assumes Windows code.

You can tell Excel this via the import wizard by proceeding as follows (version 2010 – similar for other versions):

  1. Data
  2. from text
  3. Select CSV file
  4. Import
  5. File origin 65000: Unicode (UTF-7) (or UTF-8 depending on Excel version)
  6. Continue
  7. Separator Tab
  8. Finish

 

How can I transfer my data to a new cell phone?

You should always be a member of a group – even if you are the only member of the group. Then you can send yourself an invitation from your old cell phone to join the group (preferably as a new owner) and then join the group by accepting the invitation on your new cell phone, thereby transferring the group data. If your old cell phone breaks down before you can send yourself an invitation, you can contact support@sebag.de by email to transfer the group to your new cell phone.

The same applies if you need to reinstall the app for any reason. In addition, it is always advisable to make a note of your current (old) ID (displayed in the main menu -> 'About...'). You should also make a note of the ID before reinstalling, as this will change during the process.

 

Where can I buy the Pro version?

The Pro version is not a separate app, but the features are unlocked via in-app purchase. This is done as a subscription via the Apple App Store. The purchase is initiated by pressing the corresponding menu item on the start page. If this selection item is not available, you already have the Pro version.

The following subscription types are available, all of which offer the same features:

  • Premium (annual) $19.90/year
  • Premium (monthly) $1.99/month
  • Premium Family (annual) $29.90 / year
  • Premium Family (monthly) $3.99 / month

 

 

What additional features does the Pro version offer me?

The Pro version has advantages in the application, as some functions are only available for testing in the free version.

The following applies to the Pro version:

  • Barcodes can be used unlimitedly (not just 20)
  • Your own product photos can be used without limitation (not just 10)
  • Any number of stocks can be stored (not just 100)
  • Unlimited import/export via CSV file (not just 5 items)
  • You can be a member of a group with any number of members (not just 2)
  • You can be a member of up to 30 groups (not just 1).
  • You can group items with the same name together in inventory lists and shopping lists (with total amounts displayed).
  • All products can be assigned a minimum stock level, etc. for demand planning (not just 5).
  • All product and inventory lists can be sorted according to several criteria
  • You can specify an order for the categories in each shopping list.
  • The selection function allows you to perform operations on multiple items at the same time.
  • The extension for large product images can be purchased separately for each group.
  • The extension for up to 20 freely definable additional fields in inventories can be purchased separately for each group.
     ...

 

How can I set a minimum stock level for a product?

In the Pro version, you can set several sizes for each product for demand planning with minimum stock monitoring and automatic shopping list filling. In the free version, you can test this for 5 products. The exact interaction of minimum stock / purchase quantity / desired stock, etc. is described here.

However, you must first activate this function in the settings (with stock monitoring).

 

Can I add a product photo to my inventory?

In the Pro version, you can assign a photo you have taken yourself or taken from your own gallery to each product/stock item. These photos are also synchronized via the server. In the free version, you can assign up to 10 photos for testing purposes.

However, this function must first be activated in the settings (own product photos).

 

Editing the same shopping lists, etc. with several people

In order to access the same shopping lists and supplies with several people (e.g., family or roommates), everyone must be in a group. To do this:

  1. One of the people must create a group.
  2. This person must invite everyone else to join the group (a group code will be provided).
  3. The other people must join the group using the group code.

After that, all members of the group will have the same data, which will be synchronized automatically. Each time the home screen is opened (when the app is started or when returning from one of the subprograms), all new/changed data is uploaded to the server, and all changes made by other people are downloaded.

In addition, synchronization is performed when the image in the middle of the home screen is clicked.

You can even edit the same shopping list at the same time: while one person is still adding new products to the shopping list, the other is already shopping with this shopping list. The only requirement for this is the ability to synchronize via the Internet.

The free version cannot be used in a group with more than 2 people, but any number of members can be in a group if everyone has the Pro version.

 

How many Pro versions do I need for multiple devices?

Basically, each Apple account needs its own Pro version if you want to use functions that require the Pro version, e.g., if there are more than two people in a group (mixed use of the free version and Pro version within a group is not supported). The functions that require the Pro version are also listed here

If an Apple account has the Pro version, it is available on all devices associated with that account: iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

If you have a family subscription, all Apple accounts belonging to the family have the Pro version.

 

How can I "move" stock from one freezer compartment to another?

Simply change the storage location in the inventory screen for the relevant product by selecting a different location from the storage location menu. However, you can also use the more flexible menu option 'transfer '.

 

How can I 'move' a product from one shopping list to another?

Simply change the shopping list in the stock mask for the relevant product by selecting another one from the shopping list menu. This saves time, for example, if you want to move products from the 'Reserve' list back to a 'normal' shopping list.

 

How can I print a shopping list?

In the shopping list menu, select 'Display shopping list in HTML'. In the selection of display apps that is then shown, select the Chrome browser. There you can then select 'Share' in the menu and set the printer as the destination. You can also export the list as a CSV file.

 

How do I remove stock from a storage location?

There are four different cases to consider here:

  1. All copies have been used up from the storage location: then you can use the " Delete from storage location " option in the product-specific menu to remove the inventory.
  2. Only part of an item is removed—the rest remains in the storage location: then you can reduce the number in the inventory mask or in the list view by selecting the menu.
  3. All parts of an item are removed: in this case, you can click the trash can button in the stock mask.
  4. The stock or part of it should be moved to another storage location: use the menu option 'Transfer'.

 

I accidentally emptied my shopping list even though I hadn't finished shopping

No need to panic: all products that were not marked as purchased were automatically moved to the shopping list reserve, so you can continue shopping as normal. Only when the reserve is emptied will the information about items to be purchased disappear.

 

Can I also manage stock that is not related to daily necessities?

In principle, yes – but it makes sense to create a completely separate group for this (Pro version required) so that you can create all elements such as categories, storage locations, etc. separately, and so that the search for individual products is not mixed up with food items, etc.

 

Why is synchronization not working for me?

There may be several reasons for this:

  1. An error message appears: please search for it.
  2. The AutoSync switch may be turned off - please turn it on
  3. You or the other person is not a member of any group.
  4. There is no Internet access because airplane mode is turned on.
  5. The mobile data connection is turned off on the cell phone and no Wi-Fi is available.
  6. One person is in a different group than the other
  7. You are not returning to the app's start screen: synchronization only takes place there
  8. Rare error: two identical devices have the same ID in the app due to backup mechanisms: in this case, one device must reinstall the app
  9. Frequent error: the app is not always closed properly by pressing "Back" several times, but bypressing "Close All": in this case, iOS/macOS does not allow the app to synchronize.

Synchronization always takes place via the server as an intermediate station. This offset via the server must be taken into account when checking your procedure. In normal operation, you will not notice the offset at all, but you may notice it when checking specifically.

Here is an example of the synchronization procedure:

  • Cell phone 1 changes data
  • Cell phone 2 changes data
  • Cell phone 1 synchronizes – now the server has the changed data from cell phone 1
  • Mobile phone 2 synchronizes – now the server has the changed data from mobile phone 2 and mobile phone 2 has the changed data from mobile phone 1
  • Cell phone 1 synchronizes again - now cell phone 1 also has the changed data from cell phone 2

If you experience asynchronization for any reason, it will not repair itself, but you can correct it at any time by manually performing a complete synchronization of all cell phones with the server:
'Main menu' -> 'Group' -> 'Menu' -> 'Download from server'

However, multiple manual synchronizations or waiting longer will not help: either it works in less than 1 second, or something has already gone wrong.

 

No feedback on whether the synchronization was successful

If the automatic synchronization was successful, this is not reported because this is the default case and positive feedback could be disruptive. If it was not successful, this is displayed. If you want to receive positive feedback about the synchronization, you can do so under the Group menu - Synchronization menu or by clicking on the image at the top center of the main menu: feedback is always provided there.

 

How can I work with the data on a Windows PC or laptop?

The app works the same on the iPad and Mac Book as it does on the iPhone.

There are two ways to edit the stored data on a Windows PC or laptop:

  • You can exchange data between the inventory manager and your PC via CSV import/export (Pro version)
  • You can edit the data directly using a very convenient and efficient mobile phone emulator – without any manual intermediate steps
  • Certain basic functions can be performed in Windows using the freely available Excel spreadsheet.

 

"Synchronization was not successful..."

If synchronization was not completely successful due to a poor or missing Internet connection, this will always be displayed so that you can adjust accordingly. However, you do not need to do anything (unless, for example, airplane mode was accidentally still enabled), as synchronization will be repeated automatically shortly (see also Synchronization).

 

"Purchase location reached"

This can be used to make your work easier if you have "just arrived at this store."

So if you want to perform a series of activities that all relate to a specific store (=purchase location), this allows you to avoid having to re-enter the purchase location for each step. This could be to scan several items that you bought in the same store, or to manually add supplies from the shopping list to the warehouse, all of which come from the same purchase location.

 

"Mixed processing with free and Pro versions is not supported"

If a database (i.e., the data of a group) contains elements that are reserved for the Pro version (e.g., more than 20 barcodes), losses may occur if the data is modified by the free version of the app. Therefore, this mixed operation is not supported.
If you are working in a group with the Pro version, all members of the group must have the Pro version.

 

"The server request could not be executed..."

An unexecutable server request can occur if an Internet action was interrupted midway, the server was temporarily unavailable, or another error occurred that may be resolved on the next attempt.
However, it could also be that something fundamental has gone wrong. An example of this would be if a group has been deleted by the founder, but a member believes they can still work with the group.

 

"Invalid server request"

This message means that something has gone wrong in the communication between the app and the server—this should not happen. If this occurs repeatedly, please send an email to support@sebag.de.

 

"Designation xyz is already taken"

If a name is used in one of the two-level configurable elements (categories, storage locations, shopping locations, shopping lists) that is already defined at another level, this message appears because, for example, all names within the categories and subcategories must be unique. The app automatically adds '_i' to the duplicate names, with i being a sequential number, and the changes can then be saved. To prevent these sequential numbers from being displayed in the names, you can ensure in the settings that the top categories, top storage locations, etc. are also displayed, as this makes them unique again.

 

"No internet permission"

The app has been (retrospectively) denied permission to access the internet. This means that synchronization processes etc. can no longer be carried out.

 

"You are not a group member"

This can happen if the founder of the group has removed the member from the group or if the system has done so because there are already two or more other members in the group. In this case, a third member with a free version can be removed. This can also happen if a member with a free version is in the same group as a member with a Pro version. However, it may also be that the Stock Manager was deliberately or due to a system error reinstalled after an update, uninstallation, or change of cell phone, causing the connection to the group to be lost. Another possibility is that the group has not been accessed for more than 1 year, in which case the group is archived and deleted. In this case, please contact support@sebag.de by email.

 

"Invalid group code"

The group code entered to join a group is not a valid 6-digit number.

 

"Unknown group code"

The group code entered to join a group does not exist. Either there is a typo, or the group code has already been used, or the associated invitation was too old (older than one month).

 

Barcode support

You can add inventory using the barcode or identify it during a search. The internal barcode scanner software is normally used for this purpose. In the free version, you can scan up to 20 barcodes for testing purposes.

 

Voice input even without an internet connection

Voice input can also be used without an internet connection (i.e., even in the basement or in shielded stores). However, there are sometimes cases where recognition accuracy is slightly higher with an internet connection. Since this is a feature provided by Apple, there is no way to influence it.

 

Are there any restrictions in the app in terms of maximum numbers?

There are no restrictions on the maximum number of products, stocks, categories, or other data—even in the free version, there are only a few.

The only limitations are:

  1. Without the Pro version, you can only be a member of a single group
  2. Without the Pro version, a group can only have 2 members; if there are more than 2 members, ALL of them must have the Pro version
  3. Without the Pro version, a maximum of 10 product photos can be taken.
  4. Without the Pro version, a maximum of 20 barcodes can be scanned.
  5. Without the Pro version, you can store a maximum of 100 items.
  6. Without the Pro version, a maximum of 5 items can be imported/exported when importing and exporting inventory as a CSV file.
  7. Without the Pro version, some sorting/grouping features are not available.
  8. Even with the Pro version, you can only be a member of a maximum of 30 groups at the same time.
  9. If group content has not been synchronized for more than 1 year (i.e., the group members have not used the app at all), it is considered outdated and no longer needed: it is then automatically deleted from the server (along with the entire group).

Some numerical restrictions exist because the functions are actually intended for the Pro version, but are unlocked to a limited extent in the free version so that you can try them out and check them before purchasing.