In the management of a point of sale, each item is distinguished by its own particular features.

Some of these may differ from one item to another, creating a different Variant of the same item in stock. A classic example may be found in the Fashion industry, where every item comes in different Sizes and Colours.

Other features, however, are common to all instance of a certain item, as distinct from other items. Mago allows you to register these features with additional information: the Attributes that can be associated to the article as required.

With the Point of Sale Management module, Mago makes Attributes available to register the characteristics distinguishing each item in the master data.

Management of Attributes, which can be freely codified and grouped in Models customised by the user, allows you to specify a value for each Attribute included in the Model appearing for the item in the master data. For each Attribute, you may specify whether it requires text, a numerical value, a date or a logical value (true / false). Multiple Models may be associated with each item.

The Variants module for Point of Sale Management permits management of multiple Variants for each item registered in stock requiring this option.

Depending on the item, each Variant is identified by one, two or three user-defined Attributes (such as Size, Colour and Material). Variant Types common to several items may be used to call up a series of shared Attributes, or a Custom Variant may be defined directly in the master data for the item, selecting only the specific Attributes applicable to the product in question.

For a Variant Type, or specifically for a Custom Variant, it is possible to indicate that a specific Variant or Attribute, and therefore all the Variants referring to it, is Inactive or Out of Stock. An Out of Stock Variant may be referred to in the sales documents but not in purchase documents, while an Inactive one cannot be referred to in any type of document.

For each item managed with Variants, Mago allows you to manage specific information for each individual variant, such as price lists, warehouse stocks, bar codes and more, all in a master data registry.

Even when using the corresponding module, it is not mandatory to manage Variants for all items: it is possible to manage only certain items with Variants.

But what are the advantages of managing Variants and Attributes?

One of the key advantages is easier, faster consultation of stocks, availability, supplier orders, commitments to customer orders, price lists and any other data per item or single Variant.

Furthermore, it is possible to manage quantities by Variant, also in forms of processing such as supplier order generation, carried out by the Reorder by Point of Sale procedure. This allows you to order on the basis of the quantity of each Variant sold, rather than the minimum and maximum stock always specified for each Variant. Warehouse Closure also carries over stocks divided by Variant from one year to the next.

Standard and customisable reports may be used to consult quantities purchased and sold, costs, revenues, margins and various other data by single Variant or Attribute.

The Mago development department is available for further details. Contact the appropriate Area Manager regarding any other requests or for further technical clarification.