SME SystemDocumentation

Managing Products

Learn how to set up and manage your product catalogue in SME System.

The Products module is your central catalogue for all items you sell. Products are used throughout SME System - in quotes, orders, and inventory tracking.

Adding a Product

Creating a New Product

To add a product to your catalogue:

  1. Navigate to the Products module from the sidebar
  2. Click the Add Product button
  3. Fill in the product information:
    • Name: Product name (required)
    • Description: Detailed description of the product
    • List Price: Sale price in GBP (£) (required)
    • Cost Price: Your purchase cost (for margin calculation)
  4. Click Save

Product Fields Explained

  • Name: Clear, descriptive name (e.g., "Office Desk - Oak Finish")
  • Description: Details about features, specifications, or variations
  • List Price: The price you sell to customers (excludes VAT)
  • Cost Price: What you pay to acquire or produce (for profit tracking)

Product Organisation

Categories and Groups

Organise your products for easy management:

  • By Type: Services, Physical Goods, Digital Products
  • By Department: Office Supplies, IT Equipment, Furniture
  • By Price Range: Budget, Mid-Range, Premium

Use consistent naming conventions to make searching easier.

Product Codes

Consider adding product codes or SKUs:

  • Use in the product name or description
  • Helps with inventory tracking
  • Useful for order fulfilment
  • Match to your existing systems if possible

Using Products in Quotes

Quick Selection

When creating a quote:

  1. Click Add Line Item
  2. Search or browse your product catalogue
  3. Select the product
  4. Price and description auto-fill
  5. Adjust quantity as needed

Price Overrides

You can override the list price on a per-quote basis:

  • Click on the line item price
  • Enter a custom price
  • Useful for discounts or special pricing
  • Original list price is preserved for future quotes

Pricing Strategies

Cost-Plus Pricing

Calculate price based on cost:

List Price = Cost Price ÷ (1 - Desired Margin)

Example:

  • Cost: £80
  • Desired margin: 25%
  • List Price = £80 ÷ 0.75 = £106.67

Market-Based Pricing

Set prices based on:

  • Competitor pricing
  • Customer willingness to pay
  • Value provided
  • Market conditions

Tiered Pricing

Create multiple products for different tiers:

  • Basic / Standard / Premium versions
  • Different feature sets
  • Volume discounts (create separate products)

Managing Product Information

Keeping Descriptions Current

Regular review and update:

  • Quarterly Review: Check all product descriptions
  • Feature Updates: Add new features to descriptions
  • Discontinued Items: Mark as inactive rather than deleting
  • Price Changes: Update list prices as needed

Cost Price Tracking

Maintain accurate cost prices for:

  • Margin Calculation: Know your actual profit margins
  • Pricing Decisions: Make informed pricing choices
  • Cost Analysis: Track cost increases over time
  • Profit Reports: Generate accurate profit reports

Best Practices

Naming Conventions

Use consistent, clear naming:

  • Descriptive: "Office Chair - Ergonomic" not "Chair"
  • Hierarchical: "Desk - Oak - 120cm" includes size and material
  • Avoid Codes: Unless you use them internally
  • Consistent: Use the same format across similar products

Descriptions

Write helpful descriptions:

  • Key Features: Highlight main benefits
  • Specifications: Include technical details
  • Use Cases: Explain when to use the product
  • Variations: Note available options (colour, size, etc.)

Price Management

  • Regular Reviews: Check pricing quarterly
  • Competitive Analysis: Monitor competitor prices
  • Margin Targets: Maintain desired profit margins
  • Price Changes: Communicate changes to customers

Security and Access

Organisation Isolation

Products are scoped to your organisation:

  • Each organisation has its own product catalogue
  • Row-Level Security (RLS) prevents cross-organisation access
  • User permissions control who can edit products

Price Visibility

  • All Users: Can see product prices
  • Role-Based: Control who can edit prices
  • Audit Trail: Track who changed prices and when

Integrations

Quotes Module

Products are used throughout the quoting process:

  • Select products when creating quotes
  • Prices auto-fill from product records
  • Descriptions appear on quote PDFs
  • Changes to products don't affect existing quotes

Orders Module

Products link to order management:

  • Orders reference product records
  • Track product sales over time
  • Analyse product performance
  • Inventory planning (future feature)

CRM Module

Products can be associated with leads:

  • Indicate which products a lead is interested in
  • Track product interest across your pipeline
  • Analyse which products close most deals

Troubleshooting

Product Not Appearing in Quotes

If a product doesn't appear when creating a quote:

  • Ensure the product is active (not archived)
  • Check you have permission to view products
  • Verify the product belongs to your organisation
  • Try refreshing the product list

Price Not Updating

If price changes don't appear:

  • Clear your browser cache
  • Refresh the page
  • Check the product was saved correctly
  • Verify you're looking at the right product

Duplicate Products

If you have duplicate products:

  • Merge them by updating one and deleting the other
  • Check existing quotes reference the correct product
  • Update any CRM leads linked to the old product
  • Delete the duplicate once verified

Next Steps