How to Organize Inventory with BoxHero's Attributes Feature
When managing inventory, standard fields like SKU, item name, and price are useful, but they don’t always capture all the details you need. Attributes let you add custom information to your items so you can better organize and track your inventory in BoxHero.
But how do you set them up in a way that keeps your inventory structured and easy to manage?
In this guide, we’ll walk you through practical ways to use attributes in BoxHero, with real-world examples from different industries. From grouping items to tracking safety stock, these tips will help you keep your inventory clear and organized. 📦
Let’s get started.
Tips for Setting Up Attributes in BoxHero
BoxHero offers four attribute types to help you structure your inventory data:
• Number: Best for weight, volume, or numerical values.
• Date: Useful for expiration dates, release dates, or time-sensitive info.
• Barcode: Stores additional barcode info beyond the main barcode.
Let's look at an example:
• Various sizes (e.g., 30ml, 50ml, 100ml).
• Perishable items that require expiration tracking.
• Products with multiple shades (like lipstick and foundation).
Without properly organizing this information, problems can occur during the shipping process. For instance, a customer might order "Hydrating Serum 50ml" but receive "Hydrating Serum 15ml" instead. Attributes help prevent these kinds of shipping errors and enable smarter inventory management.
Here's another example:
• Various specifications (e.g., 10mm, 50A)
• Different types of components like screws, bolts, filters, and bearings.
• Various uses (e.g., electrical parts, mechanical parts, consumables).
• Different materials such as stainless steel, aluminum, or plastic.
• Compatible machines or equipment.
• Multiple suppliers providing similar parts.
• Unique identification numbers to differentiate similar items.
Using BoxHero's attributes, they can quickly filter and locate specific parts to improve their production process.
Common Attribute Uses by Industry
Still not sure how to organize your attributes? Here are some examples from different industries to help you get started:
Brand, size, season, category, color, product number
• Accessories
Model number, size, material, manufacturer, weight, category, color
• Food
Storage method, country of origin, expiration date, category
• Pharmaceuticals
Unit, classification, ingredients, manufacturer
• Medical devices
Supplier, brand, manufacturer, category, manufacturing date, product number
• Chemical Reagents
Specification, storage method, volume, expiration date, arrival date, category
• Alcohol & Beverages
Country of origin, storage method, brand, category
• Office Supplies & Consumables
Serial number, model name, warranty number, user, asset code, manufacturer, manufacturing date, acquisition date, category
4 Ways to Use Attributes in BoxHero
Now that you’ve set up attributes in BoxHero, let’s explore how to make the most of them! Here are four practical ways to use attributes:
1. Group by Attributes
The Group by function in the Item List lets you to organize items with the same attributes in a single view.
For example, a beauty retailer can group items by name to quickly identify products with multiple color options and plan promotions accordingly.
You can also refine searches by applying multiple attributes—like filtering for “fresh” and “face” to find face products from the brand Fresh.
2. Manage Safety Stock
Low Stock Alerts helps prevent inventory shortages and maintains optimal inventory levels. With BoxHero, you can create a Safety Stock attribute–it defines the minimum quantity of an item, and you'll receive a notification when your inventory drops to that level.
Learn more about setting up safety stock attributes here!
3. Add Attribute Values to Barcode Labels
One of BoxHero's standout features is the ability to create and print barcode labels, and you can add attribute values directly onto them.
Adding attribute information to barcodes makes it much easier to identify product details at a glance and track your items more efficiently.
For example, a parts supplier can print labels that indicate whether a bolt is stainless steel or aluminum. This eliminates the need to physically inspect each product, significantly speeding up the sorting and organization process.
• Go to
Print Barcode > Items in the sidebar.• Click the pencil icon to modify the label design.
• Select "Add" to position attribute values where you need them.
4. Include Attribute Values in Invoices
BoxHero also lets you include attribute values in your invoices, which are automatically generated from Stock Out transactions.
Adding details such as category, brand, or size to your sales orders can make your transactions more reliable. Since both buyers and sellers can verify order details directly from the invoice, it improves clarity and reduces unnecessary back-and-forth communication.
For details on issuing invoices with BoxHero's Purchase & Sales feature, check out this page.
BoxHero
Making BoxHero Attributes Work for You
Setting up the right attributes in BoxHero makes a real difference in how you handle your inventory.
In this article, we've looked at four practical ways to use attributes: grouping similar items together, setting up low stock alerts, adding key details to barcode labels, and improving your invoicing process. These features work together to help you avoid shipping mistakes, plan better, and make your daily tasks simpler.
Take a moment to think about which attributes would benefit your business the most. With a good attribute setup, you'll see your inventory more clearly, do less manual work, and build better documentation.
