Set up your materials catalogue
Save the parts and materials you use over and over. Pick one on an invoice to autofill the line, and (optionally) track stock so quantities drop when you use them.
What it does
Your materials catalogue is a small price book of the parts and materials you use again and again, a thermostat, a junction box, a tube of sealant. Each item stores its name, what you pay for it (cost), and what you sell it for to the customer.
On any invoice, pick an item from the catalogue and the line autofills. If you turn on stock tracking for that item, the quantity drops by the amount used so your van inventory stays accurate.
Why it is worth setting up
A well-stocked catalogue cuts most of the busywork out of writing an invoice: line items take a tap instead of typing, your prices stay consistent across jobs, and the cost figure feeds into job costing (Pro and above) so you can see margin per job rather than guess.
Before you start
You will need a TradeBooked account on any plan, and your usual prices for a handful of repeat items to start with.
Setup steps are in your dashboard
This is a Solo feature. Sign in on a Solo plan to see the step-by-step setup for your number.
Common questions
Do I have to add every part I ever use?
No. Add only the items you use repeatedly enough that retyping them is annoying. One-off lines can still be typed straight onto an invoice.
What does stock tracking actually do?
For items you flag as tracked, the quantity drops each time you use one on an invoice or signed customer variation. It is a running inventory, not a full warehouse system.
Where does the cost price show up?
The cost is private to you (not on the customer PDF). On Pro and above, it feeds the job-costing view so you can see margin per job.
What plan do I need?
The materials catalogue is included on every plan from Solo. Line items on invoices are available on Pro and above.
Related guides
Still stuck? Email support@tradebooked.co.uk.