# 5. Parts Management

[Parts](https://autosoftware.company/product_master.php) is where you add, price, count, and reorder the items you stock. Opening it shows every inventory category as a button; clicking a button lists the parts in that category with their supplier, stock levels, cost, price, and reorder settings. Deactivate parts you no longer use rather than deleting them, so pricing and history on past invoices stay intact.

## How do I find a part?

1. From the Home Screen, click Inventory → Parts.
2. Click the category button for the part — for example Air Filters.
3. Type a description in Search, or a vendor in Supplier, set Status to Active or Deactive, and click Search. Click Show All to list every part in the category, or Download to export the list as a spreadsheet.

![Inventory Parts Categories Screen](/images/s35_f272ca4e.png)
*Inventory Parts Categories Screen*

![Parts List for Selected Category](/images/s35_fe0c35dd.png)
*Parts List for Selected Category*

## How do I update costs, prices, and stock for several parts at once?

1. From the Home Screen, click Inventory → Parts.
2. Click the category button — for example Air Filters.
3. Edit the values directly in the list: Part Description, Actual Stock On Hand, Min Sugg. Qty, Average Cost, Sales Price, Premium Charge, Sort Order, and Order Method.
4. Click Update All Fields to save. Changes are lost if you leave the screen without saving, so save after each group of edits.
5. To change only the button order, edit Sort Order and click Update Sort Order.

![Edit Part Screen](/images/s35_172d4a24.png)
*Edit Part Screen*

## How do I correct the quantity on hand for a part?

1. From the Home Screen, click Inventory → Parts.
2. Click the category button, then click the value in the Actual Stock On Hand column for the part.
3. In the popup, review each purchase lot — Date, Purchased From, Quantity, Cost Each, and Cost Total — with the Total and Average Cost $ below.
4. Change the Quantity or Cost Each on the lot that is wrong.
5. Click Save. Stock levels update immediately. Click Close to leave without saving.

![Parts (Lot Editor) Popup](/images/s35_f2d4b417.png)
*Parts (Lot Editor) Popup*

## How do I add a new part?

1. From the Home Screen, click Inventory → Parts.
2. Click the category button the part belongs to, then click Add Part.
3. Enter the Part Number and Part Description (both required). A part description entered here overrides the category's default description.
4. Optionally add Part Details and Part Model for OEM numbers or technical notes.
5. Enter the Part Sales Price $. This matters when your service packages pull the price from inventory rather than using a fixed package price.
6. Premium Fee From Category shows the category's premium. Check Override Premium Fee Amount to set a different premium for this part.
7. Check Taxable - Not For Resale if tax applies on your purchase of the part, and Generate Service Number if the part needs an internal reference number.
8. Enter the vendor part numbers for the primary, secondary, and third suppliers so ARM can cross-reference them if your main vendor is out of stock.
9. Enter the Pack Size (for example a box of 12) and the unit cost — for oil, enter the cost per quart, because ARM bills oil by the quart.
10. Set the Order Method, then save the part.

## How do I change how ARM reorders a part?

1. From the Home Screen, click Inventory → Parts.
2. Click the category button, then find the part in the list.
3. Set the Order Method column for that part:
4. Stock Level Method — orders enough to bring the part back up to its Min Sugg. Qty, rounded up to the Pack Size. Nothing is ordered while stock is at or above the minimum. This is the default on new parts and the best choice for a new shop with no usage history.
5. Historical Usage — ARM averages the part's usage over the weeks you specify (up to 52) and orders enough to reach that stocking level. Use it after the shop has been running on ARM for six months to a year.
6. Actual Usage — ARM orders exactly what was used in the prior weeks you specify and ignores the minimum quantity, so nothing is ordered if nothing was used.
7. Click Update All Fields to save.

## How do I deactivate a part instead of deleting it?

1. From the Home Screen, click Inventory → Parts.
2. Click the category button, then find the part in the list.
3. Click the deactivate icon in the Status column. Avoid Delete — deactivating keeps the part's cost, price, and invoice history intact for past work.
4. To see deactivated parts again, set Status to Deactive and click Search.

## About this screen

Tires work differently from other parts. Keep tires in the Tires category so ARM shows the extra tire fields — brand, section width, aspect ratio, application, speed rating, and treadwear — in addition to the standard part fields.

Related pages: [Edit Part](https://autosoftware.company/product_operation.php)