Understanding Inventory
Concept Article – Learn how Inventory acts as your business's operational library, bringing together everything you sell, use and consume to complete your work.
What Is Inventory?
In JGID, Inventory is your business's central library of operational items.
It contains everything your business may quote, use, consume or manage while delivering work.
Rather than creating the same items repeatedly, you build them once and reuse them throughout your business.
Over time, your Inventory becomes one of your most valuable business assets.
More Than an Asset Register
Many systems think of inventory as stock on a shelf.
JGID takes a broader approach.
Inventory contains the knowledge of how your business performs work.
It brings together:
- Services
- Materials
- Instruments
- Consumables
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Composed Items
- Quote Templates
Each serves a different purpose, but together they form a reusable library that saves time, improves consistency and reduces mistakes.
Services
Services describe the work your business performs.
Examples include:
- Window cleaning
- Rope access labour
- Anchor inspections
- Sealant replacement
- Pressure washing
Services define what your business does.
Materials
Materials are the products that become part of the finished work.
Examples include:
- Sealants
- Paint
- Fasteners
- Anchors
- Chemicals
These are typically supplied to the Client as part of the completed Job.
Instruments
Instruments are the equipment your team uses to perform the work.
Examples include:
- Power tools
- Rope access equipment
- Vehicles
- Ladders
- Test equipment
- Kit bags
Unlike Materials, Instruments remain part of your business and continue to be used on future Jobs.
Consumables
Consumables are items that are used during the Job but are generally not tracked as long-term assets.
Examples include:
- Masking tape
- Knife blades
- Cleaning cloths
- Solvents
- Disposable bags
These are consumed while completing the work.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
PPE includes the equipment your workers require to perform work safely.
Examples include:
- Helmets
- Gloves
- Safety glasses
- Sunscreen
- Helmet brims
- Hearing protection
Including PPE in your Inventory helps ensure it becomes part of your operational planning rather than being forgotten.
Composed Items
A Composed Item combines multiple Inventory items into a single reusable package.
Instead of selecting every Service, Material, Instrument, Consumable and PPE item individually, you can group them together once.
For example:
Supply and Application of Sealant
This single Composed Item may contain:
Service
- Rope access labour
Materials
- Sika polyurethane sausage
Instruments
- Sausage gun
- Stanley knife
- Scrapers
- Tape gun
- Bucket
- Gun holder
Consumables
- Masking tape
- Knife blades
- Methylated spirits
- Plastic bags
- Sausage nozzles
PPE
- Helmet
- Helmet brim
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
The next time this work is quoted, everything is already grouped together.
Quote Templates
Quote Templates build on Composed Items.
Rather than selecting individual Services or Composed Items, a Quote Template can create an entire quote structure instantly.
Instead of rebuilding the same quote every time, users simply import the template and begin adjusting quantities, measurements or pricing.
This dramatically reduces quoting time while ensuring every quote follows the same company standard.
Build Once. Reuse Everywhere.
One of the biggest advantages of Inventory is reusability.
Create an item once.
Reuse it in future Quotes.
Combine it into Composed Items.
Include it in Quote Templates.
Every improvement you make benefits future work.
Rather than rebuilding knowledge every time you quote, your business continuously grows its operational library.
Best Practice
Treat your Inventory as a living library.
Whenever your team discovers a better way of performing recurring work, update the Inventory rather than recreating it manually each time.
Over time, your business becomes faster, more consistent and less dependent on individual staff remembering every detail.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Inventory just equipment?
No.
Equipment is only one part of Inventory.
Inventory also includes Services, Materials, Consumables, PPE, Composed Items and Quote Templates.
What is the difference between a Composed Item and a Quote Template?
A Composed Item groups related Inventory items together.
A Quote Template builds an entire reusable quote, allowing you to start quoting immediately with minimal changes.
A Quote Template can have multiple different Composed Items already saved in it
Why build Composed Items?
They reduce repetitive work, improve consistency and help ensure nothing is forgotten.
Why build Quote Templates?
They allow your business to reuse proven quote structures, saving time and standardising how recurring work is quoted.
Summary
Inventory is much more than a stock register.
It is your business's operational library.
By combining Services, Materials, Instruments, Consumables, PPE, Composed Items and Quote Templates into one reusable system, JGID captures not only what your business owns—but how your business works.
Every new item you create becomes knowledge that can be reused, refined and shared across future Jobs and Quotes.