Changing item types (stock and non-stock)
Contents
What are the consequences if I change item types?
Best policy (but not always the most practical)
If you need to change the item type
How do I change the item type in bulk?
Overview
In Accentis, items can be defined as either Stock or Non-stock items.
What is a stock Item?
A stock item is an inventory item whose quantity and value are tracked within the Inventory module. Stock movements create inventory transactions and contribute to inventory quantities, stock valuations, and inventory-related reporting.
What is a non-stock Item?
A non-stock item is an item that can be purchased and sold, but its quantity and value are not tracked as inventory. They typically represent intangible items (such as services, labour, or miscellaneous fees) or items where tracking would be unnecessary or a waste of administrative time (such as stationery, or other sundry supplies).
What is the difference?
The key difference is that:
- Stock items maintain inventory quantities and values.
- Non-stock items do not maintain inventory quantities or values.
Because of this difference, historical transactions are interpreted differently depending on the item's current type.
Why might someone want to change an item type?
Common reasons include:
- The item is no longer physically stocked.
- Inventory tracking was set up incorrectly.
- The item has changed from a stocked product to a service, consumable, or expense item.
- The business wants to simplify inventory management.
- An item was originally created as stock when it should have been non-stock.
What are the consequences if I change item types?
Changing an item type moving forward is generally straightforward. The challenges occur when historical transactions and reporting are involved.
From the point of change onward, transactions will generally process according to the new item type without issue. If no historical transactions are edited and reporting is focused on current and future periods, there will generally be minimal impact.
Historical reporting
Retrospective reporting can become problematic because many inventory reports are based on the current item type, not necessarily the item type that existed when historical transactions were originally entered.
As a result:
- Historical quantity reports may appear incorrect.
- Historical stock valuations may show unexpected results.
- Opening balance calculations may produce anomalies.
Editing historical transactions
Another significant consideration arises when past transactions are edited after the item type has changed.
When a historical transaction is modified, Accentis generally:
- Reverses the original transaction.
- Reprocesses the transaction using the item's current configuration.
If the item type has changed since the transaction was originally entered, the transaction may no longer be processed in the same way.
Inventory reconciliation
Retrospective reconciliation between Inventory and the General Ledger can become more difficult.
In particular, reports such as SA1493 - Valuation reconciliation (by G/L account, retrospective) may produce results that are harder to reconcile when item types have changed over time.
Best policy (but not always the most practical)
The safest and most reliable approach is usually not to change the item type at all.
Recommended approach
- Leave the existing item unchanged.
- Create a new item with the correct type.
- Use the new item for all future transactions.
Additional tips
- If required, rename the previous item to indicate that it is no longer active and to set it apart from the new item.
- Set the previous item to Don’t Allow item to be Used to prevent it from being used accidentally.
- Where large numbers of items need to be created, SA4073 - Import inventory can be used to efficiently create replacement items with the correct configuration.
Benefits of this approach
- Historical reporting remains intact.
- Inventory valuations remain consistent.
- Historical transactions can still be edited safely.
- Audit trails are easier to maintain.
- Reconciliation processes remain simpler.
If you need to change the item type
If changing the item type is necessary, make sure you fully understand the implications described above before proceeding.
Step 1: Understand the risks
Review and consider:
- Historical reporting impacts.
- Inventory valuation implications.
- Editing of historical transactions.
- Reconciliation requirements.
Step 2: Ensure no stock remains
When changing from stock to non-stock, the item should have:
- Zero quantity on hand.
- No remaining inventory value.
This ensures that inventory balances are not stranded when inventory tracking is disabled.
Step 3: Make the change
Update the item configuration and change the item type from stock to non-stock, or non-stock to stock.
Step 4: Review G/L account allocations
After the change, verify your item's:
- Stock/expense accounts
- Sales accounts
- Cost of sale accounts
- Work in progress accounts
Step 5: Consider locking historical periods
As a precaution, consider setting a Journal lock date to lock records up to and including the date of the change.
This helps ensure that historical transactions cannot be modified and accidentally reprocessed using the new item type.
How do I change the item type in bulk?
Because of the ramifications of this change, it can only be done in bulk by the Accentis Support team. All we need is a spreadsheet with a list of the item codes you want to change and the corresponding new item type.
Last edit: 14/09/2026