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Managing Inventory (Drawers)

Learn how to organize and track your clinic's supplies and inventory.

What are Drawers?​

Drawers is the inventory management system in Cicero's Information System. It helps you:

  • Organize Stock - Create locations and storage positions
  • Track Products - Monitor what's in stock and quantities
  • Monitor Expiration - Get alerts for expiring items
  • Set Minimums - Define reorder points for automatic alerts
  • Integrate with Marketplace - See stock levels when ordering

Accessing Drawers​

  1. Go to the Information System
  2. Click Drawers in the sidebar
  3. View your inventory management page

Permission Requirements​

PermissionAccess Level
View StockSee inventory items
Edit StockAdd, modify, delete items
Stock CorrectionMake manual adjustments

Understanding the Structure​

Inventory is organized hierarchically:

Clinic
└── Locations (e.g., Main Office, Storage Room, Treatment Room 1)
    └── Positions/Drawers (e.g., Cabinet A, Shelf 1, Drawer 3)
        └── Products (e.g., Gloves, Composite, Anesthetic)
            └── Instances (individual items with expiration dates)

Locations​

Physical areas within your clinic:

  • Operating Locations - Treatment rooms, reception
  • Stock Locations - Central storage, supply rooms
  • Each location can have multiple positions

Positions (Drawers)​

Storage containers within locations:

  • Cabinets, shelves, drawers, trays
  • Each position has a name and color for identification
  • Products are stored in positions

Products​

Individual product types:

  • Linked to Marketplace products
  • Track quantities and expiration
  • Set minimum stock levels

View Modes​

Grid View (Components)​

Visual card-based display:

  • Each drawer shows as a card
  • Grouped by location
  • Shows drawer name, color, product count
  • Quick visual overview

Click a drawer card to:

  • View products in that drawer
  • See item details
  • Manage contents

List View​

Tabular display of all items:

  • Searchable and sortable
  • Shows all products across drawers
  • Better for finding specific items
  • Pagination for large inventories

Switching Views​

Click the view toggle icons in the header:

  • List icon - Switch to list view
  • Grid icon - Switch to grid view

View preference is saved automatically.

Managing Locations​

Adding a Location​

  1. Click the Add button
  2. Select Add Location
  3. Enter location details:
    • Name - Descriptive name (e.g., "Treatment Room 1")
    • Type - Stock location or Operating location
  4. Click Save

Location Types​

TypePurpose
Stock LocationCentral storage areas
Operating LocationTreatment rooms, workstations

Editing a Location​

  1. Find the location in the grid view
  2. Click the location menu (three dots)
  3. Select Edit
  4. Modify name or type
  5. Save changes

Deleting a Location​

  1. Find the location
  2. Click menu and select Delete
  3. Confirm deletion
  4. Note: Locations with drawers must be emptied first

Managing Positions (Drawers)​

Adding a Position​

  1. Click the Add button
  2. Select Add Position/Drawer
  3. Enter position details:
    • Name - Position identifier (e.g., "Cabinet A")
    • Location - Select parent location
    • Color - Choose a color for visual identification
  4. Click Save

Editing a Position​

  1. Find the drawer card in grid view
  2. Click the menu icon on the card
  3. Select Edit
  4. Modify name, location, or color
  5. Save changes

Deleting a Position​

  1. Click the drawer menu
  2. Select Delete
  3. Confirm deletion
  4. Note: Drawers with products must be emptied first

Reorganizing​

Drag and drop locations to reorder them in the grid view.

Managing Products​

Adding Products Manually​

  1. Click the Add button
  2. Select Add Product
  3. Search for the product:
    • Search by name
    • Search by MPN/code
    • Select from Marketplace catalog
  4. Enter product details:
    • Quantity - How many to add
    • Location - Where to store
    • Drawer - Specific position
    • Expiration Date - Product expiry (optional)
    • Lot Number - Batch tracking (optional)
  5. Click Save

Scan to Stock​

Quickly add products by scanning delivery notes:

  1. Click Scan Items button
  2. Upload or photograph delivery note
  3. AI extracts product information:
    • Product names
    • Quantities
    • Lot numbers
    • Expiration dates
  4. Review and confirm extracted data
  5. Select storage location
  6. Save to inventory

Viewing Product Details​

  1. Click on a product row (list view) or
  2. Click the view icon
  3. See detailed information:
    • Product name and image
    • Current quantity
    • Expiration dates
    • Transaction history
    • Minimum quantity setting

Stock Tracking​

Quantity Management​

For each product, track:

  • Current Quantity - Items in stock
  • Minimum Quantity - Reorder threshold
  • Package Size - Units per package

Expiration Tracking​

Products with expiration dates show:

  • Days until expiration
  • Color-coded warnings:
    • Green: Good
    • Yellow: Expiring soon
    • Red: Expired or critical

Stock Alerts​

The dashboard shows:

  • Items below minimum quantity
  • Items expiring within 30 days
  • Items that have expired

Search and Filter​

Search across all inventory:

  • Product names
  • MPN/codes
  • Manufacturers

Location Filter​

Filter by location:

  • Select "All Locations" for everything
  • Choose specific location to focus

Drawer Filter​

When a drawer is selected (from grid view):

  • URL updates with drawer parameter
  • List shows only that drawer's contents

Exporting Inventory​

Export to Excel​

  1. Click the More menu
  2. Select Export Excel
  3. Download starts automatically

Export Contents​

The export includes:

  • Product names
  • Quantities
  • Locations and drawers
  • Expiration dates
  • Minimum quantities

Best Practices​

Organization​

  • Logical Locations - Match physical layout
  • Consistent Naming - Use clear, descriptive names
  • Color Coding - Use colors to categorize (e.g., by type)
  • Regular Counts - Verify quantities periodically

Stock Management​

  • Set Minimums - Don't run out of essentials
  • Track Expiration - Check expiring items weekly
  • First In, First Out - Use oldest items first
  • Regular Cleanup - Remove expired items promptly

Integration​

  • Link to Marketplace - Stock shows when ordering
  • Track Usage - Monitor consumption patterns
  • Plan Orders - Use data for purchasing decisions

Permissions​

PermissionWhat You Can Do
View StockSee all inventory items
Edit StockAdd, modify, delete items
Stock CorrectionMake manual quantity adjustments

Without View Stock permission, you'll be redirected to the dashboard.

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

Products Not Appearing

  • Check selected location filter
  • Verify drawer filter isn't active
  • Refresh the page
  • Check search term

Cannot Add Products

  • Verify Edit Stock permission
  • Check clinic is selected
  • Ensure product exists in catalog

Scan Not Working

  • Ensure good image quality
  • Check document is readable
  • Try manual entry instead

Quantities Incorrect

  • Use Stock Correction permission
  • Check transaction history
  • Verify package sizes

Next Steps​