Get Started in 5 Exercises

This guide will take you through a few exercises to show you some of the general day-to-day processes you can handle in Brightpearl. We've kept it simple at this stage, but Brightpearl has many more features and the functionality to handle more complex situations and bulk processing that you can learn using our free online support documentation.

This guide will take you through the following exercises:

1. Add a customer
2. Add a supplier
3. Add a product
4. Buy and receive your product
5. Sell and ship your product

1. Add a customer

Store all details for a contact in Brightpearl so you know they are in one place.

Use these details and follow the steps below to add a new customer:

1. On the left-hand side of the screen click the Quick Add icon  and select Customer.
2. Enter the contact details as provided above.
3. Click the green Save changes button in the top-right.
4. Just above the record tabs you will see a small Add a tag link. Click and select a tag (group) for the contact.
5. Click the Save changes button. If you leave the page without saving your information will not be retained.

2. Add a Supplier

Suppliers are added in the same way. use the Quick Add icon again or try by going to Suppliers > New Supplier.

Use these details and follow the steps below to add a new supplier:

3. Add a product

Use the products module to effectively track your stock levels, show items on your website and quickly add items to sales and purchase orders.

Use these details and follow the below steps to add a new stock-tracked product:

1. On the left-hand side of the screen click the Quick Add icon  and select Product.
2. In the Product info tab, enter/select:
   • Item name
   • Brand
   • Category
   • SKU
3. In the Stock/Inventory tab ensure "Manage inventory levels for this item?" is set to Yes.
4. In the Prices tab, enter the retail and cost price.
5. Click the Save changes button.

4. Buy your product

Every purchase you make needs a supplier. We will use the supplier you added earlier.

Each purchase requires the following steps:

1. Create an order
2. Send the order to the supplier
3. Receive the goods
4. Receive the invoice

Create an order

1. Use the Quick Add icon  and select Purchase.
2. Search for and select your supplier - Supplies Ltd.
3. Your purchase order is displayed. Add the item to the order by typing the product SKU (PROD999) or name (Rucksack) in the Item code field.
4. Enter the quantity you are ordering, let's say 10.
5. Click the Save changes button.

Send the order to the supplier

1. Click the Email/print button at the top of the order.
2. The document is displayed. Select the Email link at the top.
3. Select the supplier email address.
4. Click the Send button.
5. Click the Close button.

Notice the order status (top-left) is updated.

Receive the goods

Let's now say that the supplier has sent your items.

1. Click the Receive inventory button at the top of the order.
2. Confirm the quantity received is the same as you ordered and click the Submit button.

Your stock level is updated. You can check by going to Products > List products / services. This has also updated your accounting.

Receive the invoice

Let's also say that your supplier has sent you the invoice for your purchase.

The invoice provides the following details:

1. Click the Receive invoice button.
2. Enter the supplier invoice reference, invoice and payment due date.
3. Click the Receive invoice button.

Your supplier record is updated to indicate you owe them money. This has also updated your accounting.

5. Sell your product

Every sale you make needs a customer. We will use the customer you added earlier.

Each sale of stocked items uses the following steps, some are optional:

1. Create an order
2. Allocate stock (optional)
3. Fulfil the order (create a goods-out note)
4. Print, pick, pack and ship
5. Invoice the customer
6. Take payment

Create an order

1. Use the Quick Add icon  and select Sale.
2. Search for and select your customer - James Bond.
3. Your sales order is displayed. Add the item to the order by typing the product SKU (PROD999) or name (Rucksack) in the Item code field.
4. Enter the quantity you are ordering, let's say 5.
5. Click the Save changes button.

Allocate stock

Allocating stock means it is reserved for this order and cannot be sold to someone else unless you unallocate it. It's an optional step, but it's really useful for effective stock management.

1. Just below the line item on the order, click the Allocate all link.
2. Click the Save changes button.

Note the details printed just below the product name.

Fulfil the order 

Fulfilling will create a goods-out note and indicate that you are ready to get the item packed up and shipped out.

1. Hover your mouse over the Fulfil order link at the top of the order.
2. Click Fulfil and ship later.
3. The goods-out note is created. A green message box displays the goods-out note reference, e.g. GN#100001/1. Click this reference to open the document...
4. Continue to the print, pick, pack and ship section...

Print, pick, pack and ship

1. Click the Print button to print the goods-out note and timestamp it.
2. Click the Pick button to print a picking list (used for collecting items from around your warehouse) and mark the order as picked (i.e. you've collected all the items).
3. Click the Pack button to mark the order as packed, i.e. the order is ready to go!
4. Click the Ship button to mark the order as dispatched and timestamp it.
5. Click the Close button to return to the order.

Once you have marked the order as shipped your stock levels are reduced and your stock accounting is updated.

Invoice

You will need to invoice your customer to ask them to pay.

1. In the order click the Invoice button at the top.
2. A warning message will be displayed, click OK.
3. Click the Email/Print button to view the document.
4. Clcik the Email link at the top, select your customer's email address and send.
5. Click close.

Invoicing your customer will update your customer's account to indicate that they owe you money. It will also update your accounting.

Taking Payment

1. Scroll to the bottom of the sales order.
2. Click the Take Payment button.
3. Select the bank account payment was made into.
4. Enter the date the payment was received, let's say today.
5. Enter the payment reference, this will be a cheque number or statement reference, let's say 5523654.
6. Click the Allocate payment button.
7. Click the link to return to the order.

The order is marked as paid and the customer's account balance is reduced indicating they no longer owe us money. This transaction is also posted to accounts.