Skip to main content
A
advancedlaserrec
December 11, 2018
Solved

Need to merge 3 items in my inventory into one

  • December 11, 2018
  • 1 reply
  • 0 views

I have items in my inventory that are negative.  I need to somehow adjust or merge 3 items into 1 in my QB inventory.  So, for example, say quantity 25 of item #123 is purchased; but item #123 can be sold as either item #123, or #124 or #125.  So on the purchase order item #123 is brought in with the quantity of 25.  Then customers order item 124 or 125 and it creates a negative inventory for those items .......They are all sold for the same amount.  How can I fix this?  I have no way of changing the purchase order as I don't know what item it will be sold as until the customer buys it.  Could I merge item #123,#124#125 together and in the description on the invoice it can say item #123, or #124 or #125.  What is the best way to handle this?

Best answer by arkvalleyinfo

Hi advancedlaserrec, 

You can only merge items of the same type. Duplicate service item types can be merged together, but a service type item cannot be merged with a non-inventory item type.When you merge inventory items, QuickBooks merges ALL historical transactions, including the purchases, sales, average costs, etc.

Before attempting to merge your items, make sure to create a backup of your company file. This is in case you need to undo the actions done.

To merge two items:

  1. Click Lists > Item List.
  2. Review the list for duplicate items; note the name of the item you want to remain.
  3. Double-click the item you want to merge into another item. The Edit Item dialog displays.
  4. Type in the Item Name/Number field the name exactly as you noted it in step 2.
  5. Click OK to save your change. QuickBooks provides a warning message that you are merging items.

Merging items needs careful consideration for this results in a different inventory reduction on all sales transactions, and that means all historical financial statements will be different after your merge. This is definitely something we recommend you consult with your accountant or legal adviser.

Let us know if you have other concerns.
Have a great day!

1 reply

A
arkvalleyinfoAnswer
December 11, 2018

Hi advancedlaserrec, 

You can only merge items of the same type. Duplicate service item types can be merged together, but a service type item cannot be merged with a non-inventory item type.When you merge inventory items, QuickBooks merges ALL historical transactions, including the purchases, sales, average costs, etc.

Before attempting to merge your items, make sure to create a backup of your company file. This is in case you need to undo the actions done.

To merge two items:

  1. Click Lists > Item List.
  2. Review the list for duplicate items; note the name of the item you want to remain.
  3. Double-click the item you want to merge into another item. The Edit Item dialog displays.
  4. Type in the Item Name/Number field the name exactly as you noted it in step 2.
  5. Click OK to save your change. QuickBooks provides a warning message that you are merging items.

Merging items needs careful consideration for this results in a different inventory reduction on all sales transactions, and that means all historical financial statements will be different after your merge. This is definitely something we recommend you consult with your accountant or legal adviser.

Let us know if you have other concerns.
Have a great day!

    C
    chris75
    October 16, 2019

    Except quickbooks pretty much never does this.  One item has an older open date then the other and it NEVER merges them together.  I waste literally hours managing inventory on this platform because you lock inventory dates instead of allowing the system to flush dates like opening date and reset.  Very frustrating...

    JasroV
    JasroV
    October 16, 2019

    I understand you, @chris75.

     

    And I also appreciate you for going through the steps provided above. Please know this is not what we want you to experience with QuickBooks.

     

    Just for clarification though, are you referring to the date the item is created? If so, you can still merge inventory type items even if the dates don't match as long as they are the same type and name.

     

    However, you can't merge items if both have sub-items. You must remove the sub-items first from the items you want to merge. Let me guide you how:

     

    To remove:

    1. Go to the List menu.
    2. Select Item List.
    3. Locate the Sub-item you the item you want to merge.
    4. Right click on your mouse and select Delete Item.

    If there are no sub-items on the items you want to merge. Let's create a sample company file and merge items from there. Here's how:

     

    In your QuickBooks Desktop account.

    1. Go to the File menu.
    2. Select New Company.
    3. Select either Express Start or Detailed Start.
    4. Follow the onscreen steps to finish the setup.

    Here's an article you can read for more detailed steps: Create a QuickBooks Desktop Company File.

     

    Once done, let's create an inventory type item with different date created and merge them. Here's an article you can check for the detailed steps and information: Add, Edit, and Delete Items.

     

    If your able to merge the inventory item in your sample company file, then we'll have to verify rebuild your original company file to check if there are damage data in your company file. Here's how:

     

    To verify:

    1. Click Window and select Close All.
    2. Then, go to the File menu.
    3. Select Utilities.
    4. Click Verify Data.

    To Rebuild:

    1. Go to the File menu.
    2. Select Utilities.
    3. Click Rebuild Data.

    You can also refer to this article for more detailed steps: Verify and Rebuild Data in QuickBooks Desktop.

     

    Also, feel free to check this helpful article for reference in case you want to learn how to setup advanced inventory in QuickBooks Desktop.

     

    If you have other concerns or questions, please feel free to leave a comment below. I'm always here to help.

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement