General inventory import/export
Some issues with our MAS 200 application is causing me to look elsewhere for a newer architeched solution. So
I'm putting together a development server to explore/test xtuple.
Can inventory be deleted (single item or hundreds of items) programmatically using views or other api calls while
users are in xTuple) which do not require user interaction?
Will items with transaction history be removed? (I would think not, but asking anyway)
Comment: MAS does not allow this. In MAS, you are required to import into a Delete/Merge table, then
run the utility while no users are accessing the item master..which is ridiculous.
Can inventory be added (same as above)?
Are there clear examples of using views or sample code to connect to xtuple on this forum to
accomplish any inventory changes outside the xtuple application?
For current users of xtuple, are there any glaring design constraints with regard to inventory
management you can share with me?
Fyi. (I can/do use libpq to connect to postgresql) if advanced options exists for this method.
The short answer in yes, but I'd suggest you look through the database and the client a bit to understand how. First of all, if there's any history for the product (reciept, PO, SO, shipping, change of location, etc.), you won't be able to delete the item, you'll only be able to make it inactive. If you're not really looking to delete the item, but enter the inventory transactions, yes that can be done as well. IF you understand how these things happen in the client, the error messages you see in the db console make a lot more sense.
We do something similar to integrate a webapp that our sales force uses to enter their orders. Works like a charm.
If you do all of these entries through the api schema, it will verify all of the business contraints before executing the sql. This is of course, the recommended method to interact with the db.
If this is for a proof of concept, play away. But if you're considering anything beyond that, I'd highly recommend taking a class from xTuple, or talking with one of their partners. It gets pretty complex pretty quickly, but its all pretty logically laid out. There's a big hump in the front of the learning curve, which is where the class or partners are really, really helpful.
I agree with Dustin. If you are the technical person behind this venture you would benifit from the xTuple clasess 101 xTuple: Setup, Configuration and Operation (Class) and 102 Power User Training
Have a look here
http://www.xtuple.com/training/classes
http://www.xtuple.com/training/online
Also anyone from your orginazation in operations would benifit from the 101 training as well.
