If you’re responsible for keeping inventory accurate or making sure your product catalog isn’t a mess, this is for you. This guide walks through using Skynamo to stay on top of inventory and manage catalog updates without losing your mind (or your Saturday). We’ll get into what works, what to skip, and how to make Skynamo actually help you, instead of just adding to your to-do list.
Why Care About Inventory and Catalog Management?
Let’s cut to it: inventory mistakes cost money. Wrong stock numbers mean missed sales or angry customers. Out-of-date catalogs mean sales reps selling what you don’t have or missing out on new products. If you’re using Skynamo, you probably want less of both.
But here’s the thing: software can help, but only if you set it up right and don’t try to overcomplicate things.
1. Get Your Basics Right Before Diving In
Don’t skip this. If your base product info is a mess, no tool can save you. Before you touch Skynamo:
- Make sure your product list is accurate. If you have “Widget A” spelled three ways, fix it.
- Standardize SKUs, names, and categories. (You’ll thank yourself later.)
- Decide who’s responsible for catalog updates. Too many cooks = chaos.
Pro tip: If your data’s scattered, grab everything into a single spreadsheet first. Clean it up. Then move to Skynamo.
2. Setting Up Skynamo for Inventory Tracking
Skynamo isn’t magic—it can’t count boxes in your warehouse by itself. But it can help you keep tabs on what’s where, especially if you have reps in the field.
Here’s how to get started:
a. Import Your Products
- Use Skynamo’s import tool to bring in your cleaned-up product list.
- Double-check field mapping (SKU, name, category). If you mess this up, everything downstream gets messy.
- Set up units of measure. Be consistent—don’t mix “pcs” and “units” if they mean the same thing.
b. Add Stock Levels
- If you want live inventory, you’ll need to regularly update stock numbers. Skynamo can’t pull these automatically unless you connect it to another system.
- Manual updates: Reps can enter quantities during visits, or your warehouse team can upload updates.
- Connected systems: If you’re using ERP/accounting software, see if Skynamo integrates. If not, consider simple CSV data pulls and uploads.
c. Set Up Locations
- If you have multiple warehouses or stock points, set up locations properly.
- Make sure products are assigned to the right locations from the start.
What to watch out for: - Don’t expect real-time inventory unless you hook up Skynamo to your main inventory system. Otherwise, treat it as “best available” info. - If reps skip inventory updates, your data gets stale—so keep it simple for them.
3. Using Skynamo to Track Inventory in the Field
One of the best things about Skynamo: sales reps can update inventory when they’re out visiting customers.
Here’s how field updates work:
- During a customer visit, reps can view product lists and see current stock levels.
- They can record quantities sold, damaged, or returned—right from the app.
- If you enable it, they can adjust on-hand stock after a count.
Best practices:
- Make it part of your sales visit checklist: check inventory, record changes, move on.
- Train reps to only update what they actually see or sell—don’t guess.
- Keep inventory fields required, but don’t force them to fill in every product for every visit. That’s how you get fake data.
What works: - Quick spot-checks keep your numbers closer to reality. - Reduces “I thought we had it in stock” moments.
What doesn’t: - Don’t expect 100% accuracy unless you audit regularly. People make mistakes, and some will just tap numbers to get through their day.
4. Keeping Your Product Catalog Up to Date
Out-of-date catalogs make everyone’s life harder. Here’s how to keep Skynamo working for you:
a. Schedule Regular Catalog Reviews
- Don’t wait until there’s a problem. Block time monthly or quarterly to review:
- New products to add
- Discontinued items to remove
- Pricing updates
- Category changes
b. Use Bulk Edit and Import Features
- Skynamo’s bulk import tool is your friend. Don’t waste time updating one-by-one if you have changes for lots of products.
- Always back up your data before a big update. If you mess up a bulk import, you want a way to fix it.
c. Communicate Changes
- Set up notifications or reminders for your team when big catalog updates go live.
- Don’t just email a spreadsheet—use Skynamo’s built-in communication or note features.
Pro tip: Keep a changelog. Even a simple shared doc listing “what changed, when, and why” can save headaches down the road.
5. Managing Pricing, Discounts, and Special Offers
Catalog management isn’t just about what you sell—it’s also about how you price it.
- Use Skynamo’s pricing features to set standard prices, customer-specific rates, or discounts.
- If you have frequent price changes, keep your base prices in Skynamo and manage discounts as separate fields. This way you don’t overwrite your records by mistake.
- Test any big pricing update with a small batch of products before rolling out to your whole catalog.
What to ignore:
Don’t try to use Skynamo for complex pricing schemes with dozens of exceptions unless you absolutely have to. It’s better than spreadsheets, but not a replacement for a full-blown pricing engine.
6. Reporting and Spot-Checking Your Data
Even with good habits, inventory and catalog data can drift. Use reports to catch problems early.
- Run regular “stock vs. sales” reports to find products with suspicious numbers.
- Use “last updated” fields to see which products haven’t been touched in a while—these are often wrong.
- Encourage your team to flag weird numbers or missing products.
Pro tip: Don’t get lost in dashboards. Pick 2–3 metrics that actually matter (like “out of stock items” or “products not updated in 60 days”) and watch those.
7. Common Pitfalls and How to Dodge Them
- Too much detail: Don’t try to track every possible attribute for every product. More fields = more mistakes.
- Relying on memory: If something happens outside Skynamo, write it down. Otherwise, your data and reality will drift.
- Ignoring feedback: If your team says the system’s too fiddly, listen. A simple process that gets used beats a perfect one nobody touches.
8. Should You Integrate Skynamo with Other Systems?
If you have a master inventory database (ERP, accounting, etc.), connecting Skynamo can save you a ton of manual work.
- Check Skynamo’s integration options. Some ERPs connect directly; others need middleware or manual CSV import/export.
- If integration sounds like a headache, start with manual updates. You can always automate later.
What works:
Start simple. Get your data flowing one way (into Skynamo) before worrying about syncing back and forth.
9. Tips for Keeping It All Running Smoothly
- Set a schedule: Pick specific days/times for updates and reviews. Random “whenever we remember” never works.
- Delegate: Make sure someone owns catalog updates, someone else does inventory spot checks, etc.
- Document: Keep a short process doc. It doesn’t have to be pretty—just clear.
Final Thoughts: Don’t Overthink It
Inventory and catalog management doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Use Skynamo for what it’s good at: keeping everyone (especially your sales team) on the same page with what you sell and what’s in stock. Start simple, get your basics locked in, and only add complexity when you need it.
If you mess up, don’t worry—just fix it and move forward. It’s better to have a “pretty good” system that actually gets used than a “perfect” one that everyone ignores. Keep it simple, review regularly, and tweak as you go. That’s really all there is to it.