Introduction

In today’s highly competitive business environment, inventory management has evolved into a critical function for companies of all sizes.
Whether you are running a small retail shop, a manufacturing facility, a distribution business, or an e-commerce operation, your ability to manage stock effectively directly impacts your profitability, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency.

Dolibarr ERP & CRM — a modular, open-source solution — offers a comprehensive Stock and Inventory Management Module that enables businesses to handle their inventory processes seamlessly.
Thanks to Dolibarr’s intuitive design, flexibility, and scalability, businesses can automate and optimize their stock operations without the overhead costs or complexity associated with traditional ERP systems.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore how to manage your inventory efficiently using Dolibarr’s stock management module, its key features, configuration best practices, and advanced tips for maximizing your results.

Why Efficient Inventory Management Matters

Inventory mismanagement can lead to serious business issues:

• Overstocking results in increased holding costs, cash flow problems, and wastage.

• Understocking leads to missed sales opportunities, poor customer experiences, and damaged reputations.

• Inaccurate stock levels complicate production planning, purchasing, and financial reporting.

• Manual inventory processes are time-consuming and error-prone.

Effective inventory management provides:

• Better cash flow control.

• Higher customer satisfaction.

• Reduced storage costs.

• More accurate forecasting and purchasing.

• Increased operational efficiency.

An ERP-integrated inventory management system like Dolibarr ensures you can meet these goals in a structured and scalable way.

Overview of the Dolibarr Stock and Inventory Module

Dolibarr's Stock and Inventory Management Module is designed to give businesses comprehensive visibility and control over their stock levels, movement, and valuation.
It is a native module, available as part of the core Dolibarr package, meaning no additional licensing costs are needed.

Main capabilities include:

• Real-time stock tracking across multiple warehouses.

• Management of incoming (supplier) and outgoing (customer) stock movements.

• Automatic inventory adjustments.

• Batch and lot management (including serial numbers).

• Stock valuation and inventory reports.

• Integration with other modules like Sales, Purchases, Manufacturing, and Projects.

• Threshold alerts for minimum stock levels.

• Support for multiple units of measurement (UOM).

• Barcode management and QR code generation.

Setting Up the Stock Management Module in Dolibarr

1. Activate the Module

To use the stock module:

• Navigate to Home > Setup > Modules/Applications.

• Locate the Products/Services module and the Stock Management module.

• Enable both.

You will need to enable Products first since stock management depends on having items defined in the system.

2. Configure Global Stock Settings

Go to Home > Setup > Modules > Products/Services > Stock to configure:

• Whether stock movement is automatic when invoices or purchase orders are validated.

• Whether stock is decremented during shipping or sales validation.

• How stock levels are impacted by supplier orders and manufacturing operations.

• Whether to manage batches, lots, or serial numbers.

Proper configuration ensures stock is updated consistently and reflects real-world movements.

3. Create Warehouses

Warehouses represent physical locations where your stock is stored.

To create a warehouse:

• Go to Products/Services > Warehouses.

• Click New Warehouse and input details like name, address, description, and type.

You can create multiple warehouses if your business operates from several locations — for example, a main warehouse, retail outlets, and online fulfillment centers.

4. Add Products and Services

Each stock-tracked item must be defined as a Product (not Service) in Dolibarr:

• Go to Products/Services > New Product.

• Define key attributes:

  • Reference code.

  • Label (name).

  • Product type (Goods or Raw Materials).

  • Sell price and buy price.

  • VAT rate.

  • Stock management options (e.g., whether managed in stock, batch tracking).

This structured approach allows Dolibarr to monitor stock quantities and movements automatically.

Core Features of Dolibarr Inventory Management

1. Real-Time Stock Movement Tracking

Whenever a product enters or leaves your inventory:

• A stock movement record is created automatically.

• The system updates the current stock level.

• Details such as the movement type (incoming, outgoing, transfer), origin document (purchase order, sales order), warehouse, date, and quantities are logged.

You can view all stock movements per product to trace inventory history easily.

2. Multiple Warehouses and Stock Transfers

Businesses with multiple warehouses need to transfer stock between locations.

Dolibarr supports:

• Internal stock transfers between warehouses.

• Recording transfer movements with just a few clicks.

• Tracking quantities at each location separately.

This flexibility is crucial for companies managing distributed inventories or multi-branch operations.

3. Minimum Stock Alerts

Avoid stockouts by configuring minimum stock thresholds:

• Define a minimum desired stock level per product per warehouse.

• Dolibarr will alert you when stock drops below the threshold.

• You can generate automated replenishment orders or restocking alerts.

This feature enables proactive inventory management and reduces the risk of losing sales due to unavailable products.

4. Stock Valuation and Reporting

Dolibarr provides several stock valuation options:

• FIFO (First In, First Out)

• LIFO (Last In, First Out)

• Weighted Average Cost

You can:

• Generate stock valuation reports.

• Obtain total inventory value for financial reporting.

• Calculate margins and profitability accurately.

Precise valuation ensures compliance with accounting standards and facilitates better financial planning.

5. Batch and Serial Number Management

For industries like pharmaceuticals, electronics, or food where traceability is critical, Dolibarr supports:

• Batch numbers.

• Serial numbers.

• Expiry dates (for perishable goods).

You can track stock by batch, ensuring full traceability from supplier to customer, which is especially important for product recalls or regulatory compliance.

6. Integration with Other Dolibarr Modules

Stock movements can be automatically triggered by actions in:

• Sales Module: Product shipments.

• Purchases Module: Goods receipt.

• Manufacturing Module: Consumption of raw materials and production of finished goods.

This full integration ensures inventory reflects business activities in real-time, reducing manual entry and errors.

Best Practices for Managing Stock with Dolibarr

1. Maintain Clean Product Data

Consistency is key:

• Use standardized naming conventions for products.

• Maintain accurate buy and sell prices.

• Regularly update product descriptions and references.

Good data hygiene prevents confusion and ensures reliable reporting.

2. Regular Stock Audits and Inventory Reconciliation

Physical stock audits should be performed periodically to:

• Reconcile system data with actual inventory.

• Identify shrinkage, theft, damage, or miscounts.

• Adjust stock levels in Dolibarr accordingly.

Dolibarr offers stock adjustment options to correct inventory discrepancies transparently.

3. Automate Purchase Orders and Replenishment

When minimum stock thresholds are configured:

• Dolibarr can suggest purchase orders automatically.

• You can validate and send purchase orders to suppliers in a few clicks.

This automation ensures continuous availability of critical products without manual monitoring.

4. Use Stock Movement Reports for Analysis

Dolibarr provides detailed stock movement reports:

• Understand fast-moving vs slow-moving products.

• Analyze seasonal demand patterns.

• Optimize warehouse space and stocking strategies.

Data-driven inventory decisions lead to better cash flow and profitability.

Advanced Tips for Scaling Inventory Management with Dolibarr

1. Implement Barcode Scanning

• Use barcode scanners to speed up product identification and stock operations.

• Generate barcodes within Dolibarr or integrate external barcode generation systems.

• Improve warehouse efficiency and reduce human errors.

2. Manage Kits and Bill of Materials (BOM)

If you sell bundled products or manufactured goods:

• Use Dolibarr's BOM feature to manage component products.

• Automatically decrement stock of raw materials upon production or sale.

This ensures accurate stock levels across all product hierarchies.

3. Activate Multi-Currency Support

If you purchase or sell internationally:

• Enable multi-currency management.

• Assign different currencies to suppliers or clients.

• Dolibarr will handle currency conversions during stock valuations.

4. Setup User Permissions and Audit Trails

Restrict stock management permissions based on roles:

• Limit who can move, adjust, or validate stock.

• Maintain an audit trail for all stock changes.

This strengthens inventory security and accountability.

Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Conclusion

An efficient inventory management system is essential for ensuring smooth operations, cost control, and customer satisfaction.
Dolibarr ERP & CRM provides a powerful, affordable, and scalable inventory management solution that integrates seamlessly with the rest of your business operations.

Whether you are a small distributor, a growing manufacturer, or an e-commerce business, Dolibarr’s stock module equips you with all the tools you need to track, optimize, and scale your inventory processes professionally.

By leveraging Dolibarr's full capabilities — from real-time stock tracking to automated replenishments and batch management — businesses can turn their inventory management into a strategic advantage, not just an operational necessity.

Choosing Dolibarr means choosing efficiency, control, and growth for your inventory operations.