Item Obsolete vs Inactive

Item Obsolete lets you set an item as discontinued. Inactive is lets you pause the item.


Big Business includes an Obsolete option on Item Cards with the following features:

• Testing to see if an Item can be marked Obsolete including checking that all inventory quantities (On Hand, On Order, etc.) are zero (0). Big Business also tests that the Total Cost is zero (0).

• Obsolete Items are suppressed from the Item Listing making them unavailable for buying and selling.

• Obsolete Items are included on reports and searches, and can be excluded using the Obsolete or other (Qty On Hand, etc.) search criteria.

• You can readily remove the Obsolete attribute of Items, to accommodate a return or similar situation, where the Item becomes active again.

To Locate and/or Remove the Obsolete attribute on an Item:

1. Use the Item QuickSearch to find the Item
2. Open the Item Card from the QuickSearch, by double-clicking or selecting the Item and clicking the Go button.
3. To remove the Obsolete attribute, click the Obsolete checkbox, so it is unchecked.
4. Save the Item Card by clicking the OK button.
5. Quit and Restart Big Business (single-user) or click the Update List button on the Item Listing (Big Business Client, only) to load the un-Obsoleted Item.


  Items Search

Items Search lets you find items, by any field, add columns to view, and make changes.


There are 58 searchable fields for Items in Big Business. Use the Item QuickSearch to find items by:

Item Code Taxable Customer Listing on Order
Description 1 Item Type Customer Listing on Invoice
Description 2 Vendor Listing Vendor Listing on P.O.
Price Level 1 Vendor Part # Vendor Listing on Bill
Margin Level 1 Item Cost Note Title
Price Level 2 Average Cost Tag
Margin Level 2 Total Cost Custom 1
Price Level 3 Quantity on Hand Custom 2
Margin Level 3 Quantity Allocated Custom 3
Price Level 4 Quantity Available Custom 4
Margin Level 4 Last Bought Date Custom 5
Price Level 4 Last Sold Date Custom 6
Margin Level 5 Order at Least... Custom 7
Buy Item ...When Below Custom 8
Sell Item Qty on Order Custom 9
Inventory Item Qty Needed Custom 10
Obsolete Item ETA Date Custom 11
Expense Category Ship Weight Custom 12
Asset Category Build/Bundle Item
Cost of Goods Category Customer Listing on Quote

  Items Find vs Filter

Items Search shows a Find Dialog and has Filters above each column on the results list.

The goal is to find exactly what you need just like shopping online. Find all Sale items. Filter to my size, color. Except that it is much faster and there are more filter options.

You know your inventory and need a way to find and filter by certail details as needed.



  Warehouse Quantities

Warehouse Quantites lets you search stock at multiple locations just like Items Search.

If you don't see the Whse Qtys button on Items toolbar you are not using Warehouses.



  Update Costs

Update Costs dialogs are minimized as part of Item Automation to help save you time.