Setting up your inventory data is a critical part of your success with Beacon and the decisions you make about your data will matter down the line, so take some time to review this guide and understand how best to set up your inventory data. This guide will take you through all of the steps, data points, and considerations you need to hit the ground running.
We recommend taking the time to assemble this data before starting to create it in Beacon to ensure there are no overlooked elements or gaps that need to be circled back to later.
Best Practices for DIY Inventory Creation
Best Practices for DIY Inventory Creation
Build your Inventory Import File: If you're a small manufacturer or distributor, you may not have your inventory consolidated or digitized. This may be work you still need to do. It can seem unsurmountable to do during the course of regular business, but it's actually very doable:
Start by building your Product Line and Catalog Data: this is the "bones" of your inventory. Getting this into a spreadsheet (or created in Beacon, it can be exported) is the first step to building out your inventory.
Send the Catalog List to your Reps or Distributors and request an Audit: You need to understand what's in the field, so requesting inventory counts from your users is critical. Sending them the Catalog list can be helpful so they can just enter the counts. If you can get quantities by lot number or UDI, then all the better.
Get a count of how much you have in your Warehouse: Now use your Catalog List to do an audit of your home warehouse. Record quantities by lot or UDI, get as much data as is feasible into your spreadsheet.
Fill in the Gaps: You'll likely be missing data elements, like lot, UDI, expiration, list price, etc. Take the time to fill this info in and get as complete a picture as possible before importing.
Use UDI Barcode Scanning: If your inventory bears UDI labels, then use Beacons scanning features to pull in base product data from the FDA GUDID Database and extracting info from the UDI itself. This can be a quick way to digitize your inventory, if it works for you.
Control for Time: If you're having to create your inventory while still auditing or assembling your data, regular business likely makes this a moving target. Every day that passes means more sales and more inventory movement making counts less accurate. Think this through, there are options:
Input inventory in waves. Start with your warehouse inventory so you can start tracking inventory movement.
Input your field data from each custodian as soon as it is completed data, then keep up the real time activity for that custodian in Beacon (inventory sales and movement) to keep inventory accurate.
Track all inventory movement and sales manually while you're digitizing your inventory data so you can audit at the end and make any adjustments that need to be made.
Use Canonical Names for Containers: For trays, use a "Canonical Name" (e.g., "Spine Tray 1 of 5"). This allows you to group different catalog numbers that represent the same template, making logistics and requests much smoother.
Set Up Before You Scan: While Beacon allows you to create catalog records "on the fly" during UDI scanning, we recommend building your catalog beforehand. This ensures your descriptions, pricing, and product line assignments remain consistent across the entire organization.
Product Lines
Product Lines
Before building out your inventory, you'll need to define your Product Lines. Product Lines are the top of the pyramid for your inventory data, everything must have a product line. Product lines can be used to search inventory, request inventory, and report on inventory use/movement.
You can think of Product Lines as the brand names of your products, but consider how you define these.
Example Orthopedic Company: Acme Ortho has an orthopedic screw product that comes in multiple sizes, 3.5mm, 4.5mm, 5.5mm, 6.5mm, etc. They have optioins for how they establish product lines.
Option 1: They could create their product line for Acme Ortho Screws. This product line would encompass all of their sizes and be very broad. They could help manage and report on the different sizes of screw using Inventory Tags or other methods.
Option 2: They could create product lines for Acme 3.5mm Ortho Screws, Acme 4.5mm Ortho Screws, etc. This gives users more specificity when requesting entire product lines and gives them more options to use when reporting on movement or sales.
However, create too many product lines and your inventory data may become unwieldy. Items may belong to multiple product lines, but again too many may become hard to manage or less meaningful.
Defining Your Product Lines
Product Lines are the highest level of organization in your catalog. They are used to group related items for reporting, filtering during cases, and managing inventory requests.
Data to Assemble:
Name: The brand name or category (e.g., "Apex Spine System" or "Universal Hip Instruments").
Manufacturer: The entity that produced the items. In Beacon, you can manage multiple manufacturers under one organization.
Contents List (Optional but Recommended): You can define exactly which catalog items are required to fulfill a "full product line" request (this can be a selection of container canonical names and item catalogs). This is critical for customer service teams when a rep requests a complete set for a case.
Product Catalog
Product Catalog
Before you can start tracking live inventory, scheduling cases, or processing sales, you need to build your Catalog. Think of the Catalog as your "Item Master"—it defines what you sell and carry, while Inventory tracks the physical units (lots, serials, expiration dates) sitting on your shelves or in the field.
Every piece of physical inventory in Beacon must be linked to a Catalog Record, and every Catalog Record must belong to a Product Line. You must define your Product Lines and Catalog Records, often before creating inventory (Some methods, such as .CSV import, will create a catalog record automatically, but will not be a complete catalog record with all data populated).
Catalog vs. Inventory: The Distinction
It is helpful to remember this rule of thumb: The Catalog is the Template; Inventory is the Reality.
Feature | Catalog Record --> | Inventory Record |
Purpose | Defines the part (The "What") | Tracks the unit (The "Where") |
Unique Key | Catalog Number | Lot Number / Serial Number |
Details | Cost, Description, Product Line | Expiration Date, Current Custodian, Etc. |
Quantity | None (Definition only) | Total units currently in stock |
The Catalog: Your Inventory Definitions
The Catalog defines the specific part numbers and descriptions for your items. There are three primary types of records you will create in the Catalog: Devices, Containers, and Packs.
Understanding the Item Types
Devices: These are your individual units—implants, single-use instruments, or disposables. They are typically billable items.
Containers: These are non-billable items that hold other inventory. Common examples include surgical trays, kits, or sets. While containers aren't "sold," Beacon tracks their location and how many "turns" (sterilization cycles/cases) they complete.
Packs: Packs are used for groups of items that are always sold together (e.g., a sterile-packed kit containing three screws and a driver). When you mark a Pack as "used" in a case, Beacon automatically connects the contents list for all individual components inside. Note: The contents of Packs are real items in the catalog, but do not exist as separate inventory pieces in your account. They are entirely part of the Pack in terms of movement and sales and cannot be separated from it.
Critical Catalog Fields
When assembling your data for import or manual entry, ensure you have the following:
Catalog Number: The unique manufacturer part number (SKU). For Devices this is a common unifying number, but for Containers it is unique.
Description: A clear name for the item (e.g., "4.5mm x 30mm Cortical Screw").
Product Line: Assign each item to the correct group you created in your Product Lines.
Cost of Goods: You can enter a standard or average cost for a catalog number. Any cost entered at the individual inventory item level will overwrite this default cost. It's good to get this entered before you start creating inventory.
Additional Optional Fields:
Warehouse Location: The standard location in your warehouse where this inventory can be found.
Par Level: Set a par level as a reorder point for your inventory. This will alert you when your total stock (including what is in other custodies) reaches this level.
Search Tags: Default inventory search tags
Specifications: Field for you to add item specifications
Item Weight: Record the standard weight of your item
Lead time in Weeks: How many weeks ahead of delivery should you order this item?
Color Band: If items are color coded to assist in surgery, yo umay record the color here.
Images: Upload standard images for this item
IFU/Technique Guides: Upload important product documents like usage guides or instructions for use.
Inventory Data
Inventory Data
Building an import file is the most efficient way to load large batches of inventory into Beacon, but if you're creating from scratch then scanning your inventory in could be a preferable option. Before you begin, ensure you have already defined your Product Lines and Catalog Records, as these are required for every inventory item you create.
Inventory Imports
Inventory Imports
Getting Started: The Template
While you can map any spreadsheet to Beacon, it is highly recommended to use the Beacon Import Template. Using the template allows the system to automatically map your fields, saving you significant time during the upload process.
Key Data Fields
When assembling your spreadsheet, each row represents a unique batch of inventory (items sharing the same Lot/Serial/UDI).
Required Fields (Must be Mapped)
These fields are essential for the system to identify and track the item.
Product Line: The high-level category or brand the item belongs to.
Catalog Number: The unique manufacturer part number or SKU.
Quantity: The number of physical units for that specific batch.
Description: A standardized name for the item.
Billable Status: Defines if the item is sold to a facility (Implants) or is a non-billable asset (Trays/Instruments).
Strongly Recommended Fields
While not always strictly required for the file to upload, these fields are critical for medical device compliance and operational efficiency.
UDI (Unique Device Identifier): Beacon treats the UDI as the "Source of Truth". When you provide a UDI, the system automatically parses it to extract the Lot Number and Expiration Date, overwriting manual entries in those fields to ensure accuracy. Required regulatory identifier mandated by FDA, registered with GUDID database. Tracks the device through its lifecycle to the point of use, and can be used/scanned in Beacon to create or search for inventory.
Custody: If your inventory is not in the custody of your Organization/Warehouse, you may import it directly to the designated custodians by entering the user email address verbatim, as it is in Beacon.
Lot Number / Serial Number: If you do not have a UDI, it is advisable to provide these to track specific batches or individual units.
Expiration Date: Vital for tracking aging inventory and ensuring patient safety.
Container: You may import inventory directly into containers(trays) by entering the container catalog # in this column.
List Price: The default price used for billing (this can be overridden later by specific contract pricing).
Cost of Goods (COGS): Used for financial reporting and calculating margins.
Optional & Advanced Fields:
Location: Custom Locations (must be created prior to importing in Beacon), allow you to track the geographic location of inventory beyond the Custody Level. Locations can be used across custodians if they are assigned, and multiple locations may be used by each custodian. Location propagates from a container to the container contents inventory.
Search Tags: User-defined terms that allow you to track custom data points not natively available in Beacon.
Reusable Flag: Set to "True" for instruments or shipping charges that should return to your inventory after a case rather than being "consumed".
Container Canonical Name: This can designate a container as a "type" of container, such as "Spine Set 1/3" to represent common tray types. This can be used when requesting inventory.
Barcode Scanning
Barcode Scanning
Scanning Unique Device Identifiers (UDIs) is the most efficient method for creating inventory when you have the physical product in hand or access to barcode labels. This method leverages the Global UDID (GUDID) database to automatically populate item details, reducing manual entry and human error.
How to Scan UDIs in Beacon
Access the Scanner: Navigate to the All Inventory page and click Scan UDIs to Add.
Scan the Barcode: Use your device's camera or a connected scanner to capture the UDI barcode. Beacon instantly parses the string to identify the Catalog Number, Lot/Serial Number, and Expiration Date.
Verify Item Details: The system will display the information it found in the UDI. If the Catalog Record already exists in your system, Beacon will automatically link it; if not, you may need to ensure a matching record is created.
Note: Some information provided is populated from the GUDID database and is reliant on the information entered by manufacturers. Sometimes data and fields may not perfectly align and require scrutiny before creating the inventory.
Set Custody and Billability: Before finalizing, select the Custodian (the person or organization responsible for the items) and designate whether the inventory is Billable or Unbillable.
Repeat (Optional): If you have additional inventory to create, continue to scan or enter UDIs and build out your import.
Import: Click Import Inventory to finalize the creation. The system treats this action as an "import job," allowing you to reference the batch later in your import history.
Key Features of the UDI Scanner
Source of Truth: Beacon treats the parsed UDI as the absolute source of truth. Any manual entries for lot numbers or expiration dates will be overwritten by the data contained within the UDI barcode.
Duplicate Detection: If you scan the same UDI twice, the system will alert you. You can choose to Increment the quantity (adding more units of that lot) or ignore the duplicate to prevent over-counting.
Manual UDI Entry: If a barcode is damaged and won't scan, you can copy and paste the UDI text string directly into the search field to achieve the same automated results.
When to Use This Method
Receiving Shipments: When a new box of implants arrives at the warehouse.
On-the-Fly Creation: When a representative is at a facility and needs to add a specific item to their trunk stock quickly.
Audit Reconciliation: When physical counts reveal items that aren't yet in the system.