How do I manage Global Catalog Defaults for Inventory Device Type, Pricing, and Billable Status?

Overview

Managing inventory across multiple warehouses, distributors, and sales representatives requires strict data consistency. Previously, setting parameters like Inventory Device Type, Base Sales Price, Billable Status, and Device Identifiers (GTIN/DI) had to be performed manually on an individual device level or explicitly mapped during every inventory import.

With Global Catalog Configuration Defaults, Organization Administrators can now establish master-level rules directly within the Catalog Item record. Any newly created or imported inventory associated with that catalog number will automatically inherit these master configuration values, reducing manual entry errors and streamlining inventory onboarding.

Key Benefits

Automated Inheritance: Newly created or imported inventory items automatically populate with master catalog settings.
Quoting Fallback: The master catalog Price serves as an default base/MSRP price on event quotes whenever a facility-specific contract price is not loaded.
Smart Device Identifier (GTIN/DI) Parsing: When importing or creating items without a full UDI barcode, the system automatically defaults the Device Identifier from the master catalog setting. If a full UDI barcode is provided, the system dynamically parses the DI directly from the scan.
Flexibility & Overrides: Master defaults do not lock inventory; users and admins can still manually override default values during manual creation or import steps if an exception arises.
Non-Destructive: Setting or updating master catalog defaults does not alter or overwrite historical/existing inventory already stored in your account.

How Master Catalog Defaults Apply to New Inventory

Field Name	Description	Default & Inherited Behavior
Inventory Device Type	Classifies the item type (e.g., Biologic, Implant, Instrument, Sterile Implant, Sterile Instrument, Other).	Pre-populates the Device Type dropdown when creating or importing physical units.
Price	Base MSRP / List Price for the catalog item.	Pre-populates the base price on new inventory and acts as the fallback rate on Event Quotes if no facility contract price exists.
Billable	Toggle/Checkbox indicating if the item is sellable/chargeable (`Yes`/`No`).	Sets default billable status. Non-billable items (e.g., standard instruments) default to unbillable.
GTIN / Device Identifier (DI)	The static model/product portion of a UDI.	Applies to new inventory lacking a full UDI. (If a full UDI string is scanned, the UDI parser takes precedence).

Setting Up Global Catalog Defaults

Log into the ConnectSx Console as an Admin or Operations user.
Navigate to Inventory $\rightarrow$ Catalog Items in the primary navigation bar.
Search for the Catalog Number you wish to configure and click on it to open its Catalog Detail Screen.
On the Catalog Detail page, locate the configuration fields:
- Inventory Device Type (Dropdown)
- Base Price (Currency Input)
- Billable (Toggle / Checkbox)
- GTIN / DI (Text Field)
Enter or select your desired organization-wide defaults.
Click Save.

How Defaults Function in Workflow Operations

1. Manual Inventory Creation

When creating inventory manually via All Inventory --> Add Inventory:

Selecting a Catalog Number automatically pre-fills the Device Type, Price, Billable Status, and GTIN/DI fields from the master catalog record.
The user can accept the defaults or edit any field before finalizing creation.

2. CSV Inventory Imports

When uploading a bulk inventory file via CSV:

If fields like Billable, Price, or Device Type are left unmapped or blank in your import file, Beacon automatically populates those cells using the matching catalog item defaults.
If your import file explicitly defines a different value for an item, the explicitly imported value overrides the catalog default.

3. Quoting Fallback Logic

When generating a quote for an upcoming case/event:

Beacon first searches for an active Facility Contract Price for that facility and catalog item.
If no contract price is found, Beacon falls back to the Master Catalog Price.
If both contract price and catalog price are blank, the quote line item displays as $0.00.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Will updating a Catalog Default change my existing stock?
No. Master catalog defaults only apply to newly created or newly imported inventory items moving forward. Existing inventory units in your account will retain their current parameters.
Are catalog defaults mandatory?
No. All four default fields are optional. If left blank, inventory creation and imports will default to standard system prompts as before.