Understanding and Using the Inventory Type Field in ConnectSx Beacon

The Inventory Type (also referred to as Device Classification) field in ConnectSx Beacon provides a standardized method to categorize individual inventory items and catalog records. Classifying products by type can give sales representatives, operations teams, and administrators clear visibility into device characteristics, sterilization requirements, billing expectations, and handling workflows according to your internal policies and processes.

What is the Inventory Type Field?

While catalog item types distinguish structural formats (such as a single Device, a multi-item Container, or a pre-packaged Pack), the Inventory Type classifies the functional nature and clinical disposition of the product.

Setting the appropriate Inventory Type allows users to:

Filter and Locate Inventory Quickly: Easily isolate specific categories (e.g., all sterile implants or disposable instruments) across mobile and web consoles.
Maintain Regulatory & Clinical Traceability: Differentiate between permanent implants, reusable tools, single-use surgical items, and non-physical services.
Improve Analytics & Reporting: Ensure Looker dashboards and inventory exports reflect accurate product utilization and stock distributions.

Supported Device Classifications & Inventory Types

ConnectSx Beacon supports eight native device classifications:

Inventory Type	Description & Typical Use Case	Single Use vs. Reusable Default
Implant	Standard non-sterile or tray-held surgical implants designed to remain in the patient.	Typically Single-Use (Consumed upon billing).
Sterile Implant	Factory sterile-packaged implants requiring sterile field verification and UDI tracking.	Single-Use (Consumed upon billing).
Instrument	Standard surgical tools and reusable tray components intended for cleaning, sterilization, and repeated use.	Typically Reusable (Returned to inventory after event closure).
Sterile Instrument	Factory sterile-packaged instruments supplied ready for single or repeated surgical use.	Configurable (Single-Use or Reusable depending on product IFU).
Disposable Instrument (New)	Single-use surgical tools (e.g., disposable cutters, single-case reamers, or single-use inserters) meant to be discarded after a case.	Single-Use (Consumed upon billing).
Biologic	Allografts, tissue products, bone graft substitutes, or biological material requiring lot/expiration tracking.	Single-Use (Consumed upon billing).
Service (New)	Non-physical line items, fee structures, or specialized technical support charges (e.g., freight/shipping fees, laser utilization fees, or repair services).	Non-physical / Service line item.
Other	General catch-all category for miscellaneous items or accessories that do not fall cleanly into standard classifications.	Configurable.

How to Set and Manage Inventory Types

Inventory Types can be set and managed at multiple stages of the product lifecycle:

1. In the Product Catalog (Item Master)

Setting the default Inventory Type at the Catalog level ensures that whenever new physical units of that catalog number are created, they automatically inherit the correct device classification.

Navigate to Directory / Catalog.
Select or create a Catalog Item.
Choose the appropriate option from the Device Type / Classification selector.

2. During Manual Inventory Creation

When creating inventory manually via the Web Console or Beacon Mobile:

Go to All Inventory > New Inventory > Add Devices and Containers.
Under the Additional Information section, select the Inventory Type dropdown.
Save your batch.

3. Via CSV Data Import

When onboarding or loading batch inventory via spreadsheet import:

Include an Inventory Type column in your spreadsheet.
Map the column to the Inventory Type field during the import mapping step.
Accepted text values include: Implant, Sterile Implant, Instrument, Sterile Instrument, Disposable Instrument, Biologic, Service, or Other.

4. Editing Existing Inventory Records

Admins and authorized users can update the Inventory Type directly on individual item detail pages:

Navigate to All Inventory and click on an individual device to open its detail page.
Locate the Inventory Type field under product details, select the updated type from the dropdown, and click Save.

Filtering and Reporting by Inventory Type

Having accurate Inventory Types makes searching, managing cases, and running reports far more effective:

Search & Filter Views: On the All Inventory page, open the filter panel to filter items specifically by classification (e.g., showing only Biologics or Disposable Instruments).
Event Selection: When marking inventory used during surgical cases, reps can quickly filter available stock by device classification to find the exact items needed.
Looker Analytics & Exports: All standard system exports (such as Inventory Export Stock, Sales Data Export, and Inventory Aging) explicitly include the Inventory Type field for detailed auditing and financial analysis.