ServiceM8 Inventory Guide
The Complete Guide to Inventory Management in ServiceM8
ServiceM8 is excellent at running jobs, but it is not an inventory system. It can show stock levels for materials, yet those numbers come from your accounting software, update only when invoices sync, and know nothing about which van or warehouse the parts are in.
This guide explains how inventory actually works in ServiceM8, where trade businesses run into trouble, and the options for getting accurate stock across vans, warehouses and jobs.
How inventory works in ServiceM8 today
ServiceM8 handles materials as items you add to a job for quoting and invoicing. Stock tracking sits in your connected accounting package: Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks Online.
According to ServiceM8's own help centre:
- Stock levels for integrated items are imported from your accounting package. ServiceM8 displays those quantities rather than calculating its own.
- Updates arrive through item syncing, so they may not appear immediately.
- Editing stock in ServiceM8 does not change stock in your accounting package, and the next import can overwrite your edit.
- Inventory tracking has to be switched on and adjusted in the accounting package, not in ServiceM8.
In practice, the stock count only moves when an invoice containing tracked items is approved and synced. Until then, the parts have physically left your shelf but are still "in stock" on paper.
Read more: Does ServiceM8 track inventory? What it can and can't do
Four gaps trade businesses run into
No purchase orders
No built-in purchase order functionality to create and send purchase orders to suppliers.
Stock levels lag behind reality
Materials leave the van today, but the stock levels are not updated in real-time. See why ServiceM8 stock levels don't update.
One location only
If you run a warehouse, a second branch or a fleet of vans, a single stock number per item is not enough to plan restocks or transfers. See managing stock across multiple locations with ServiceM8.
Double entry for materials
Without a link between jobs and stock item, someone in the office re-keys parts used on jobs into a spreadsheet or the accounting system. See how to deduct job materials from stock automatically.
What good inventory looks like for a trade business
Trade stock is different from retail stock. It lives in vans and on job sites, and it moves because of jobs, not checkout sales. A setup that works for tradies usually has six parts:
Job-driven deduction
Materials added to a job come off stock automatically, from the right location, when the job is completed.
Vans as locations
Each van is a stock location with its own quantities and minimum levels.
Purchase orders linked to jobs
You can see what's been ordered for which job and when it arrives.
Partial receiving
Supplier back-orders are common, so receiving part of an order shouldn't break your records.
Clean accounting sync
Supplier bills and stock movements reach Xero without re-keying.
Regular stocktakes
Counts confirm the system matches the shelves and vans. See our ServiceM8 stocktake guide.
Your options
There are four broad ways to manage inventory around ServiceM8.
| Option | Good for | Main limits |
|---|---|---|
| ServiceM8 + accounting stock levels | Few stocked items, one location | Lags until invoicing; no vans; no POs |
| Spreadsheets | Very small operations | Manual, error-prone, no link to jobs |
| Single-purpose add-ons (POs or stock only) | Fixing one gap | Several tools to connect and pay for |
| A full inventory system connected to ServiceM8 | Vans, warehouses, POs and Xero in one place | Another system to set up |
We compare these in more detail in best inventory add-ons for ServiceM8.
How ServiceM8, Xero and an inventory system fit together
When you add a dedicated inventory system, each tool does the job it's best at:
ServiceM8
Runs jobs
- Scheduling
- Materials on the job card
- Quotes and invoices
Inventory system
Owns stock
- Quantities by location
- Purchase orders
- Receiving and stock movements
Xero
Owns the books
- Invoices
- Supplier bills
- Stock value on your balance sheet
ServiceM8
Runs jobs
- Scheduling
- Materials on the job card
- Quotes and invoices
Inventory system
Owns stock
- Quantities by location
- Purchase orders
- Receiving and stock movements
Xero
Owns the books
- Invoices
- Supplier bills
- Stock value on your balance sheet
- ServiceM8 ⇄ Inventory system: jobs and materials one way; products, prices and stock levels back
- ServiceM8 → Xero: invoices
- Inventory system → Xero: supplier bills
The key decision is which system is the "source of truth" for stock. It should be the inventory system, with products, prices and stock levels pushed to ServiceM8 so techs see accurate numbers on the job. For the details, see ServiceM8 and Xero inventory: how stock flows between them.
How StockUnify works with ServiceM8
StockUnify is an inventory system built for trade and field service businesses, available in the ServiceM8 add-on store and connected to Xero.
Your techs keep using the ServiceM8 app. There's no new app to learn.
Jobs become sales orders.
Each ServiceM8 job syncs to StockUnify as a sales order that shows stock availability for every material.
Vans are locations.
Set up each van as a stock location and map each technician to their van.
Stock comes off on completion.
When the job is completed in ServiceM8, materials are deducted from that tech's van or the warehouse.
Purchase orders from the job.
Raise a PO from the job's sales order or a reorder cart, linked to the job number, and send a branded PDF to your supplier.
Receiving creates the Xero bill.
Receive full or partial deliveries. Remaining items move to a back-order PO, and a bill is created in Xero.
Accurate numbers in ServiceM8.
Products, prices and stock levels sync to ServiceM8.
Getting started: a five-step checklist
- 1
List the materials you actually stock, as opposed to buying per job.
- 2
Decide your locations: warehouse, branches and each van.
- 3
Do an opening stocktake so starting quantities are right.
- 4
Set minimum levels for each location, starting with your fastest-moving items.
- 5
Connect ServiceM8 and Xero, then run one week of jobs and check the numbers.
FAQ
ServiceM8 can display stock levels for materials, but it relies on your accounting software to track them. It has no stock locations, van stock or purchase orders built in.
Ready to fix stock for your ServiceM8 business?
Start a 14-day free trial. No credit card required.
Ready to take control of your stock?
StockUnify has everything you need to efficiently manage your inventory and streamline your operations, no matter where you are in the world.
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