As a trade business grows, stock spreads out: a main warehouse, maybe a second branch, and a growing fleet of vans. ServiceM8 can run jobs across all of them, but it shows only one stock quantity per item, imported from your accounting software. Xero's tracked inventory also keeps a single quantity per item.
This guide explains how to set up multi-location stock that works with ServiceM8, and how to keep each location accurate.
Signs you've outgrown one stock number
- The system says you have 12 in stock, but nobody can find them.
- Techs drive to the warehouse for parts another van is carrying.
- A branch runs out while the other one is overstocked.
- You can't work out how much stock value is sitting in vans.
- Restocking decisions are made by phone call, not from a report.
What counts as a "location"
In an inventory system, a location is any place stock is held and counted separately. For trades, that usually means:
| Location type | Example | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Main warehouse | "Dandenong warehouse" | Bulk stock, supplier deliveries arrive here |
| Branch | "Geelong branch" | Second base with its own techs and stock |
| Van | "Van – Sam" | Stock carried by one technician |
| Bin within a location | "Aisle 2, Shelf B" | Where an item sits inside a warehouse |
Bins help staff find items inside a warehouse. They are different from locations, which hold separate stock quantities.
How to set up multi-location stock with ServiceM8
1. Create your locations
Add each warehouse, branch and van as a location in your inventory system. In StockUnify, vans are set up as locations just like warehouses.
2. Map technicians to locations
Map each ServiceM8 staff member to their van or branch. In StockUnify, a job's sales order is then created under that technician's location. You also choose a default location for jobs from unmapped staff.
3. Load opening stock per location
Count each location and load the quantities. A per-location stocktake is the cleanest way to do this. See the ServiceM8 stocktake guide.
4. Set minimum levels per location
A van needs far less of an item than the warehouse. Set separate minimums so low stock alerts are meaningful.
5. Move stock with transfers
When a van restocks from the warehouse, record a transfer between the two locations. Total stock doesn't change, but each location's count stays right.
6. Receive supplier deliveries into the right place
When a purchase order arrives, receive it into the location where the goods actually landed.
How jobs use stock from each location
With StockUnify connected to ServiceM8:
- A job is created in ServiceM8 and syncs as a sales order under the technician's mapped location.
- The sales order shows whether that location has enough of each material.
- If it's short, the office can transfer stock from the warehouse or raise a purchase order linked to the job.
- When the job is completed in ServiceM8, stock is deducted from that location.
See van stock tracking for ServiceM8 for the van-specific workflow.
What about Xero?
Xero keeps the accounting view. Your inventory system tracks quantities by location, while Xero records the bills, invoices and stock value. In StockUnify, stock changes for Xero-tracked items sync to Xero, and received purchase orders create bills. For the details, see ServiceM8 and Xero inventory: how stock flows.
FAQ
Does ServiceM8 support multiple stock locations?
No. ServiceM8 displays one stock quantity per item, imported from your accounting package.
Does Xero support multiple inventory locations?
Xero's built-in tracked inventory keeps one quantity per item. Xero Inventory Plus supports multiple locations, but at the time of writing it's only available in the US.
Can each technician's van be its own location?
Yes. In StockUnify, set up each van as a location and map the technician to it. Jobs then use and deduct stock from that van.
How do I see total stock across all locations?
An inventory system shows each location's quantity and the total. StockUnify's reports show stock across locations.
Read the full ServiceM8 inventory guide, or see real-time inventory across locations.
Track stock in every warehouse and van. Start a 14-day free trial.
Share this article
