Adding Items to Package Groups Retroactively

The Problem

You realize you forgot to include an item in your package group—maybe labels, box dividers, or stickers—but you've already packaged dozens of batches using that group. Do you have to manually update every single batch? What if you don't want to consume inventory for items you didn't actually use?

The Solution

BarSight lets you add items to existing package groups retroactively with full control over inventory consumption. When you add an item to a package group that's already been used, you can choose whether the item should consume inventory or just be tracked for reference. The system automatically links the new item to all existing batch packages without affecting your actual inventory counts.

How It Works

When you add an item retroactively to a package group:

• For batches: Creates a tracking entry with lot "PackageGroupRetro" and links it to all existing batch packages
• For manually created products: Simply adds the item to the package group definition without any retroactive changes
• Inventory remains accurate: No phantom inventory is created—the system creates entries with qty=0 for historical tracking only
• You control consumption: Decide whether the item should consume inventory going forward

How to Add Items Retroactively

1. Navigate to Brewery → Settings → Package Settings
2. Click on the package group you want to modify
3. Click the Add Item button in the "Items in Group" section
4. Select the inventory item from the dropdown (only items not already in the group will appear)
5. Enter the quantity required per package
6. Choose "Consume" setting:
   • Yes: This item will be consumed from inventory when packaging future batches
   • No: This item is tracked but won't deplete inventory (ideal for items you're adding for reference only)
7. Click Save

[SCREENSHOT: Add Item modal showing the Consume dropdown]

When to Use "Consume: No"

Setting "Consume" to No is perfect for:

• Adding items retroactively that you didn't actually use historically (like labels you've since added to your process)
• Tracking items for costing purposes without depleting inventory
• Items you don't want to track in inventory but need to show in package definitions
• Correcting package groups used for manually created products

Important Notes

• Use caution: This feature modifies historical data for batch-based packages
• Manually created products are safe: Retroactive changes only apply to packages created from batches (batch_id > 0)
• Existing inventory isn't affected: The retroactive process creates tracking entries with zero quantity, so your current stock levels remain accurate
• Package contents update: After adding an item, it will appear in the "Package Contents" section when viewing final products from affected batches

Pro Tip

If you're adding items for historical accuracy but didn't actually consume them from inventory, always set Consume to "No". This keeps your package definition complete without creating false consumption records or affecting future inventory depletion.

Learn More

For more information about managing package groups, check out our guide on Safely Deleting Package Groups.