# Opening stock – enter the stock you already have

> Record the stock on your shelves when you start, per location, with cost, lot number and expiry date, on the product form, per product, by Excel or in the app.

Source: https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/opening-stock/  
Last updated: 2026-10-30  
Product: SmartPOS Hub (https://smartposhub.com)

**Opening stock** is the stock you already have on your shelves and in your stores the day you start with SmartPOS Hub. Entering it, per location and at the right cost, makes your stock counts, low-stock alerts and profit correct from day one. This page shows the four ways to add it.

## Before you start

- The product must have **Manage Stock?** ticked and be available in the location.
- Know the unit cost (before tax) of what you have. If you don't know it exactly, use your last purchase price.
- To record lot numbers or expiry dates, turn on **Enable Lot number** and **Enable Product Expiry** in [Business settings](https://docs.smartposhub.com/settings/business-settings-overview/). See [Expiry and batches](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/expiry-and-batches/).
- Your role needs the opening stock permission.

## Option 1: while adding the product

On **Products › Add Product**, after choosing the **Business Locations** in **Stock**, the **Opening stock** part shows one row per location. Type the quantity you have and check the **Stock date**. See [Add a product](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/add-products/).

## Option 2: for one existing product

1. Open **Products › List Products**.
2. On the product, choose **Actions › Add or edit opening stock**.
3. The **Add Opening Stock** window shows one card per location. For each location enter **Quantity Remaining** and **Unit Cost (Before Tax)**. Add **EXP Date** and **Lot Number** if you use them, the **Date** and a **Note**.
4. Click **+** to add another row for a different lot, expiry date or cost.
5. Check **Total Amount (Exc. Tax)** for each location and click **Save**.

![Add Opening Stock window for 10000mAh Power Bank with one card per location, each with rows of Quantity Remaining, Unit Cost (Before Tax), EXP Date, Lot Number, Subtotal, Date and Note, and Total Amount per location](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/opening-stock-modal.cCUuF2vg.png) (web app page: `/products`)
*Opening stock per location, with extra rows for different lots or costs.*

## Option 3: many products from Excel

1. Open **Products › Import Opening Stock**.
2. Click **Download template file**.
3. Fill one stock line per row: **SKU** (required; for a variable product use the variant's SKU), **Location** (blank = first location), **Quantity** (required), **Unit Cost (Before Tax)** (required), **Lot Number**, **Expiry Date**.
4. Upload the file and click **Import file**. If any row has a problem, nothing is saved and you see the row to fix.

![Import Opening Stock page with the note that it is for already added products, the four steps, Download template file, upload area and Column reference with 6 columns, 3 of them required](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/import-opening-stock.0_hNuu_m.png) (web app page: `/import-opening-stock`)
*Import Opening Stock is for products that already exist.*

**Note:** 
To add new products **and** their stock in one file, use [Import Products](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/import-products-excel/) with its **Opening Stock** columns instead.

## Option 4: in the SmartPOS Business app

Open the product and tap **Opening stock**. Pick the **Location**, then enter the **Quantity**, **Unit cost (exc. tax)**, **Date**, **Expiry date** and a **Note** for each lot. Tap **Add row** for another lot and **Save changes**. Once part of a lot has been sold, its cost, lot and expiry are locked.

![SmartPOS Business app Opening stock screen for Voltix X12 Pro 256GB at Main Store with a lot row showing quantity 8, unit cost 2.10, date, expiry date and note, and a message that 22 already sold so cost, lot and expiry are locked](https://docs.smartposhub.com/_astro/app-opening-stock.CzQcSxGR.png)
*Opening stock in the SmartPOS Business app.*

## After you save

- **Current stock** in the product list and the stock report update for each location.
- The stock is valued at the cost you entered, and sales take stock from the lots in your business's FIFO or LIFO order.
- Later deliveries go in as [purchases](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/purchases/); corrections after a count go in as [stock adjustments](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/stock-adjustments/) or a [stock count](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/stock-counts/).

## Related pages

  - [Purchases](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/purchases/) — Receive new stock from suppliers.
  - [Stock counts](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/stock-counts/) — Count the shelves and fix differences.
  - [Expiry and batches](https://docs.smartposhub.com/inventory/expiry-and-batches/) — Lot numbers and expiry dates.
  - [Import products from Excel](https://docs.smartposhub.com/catalog/import-products-excel/) — Products and stock in one file.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is opening stock?

The quantity of a product you already had in each location before you started using SmartPOS Hub, with its unit cost. It is the starting point for stock and profit.

### Should new deliveries be entered as opening stock?

No. Opening stock is only for what you had at the start. Stock you receive later is entered as a purchase, so your supplier balance and costs stay right.

### Why does the unit cost matter?

Profit is worked out from the cost of the stock you sell. With a wrong or zero cost, your profit report will be wrong.

### Can I enter different lots or expiry dates?

Yes. Click + to add another row for the same product with its own quantity, cost, lot number and expiry date.

### Can I import opening stock from Excel?

Yes. Products › Import Opening Stock takes SKU, Location, Quantity, Unit Cost (Before Tax), Lot Number and Expiry Date for products that already exist.