UPATED 11/20/2020
Read this article in conjunction with “What QuickBooks Can or CANNOT do with Inventory“
The “Warehouse Management App” available for Android phones (and Combination Phone/Barcode Scanners such as ZEBRA TC21, TC26 or the TC51) has some additional or limited functionality limited to these 3 actions:
- Sales Order Fulfillment
- Purchase Order Receiving
- Cycle Counts
And THATS IT! is very important no to raise your expectations beyond those 3 tasks!
Here is a full tutorial of the Mobile Warehouse process (an excerpt from our QuickBooks for Manufacturers and Wholesalers course):
Sales Order Fulfillment Workflow with Android App:
- A QuickBooks user creates a Sales Order in QB Desktop
- A QuickBooks user goes to Sales Order Fulfillment Worksheet in QB Desktop and queues up the SO to either be a PICK or EXP. PICK/PACK** (they select which warehouse user is assigned to it)
- The Warehouse user opens the QB WM app on theAndroid phone, selects the SO to pick, and completes the pick. (they can manually enter the amount and/or scan the barcodes of the product to pick them; also if serial numbers are enabled, they can scan the serial number or enter it by hand)
- A QuickBooks user sees the Sales Orders as PICKED status on the SO Fulfillment worksheet screen and then queues it up to be PACKED (they select which warehouse user is assigned to it)
- The Warehouse user opens the Warehouse Management App, selects the PICKED SO to pack, and completes the pack, at this point they could enter the dimensions and weight of the package
- A QuickBooks user sees the Sales Orders as PACKED status on the SO Fulfillment worksheet screen and print the shipping label (assuming that their FEDEX/UPS/USPS account is integrated into QuickBooks). And then mark the SO as “shipped” ( The Tracking number will be “pasted” into the description of the Sales Order)
- A QuickBooks user sees the Sales Orders as SHIPPED status on the SO Fulfillment worksheet screen and opens it so it can be converted into an Invoice
** In the event that the original SO was sent straight to Pick/Pack, Step 5 is skipped. Steps 3 and 6 are combined into one step!
Here is a video that explains the process of SO Picking from 2018 (but has not changed since):
Purchase Order Receiving Workflow with Android App:
- A QuickBooks user creates a Purchase Order in QB Desktop
A QuickBooks user goes toPurchase Order Management in QB Desktop and queues up the PO to either be a RECEIVED (they select which warehouse user is assigned to it or leave it unassigned)
The Warehouse user opens the QB WM app on theAndroid phone, selects the PO to receive, and completes it by manually entering the amount and/or scan the barcodes of the product being received; also if serial numbers are enabled, they can scan the serial number or enter it by hand)
- A QuickBooks user sees the Purchase Orders as RECEIVED or PARTIALLY RECEIVED and created the item receipt or bill from within the Purchase Order Management Window
Here is a video that explains the process of PO Receiving:
Cycle Count Workflow with Android App:
- A QuickBooks user creates a Cycle Count and selects which items are going to be scanned on this CC session
- A QuickBooks user choose to do the cycle counts on their own using excel or send it to the warehouser user
- The Warehouse user opens the QB WM app on theAndroid phone, selects the Cycle Count to process and starts scanning all the items contained in the Cycle Counts and sends it back to QB upon completion
- A QuickBooks user sees the Cycle Count as completed and choose wether or not to create the inventory adjustment based on the completed account
Here is a video that explains the process of Cycle Counts with the Android App: https://youtu.be/N9WA2IxFfdc
Here is a video that explains the process of Cycle Counts with Excel: https://youtu.be/WyVBIvfZb48
Latest Recommended Hardware: Zebra TC21 or TC26
These things you cannot do from the Warehouse Management on your Android device:
- Scan a random item and get a status of the item, count, pending orders, etc…. there is NO function to scan an item without initiating an action from QB Desktop
- You cannot make changes to a SO, add additional items or replacement items, add notes to the SO itself or the invoice, etc..
- You cannot print shipping labels from the app
- You cannot print a packing slip from the app
- You cannot initiate the invoice creation from the app
- You cannot make changes or undo a PICK or PACK action
- You cannot skip to PACKED/SHIPPED Status if the initial action is PICK. The QB user would need to have done an Exp. Pick/Pack originally
- You cannot create new Sales Orders from the app
- You cannot transfer or delegate a PICK or RECEIVED action to another warehouse user
- You cannot stop a warehouse user from logging in as another warehouse user to pick up an action (there is not password protection or login for warehouse users, although there is a password protection login for the app itself)
- You cannot initiate Cycle counts (it needs be started in QB Desktop)
- You cannot initiate an item receipt (it needs be started in QB Desktop)
- You cannot “pick” items to be used in an inventory assembly
- You cannot choose the lot number while receiving, picking, or packing with the mobile device, all lot number entries must be done inside QuickBooks software (not mobile app)
- It cannot warn you within the app if you picked a product with a serial number not in stock (you will get an error/warning within QuickBooks though)
- You Cannot initiate an inventory transfer across multiple inventory sites or bin locations from the android device
Lastly, if you are interested in upgrading to QuickBooks Enterprise Platinum (the version of QuickBooks that offer these features, here is the price list (can be accessed via annual or monthly subscription)
| QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise Platinum 2022 | MSRP | MSRP Annual Cost |
| QBES 1 user | $200 | $2,035 |
| QBES 2 users | $276 | $2,801 |
| QBES 3 users | $327 | $3,311 |
| QBES 4 users | $376 | $3,820 |
| QBES 5 users | $426 | $4,329 |
| QBES 6 users | $464 | $4,712 |
| QBES 7 users | $502 | $5,094 |
| QBES 8 users | $539 | $5,476 |
| QBES 9 users | $576 | $5,858 |
| QBES 10 users | $614 | $6,240 |
| QBES Up to 30 users | $865 | $8,787 |
In addition, if you want to HOST the software in a cloud server so it can be accessed from anywhere in the world with internet access via RightNetworks (Intuit’s Hosting partner) the additional cost will be $75 per user/month. Please note that sometimes there are limited-time special offers that could reduce the cost from 10% to 20%. If you want to schedule a consultation to help you sort out which QuickBooks Solution is right for you, email me: hector@garciacpa.com or call 954-414-1524
Read this article in conjunction with “What QuickBooks Can or CANNOT do with Inventory“
