# Add your first products

> Create a category, a unit and your first product, with its cost, price and opening stock.

*Section: Getting started · Updated: 2026-10-19*

By the end of this guide you will have a category, a unit and your first product, with its cost, price and stock, ready to sell in the POS.

## First, a category and a unit

Every product needs a category and a unit, and a new shop has neither. Make one of each first.

1. **Open [Products › Category](/app/products/Categories) and click Create.** Enter a **Category Code** and a **Category Name**, then click **Submit**.
2. **Open [Products › Unit](/app/products/Units) and click Create.** Enter a **Name** and a **Short Name**, for example Piece and pc. Leave **Base Unit** empty, then click **Submit**.

You can also make them without leaving the product form: the **+** button beside **Categories**, **Brand** and **Product Unit** opens a short form for each. See [Categories, brands and units](/app/help/categories-brands-and-units).

## Create the product

Open **[Products › Create product](/app/products/store)**. The form is one long page in parts: **ON THIS PAGE**, on the right, jumps to each one, and **LIVE SUMMARY** shows what you have filled in. Fields marked \* are required.

### Basic Information

1. **Name it.** **Name** takes 3 to 55 characters. It is what receipts, invoices and reports show.
2. **Give it a code.** **Code Product** must be unique. Scan the barcode already on the item, or click the barcode button to make a number. **Barcode Symbology** starts on Code 128.
3. **Choose its category.** **Categories** takes one or more; the first is the main one. **Subcategories**, **Brand** and **Description** are optional.

![Basic Information: Name Mango Juice 1L, Barcode Symbology Code 128, Code Product DEMO-GRO-028, Categories Drinks, Subcategories, Brand Lakeside and Description "Fresh mango juice, 1 litre carton", with ON THIS PAGE on the right.](https://armpos.online/storage/help/2763855e00-add-your-first-products-1-basics.webp)
*The code is what you scan at the till. Keep one code per product.*

### Inventory

1. **Leave Type on Standard Product.** The other types are in [Products with variants](/app/help/products-with-variants).
2. **Choose the Product Unit.** **Sale Unit** and **Purchase Unit** offer that unit and any unit built on it, such as a box of 12.
3. **Set a Stock Alert.** When stock falls to this number, the product shows as low stock.

![Inventory: Type Standard Product, Product Unit Piece, Sale Unit Piece, Purchase Unit Piece, Stock Alert 10, Weight and Dimensions.](https://armpos.online/storage/help/3b34411ea2-add-your-first-products-2-inventory.webp)
*Sell and buy in different units, such as pieces and boxes, if the unit is built for it.*

### Pricing And Tax

1. **Enter the Product Cost and the Retail Price.** **Product Cost** is what you pay; **Retail Price** is what customers pay. **Wholesale Price** and **Minimum Selling Price** are optional.
2. **Set the tax if it applies:** **Order Tax** as a percentage, and **Tax Type**: **Exclusive** adds it on top of the price, **Inclusive** counts it in.
3. **Fill the Discount,** even with 0: the form won't save with it empty.

![Pricing And Tax: Product Cost 1.20, Retail Price 2.00, Wholesale Price, Minimum Selling Price, Order Tax 0 %, Tax Type Exclusive, Discount Type Percent %, Discount 0 and Points.](https://armpos.online/storage/help/9575d5d63c-add-your-first-products-3-pricing.webp)
*Leave Discount at 0 if the product has none: an empty box stops the save.*

### Opening Stock

**Opening Stock** has a box for each warehouse: enter what you have now.

![Opening Stock: Default Warehouse 24, then Internal Location (Rack/Shelf).](https://armpos.online/storage/help/6ed7e7003e-add-your-first-products-4-opening-stock.webp)
*Stock you enter here is in the warehouse as soon as you save.*

**Warranty & Guarantee Tracking**, **Internal Location (Rack/Shelf)** and **Options** (such as **Hide From Online Store**) are optional. Click **Save Product**: you land on **All Products** with "Created successfully."

> **Warning:** The POS won't put a product in the cart if the chosen warehouse has none in stock. Enter its opening stock now, or add stock later with an adjustment or a purchase.

### If your plan is full

Your plan sets how many products the shop can have. At the limit, **Save Product** opens **Plan Limit Reached**, and nothing is added.

![Plan Limit Reached: "You have reached the maximum number of Products (57/50) allowed by your current plan. Please upgrade to add more." with Upgrade Plan and Dismiss.](https://armpos.online/storage/help/5b0a44fe56-add-your-first-products-5-limit.webp)
*Upgrade Plan opens your plan's options. Your existing products keep working.*

## Where your product shows

- **Products › All Products** lists it, with its code, price and stock. [Open All Products](/app/products/list).
- In the POS, it is in the product grid. It sells from any warehouse that has it in stock.
- The search in the top bar (Ctrl K) finds it by name or code.

To add many products at once, use a spreadsheet instead.

## What's next

[Import products from a spreadsheet](/app/help/import-products-from-a-spreadsheet), or go on to [add your team](/app/help/add-your-team).