Before you start

• Have your license key ready.
• Use a stable internet connection for first activation.
• Decide who will be the first admin account (usually owner or manager).

Step-by-step setup for a new workspace

1. Open app.thrifterp.com. If no users exist, you will see the first admin setup screen.
2. Fill in Username and Password. Add display name if you want the user shown by name.
3. Click Create Admin.
4. Sign in using that admin account.
5. If locked, you will see Activate Reseller Dash.
6. Paste your key into License Key.
7. Optional: enter Workspace Label like Main Team or Back Office.
8. Click Activate.
9. After activation, set workspace name if prompted. You can change this later.

Connectivity expectations (plain language)

• 24/7 hosted access: daily inventory, listing entry, checkout entry, and reporting run in the live hosted app.
• Needs internet: sign-in, licensing, and hosted checkout purchase flow.
• Availability: app access is delivered from the hosted service at app.thrifterp.com.
• Phone scanner setup: do this once later in System > Network.

If activation does not work

1. Check key format first and remove extra spaces.
2. Confirm internet access on that computer.
3. Click Refresh Check-in once.
4. If still blocked, use Buy License only if you need a new key. Otherwise contact support with your key tail and exact error text.

How to use this map if you are new

1. Click the tab you need to run right now (for example, Checkout).
2. Read the details panel to confirm it is the correct screen.
3. Use section names as your mental model: Overview = reporting, Sales = listing and checkout, Inventory Management = item records, Operations = setup values, Financials = accounting, System = admin controls.

What this section does

• Tracks what is listed, where it is listed, and how much quantity is committed.
• Prevents over-listing by checking available inventory and reserves.
• Connects listing lifecycle events to downstream sale and accounting records.

Pick the right listing mode

• Single Channel: one item on one platform.
• Multi-channel: one item listed on multiple platforms at once.
• Bulk Lot: multiple SKUs grouped into one lot listing.

Step-by-step: single or multi-channel listing

1. Select the item first.
2. Select channel (single) or channels (multi).
3. Set listing quantity and price.
4. Add listing URL if already posted on marketplace.
5. Set status to Draft while preparing, then Active once live.
6. Save the listing record.

Step-by-step: bulk lot listing

1. Choose Bulk Lot mode.
2. Add all SKUs included in the lot.
3. Set quantities and total lot details.
4. Choose total-price or itemized behavior as needed.
5. Save and mark active only when the marketplace listing is actually live.

Managing listings after creation

• Use filters by channel and status to find records quickly.
• Use Record Sale or Edit Sale from listing actions when needed.
• Use statuses consistently: Draft, Active, Ended, Sold.

What this section does

• Records sales, updates stock, and writes accounting rows in one flow.
• Handles returns with safeguards so you cannot return more than was sold.
• Creates cleanup tasks when reserved listing quantity is consumed.

Sale mode: register flow

1. Set mode to Sale.
2. Choose search style: Barcode Scan (fastest at register) or Quick Search.
3. Add each item to cart.
4. Review line quantity and unit price before payment.
5. Apply line discounts or an order-level discount if needed.
6. Select payment method (cash, zelle, paypal).
7. Click Complete Checkout.

Return mode: step-by-step

1. Switch mode to Return.
2. Find item by scan/search.
3. Choose the correct original sale row.
4. Enter return quantity and refund amount.
5. Save return and confirm it appears in return history.

• Return quantity cannot exceed remaining sold quantity.
• Refund amount cannot exceed remaining returnable amount.

End-of-transaction checks

• Confirm sale posted without error message.
• If stock hit zero, verify listing status moved to ended/sold as expected.
• If reserve inventory was consumed, expect follow-up tasks in Listings to Clear.

What this section does

• Shows operational health (velocity, aging, and channel performance).
• Provides financial detail for reconciliation and bookkeeping export.
• Lets managers review performance by time range, channel, and cost type.

Dashboard (Overview): daily manager check

1. Set date range for the period you care about.
2. Choose interval (day, week, or month).
3. Choose metric (revenue or profit).
4. Review aging and channel widgets for issues that need action today.
5. Optional: reorder or hide widgets to match your team’s daily routine.

Accounting (Financials): reconciliation flow

1. Open Financials > Accounting.
2. Set date range first.
3. Filter by channel, category, and cost type to isolate what you need.
4. Choose mode: Profit (COGS) for margin, Cash Flow for money movement.
5. Sort rows, spot-check totals, then export CSV for bookkeeping.

Simple close routine for non-accountants

• End of day: verify today’s sales and returns posted.
• End of week: review channel performance and aged stock.
• End of month: export Accounting CSV and archive with your books.

What this section does

• Defines your data model: categories, dropdown values, and channel defaults.
• Controls what staff sees on forms and which options they can choose.
• Directly affects intake speed, listing consistency, and reporting quality.

First-time setup checklist (owner or manager)

1. Create your real categories (not placeholders).
2. Set category presets for both Item Profile and Add Item.
3. Add top vendors/sources for each category.
4. Add all selling platforms your team uses.
5. Set financial defaults for each platform.
6. Create one test item and confirm all dropdowns/options appear correctly.

Categories (Operations > Categories)

How category setup works with custom fields: categories decide the form layout, global fields can apply to all categories, and custom fields add category-specific structure where needed.

How fields actually work in this page

• Core fields: built-in fields like SKU, title, brand, condition, source, and pricing.
• Global fields: fields available to every category when that category has Inherits Global enabled.
• Custom fields: fields you define for specific categories. Use these when core fields are not enough.
• Two presets per category: Add Item controls intake form visibility, and Item Profile controls edit/detail visibility after item creation.

Create a category with custom fields (example workflow)

1. Create the category in Category Library.
2. Open Manage for that category.
3. Go to Fields, choose Add Item mode, and enable only fields intake staff should fill every time.
4. Go to Library, add custom fields for this category. Use Text for notes, Number for measurable values, and Select for controlled options.
5. If using Select, add options before rollout so staff do not type inconsistent values.
6. Go to Values and confirm Brand, Source (Vendor), and custom select options are complete.
7. Switch back to Fields and set Item Profile mode so detail/edit view shows the right fields after intake.
8. Create one test item in that category and verify the form behaves as expected.

Impact and safety rules

• Removing a field from a preset hides it from that form mode, but does not delete existing item values.
• Deleting a field definition removes it from future form usage; historical saved values remain in prior records.
• Rename and Merge move item category assignments and migrate related category-linked settings.

Vendors (Operations > Vendors)

1. Select a category chip at the top.
2. Enter a source name and click Add Vendor (or press Enter).
3. Click any vendor pill to remove it, then confirm the delete prompt.
4. Repeat by category until your common sourcing locations are covered.

• Where it appears: these values feed source/vendor dropdowns in acquisition and intake workflows.
• Scope: vendor lists are category-specific, not one global list.

Selling Platforms (Operations > Selling Platforms)

1. Open Manage Library and add the channels your team sells on.
2. Drag rows to reorder platforms; double-click a platform name to rename it.
3. Select an Active Platform, set date range, and click Refresh for current metrics.
4. Set Sales Tax %, Sale Fee %, and Listing Fee under Platform Financial Defaults.
5. Use Quick Actions to jump directly into filtered Listings and Accounting views for that platform.
6. Delete unused platforms from the library when needed.

• Default starting platforms: In Person, eBay, Facebook, Mercari, Whatnot, and Other.
• Rename behavior: saved financial defaults carry over to the new platform name.
• Delete behavior: removing a platform also removes its saved platform financial defaults.

How to know setup is complete

• Add Item shows the fields your staff actually needs for each category.
• Staff can choose vendor/source without manual typing each time.
• Listings and Accounting quick actions open with correct channel filters.

What this section does

• Connects phones/tablets to your main workstation for camera scanning.
• Validates secure connection requirements needed for browser camera access.
• Provides diagnostics for common connection and certificate trust problems.

Phone scanner setup (first time)

1. Open Network page on the main computer.
2. Enable secure device access if phone and PC are on the same trusted network.
3. Open the secure phone URL shown on screen (https link).
4. If prompted, install/trust the provided trust file.
5. Allow camera permission in the phone browser.
6. Run built-in checks until all required checks pass.

If scanning does not work

1. Confirm phone and PC are on the same network.
2. Confirm you are using secure URL, not an insecure link.
3. Recheck camera permission in phone browser settings.
4. Use refresh network checks on the Network page.
5. If Windows firewall is blocking access, run shown firewall steps with administrator rights.

What this section does

• Creates recovery points before risky imports, restructures, or upgrades.
• Lets you restore working state after mistakes or machine issues.
• Supports data transfer between environments when needed.

Backup types and when to use each

• CSV export/import: item table data only.
• Database backup (.db): fastest full data snapshot without media files.
• Full backup (.zip): database plus media files.
• Settings export (.json): configuration and preferences.

Step-by-step: create a backup before risky changes

1. Open System > Backups.
2. Create Backup Database first.
3. If you rely on item photos, also create Backup DB + Media.
4. Save backup files outside the app machine (external drive or secure cloud folder).

Step-by-step: restore from backup

1. Choose the correct import action: DB, ZIP, CSV, or settings JSON.
2. Select file with required format.
3. Run import and wait for success message.
4. Reload app. If needed, restart backend so all sessions reflect restored state.

File format requirements

• Item import/export: .csv
• Database import/export: .db
• Full backup import/export: .zip
• Settings import/export: .json

Pre-Sale Questions (before purchase or rollout)

• Will this work for daily operations? Yes. The platform is hosted for 24/7 access, including inventory, listing, checkout, reporting, licensing, and purchase flows.
• Can multiple staff use it? Yes. Use System > Users to create separate accounts so audit history stays accurate.
• Do we need IT to start? Most teams can start without IT. Phone scanner setup may still need firewall or trust-file changes in some environments.
• Can we use our own categories and fields? Yes. Operations > Categories lets you define category presets, global fields, and category custom fields.
• Can this support more than one selling channel? Yes. Listings supports single and multi-channel records, and Selling Platforms provides channel-specific setup and defaults.

Post-Sale Questions (after go-live)

• Why is a field missing on Add Item? Check Operations > Categories, then verify field is enabled in the category’s Add Item preset.
• Why can’t I select a vendor/source? Vendor lists are category-scoped. Add the vendor under Operations > Vendors for that specific category.
• Why can’t I create or update a listing quantity? Requested quantity is above available stock after active reserve checks.
• Why did a listing auto-end? When inventory hits zero, active/draft listings for that item are auto-ended.
• Why can’t I post this return? Return quantity or amount exceeds what is still returnable on the original sale row.
• How do I recover from a bad import or setup mistake? Use System > Backups restore options, then reload app and restart backend if session data appears stale.