---
title: Add Planned Items to a Job
description: Add items and required quantities to a job on web or mobile so Sortly can show what is available and what you still need to restock.
---
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# Add Planned Items to a Job
Make sure every job has what it needs by adding planned items to it, along with how many of each you expect to use. Once a job has planned items, Sortly can show what is available, what is already set aside, and what you still need to restock. This article walks you through how planned items work, how to add them on web and mobile, and what happens after you add them.
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In this article
1. [How planned items work](https://help.sortly.com/sb/adding-planned-items#how-it-works)
2. [Who can add items to a job](https://help.sortly.com/sb/adding-planned-items#who-can-add)
3. [Add planned items on web](https://help.sortly.com/sb/adding-planned-items#add-on-web)
4. [Add planned items on mobile](https://help.sortly.com/sb/adding-planned-items#add-on-mobile)
5. [What happens after you add items](https://help.sortly.com/sb/adding-planned-items#after-you-add)
6. [Frequently asked questions](https://help.sortly.com/sb/adding-planned-items#faq)
### How planned items work
A planned item is an item from your inventory that a job needs, plus the quantity it needs. Sortly calls that quantity Required. Together, your planned items make up the list of items on the job.
Adding an item to a job does not take any stock out of inventory. It records what the job needs. For example, if a kitchen remodel needs 20 units of 1/2" copper pipe, you add the pipe to the job with a Required quantity of 20. The units stay where they are until you reserve or move them.
The Required quantity is what powers the rest of the job. Without it, the job can’t tell you whether you have enough stock. With it, the job shows what is available, what is on order, and what is still short.
### Who can add items to a job
What someone can add items to depends on their role.
Role
Can add items to
Owner
Any job.
Admin
Any job.
Team Member
Jobs they created or were added to.
Custom Role
Same as Team Member. What they can do inside a job depends on what their role allows.
Limited Access Seat
Same as Team Member: jobs they created or are a member of.
### Add planned items on web
Planning at your desk? On web, you pick items from a list of your inventory and enter quantities in one place.
1
Select Jobs in the left menu, open the job you want to plan, then select Add from inventory in the Job work center header. On a new job, the Add from inventory link in the banner at the top opens the same window.
2
Find the items you need. Search by item name or ID, or scroll the list. The list shows each item’s name and ID and how many units are available. Already have a file of items for this job? Select Bulk import to add them from a file instead.
3
Select each item you want to add. Enter a quantity in the Required column to say how many the job needs. Entering a quantity selects the row for you. The Selected tab shows how many items you have chosen, and you can open it to review your picks. When you are ready, select Add 3 items. The button shows the number of items you selected.
The items now appear in the Job work center table, one row per item.
⚠️ Items already on the job appear greyed out with an “On this list” label, so you can’t add the same item twice.
💡 You don’t need the exact quantities yet. Add the items now and set the Required quantity later.
### Add planned items on mobile
Out on site, or standing in the stockroom? You can add items from the Sortly mobile app, and you can scan a barcode to find an item.
1
Open the job in the Sortly mobile app, then tap the red + button on the job page. If the job has no items yet, tap Add from inventory instead.
2
Find the items you need. Search by item name or ID, use the microphone to speak a search, or scan a barcode. Each item shows how many units are available. Items already on the job are greyed out and labeled “On this list”.
3
Select each item you want to add. To say how many the job needs, use the − and + buttons next to the item. The header shows how many items you have selected, and the Selected tab lets you review them.
4
Tap Add in the top corner. A message confirms the items were added, and you return to the job.
### What happens after you add items
Each planned item shows up in the Job work center table with its Required quantity and the stock figures that go with it.
Each item also gets a status badge that shows how well your stock covers what the job requires. Every item gets the first status below that fits.
Status
What it means
✓ Done
Units at the job location and units already used cover everything the job requires. No more buying or moving is needed.
Ready
Units reserved for the job, at the job location, or used cover everything the job requires.
Available
Unreserved stock in your inventory can cover the rest. It isn’t held for the job until you reserve it.
On order
Unreserved stock plus orders you have placed for this job can cover the rest.
Short
The job still needs units you don’t have or have on order. This is what you would need to buy.
A job that was in Draft moves to Planning when you add its first items. Adding items does not reserve stock, so reserve the units you want held for this job as a separate step.
You can change a Required quantity or remove an item from the job at any time from the job.
### Frequently Asked Questions
Does adding an item to a job reserve stock?
No. Adding an item only records that the job needs it. Reserving stock is a separate step.
Do I have to enter a required quantity when I add an item?
No. Required is optional, so you can add items now and set quantities later. Without required quantities, though, Sortly can’t tell you whether you have enough stock for the job.
Why is an item greyed out in the list?
Items already on the job are greyed out and labeled On this list. They can’t be selected, so the same item can’t be added twice. To change how many you need, change the required quantity on the job.
What happens to the job’s status when I add items?
A job in Draft moves to Planning as soon as you add items to it.
Can I add items to a job from my phone?
Yes. Open the job in the Sortly mobile app and tap the red + button to add items. You can also scan a barcode to find an item.
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