How to Track Dispensed Items in Perfect Inventory Manager

2025-06-30

💊 Dispense Management Page

“Track all items that have been permanently dispensed — including balances, returns, and service-related stock movement.”

⚠️ Reminder:

This is a management and review page only. All actual dispensing is done via the Inventory Page using the Dispense button.

This page allows you to:

  • View and search all dispensing records
  • Track patient or customer balances
  • Process returns from previously dispensed items
  • Reprint, email, or export dispensing records
  • Investigate item-level return history via the embedded bill component

📦 What Is a “Dispense”?

Dispensing refers to final and permanent movement of stock to a person — usually:

  • Medication given to a patient (e.g., after a consultation)
  • Equipment issued for take-home care
  • Clinical items billed directly to a patient or department

✅ These are not expected to be returned, unlike borrowing.

📊 Summary Inventory Panel (Dispense Mode)

When no dispense record is open, a live summary panel appears — tailored to the dispense mode.

Metric What It Shows
Dispense Records Total number of dispense transactions
Total Amount Dispensed Value of dispensed stock (based on selling price)
Total Paid Cash/card amount collected at point of dispense
Outstanding Balances Amount still owed (e.g., unpaid by patient or pending insurance)

🔍 Filters and Search Options

The filter dropdown lets you tailor the view to your needs. Options include:

  • Item Filter (Default): Focus on dispensing records for a specific product. Selecting this activates an autocomplete search box. The list and summary panel update to show dispense activity for that product only.
  • Customer Filter: Filter records by patient or department. Useful for tracking patient-level dispense histories and balances.
  • Status Filter: Show only Completed, Returned, or Refunded transactions.
  • Date Filter: Narrow results to Today, This Week, Last Month, or a custom range.

✅ The summary panel recalculates dynamically with your selected filters.

🧰 Example Workflow: Morning Dispense Review

  1. Each morning, a pharmacist checks what was dispensed yesterday and who has not completed payment.
  2. Open Dispense Management Page
  3. Set filter: “Yesterday”
  4. Review:
    • Dispensed: 12 records
    • Paid: $1,850
    • Balance: $350 (3 patients)
  5. Export the list and share with billing for follow-up

🔁 Embedded Bill Features for Dispense

The embedded page-bill component allows you to perform several advanced tasks even after a dispense has been completed.

🔙 1. Returning a Dispensed Item

While dispense is typically final, the system supports post-dispense returns for:

  • Medication errors
  • Recalled items
  • Canceled discharges
  • Early equipment return

🧰 Example:

  1. A nurse dispensed the wrong medication. You need to reverse it.
  2. Search the patient name or scan their receipt barcode
  3. Open the dispense record
  4. Click Return next to the incorrect item
  5. Enter quantity (e.g., 1 of 2 packs returned)
  6. System adds it back to inventory
  7. Timeline is updated; return is shown in Refunds

📦 2. Return Tracking

  • Every return is logged
  • Includes the quantity, return date, and the staff member
  • Appears in the Refunds and Timeline section of the bill
  • Used for quality assurance or financial audit

📷 3. Scan-to-Recover

If you have a printed receipt with barcode or QR code:

  • Scan it directly
  • The dispense record is immediately pulled up
  • You can review or return from there

✅ Great for pharmacies, labs, or wards handling large daily volume.

🧾 4. Print Updated Receipt or Return Slip

After processing a return:

  • You can print a new receipt reflecting the adjusted total
  • This helps avoid confusion with outdated paper receipts

💬 5. Use Comments for Clarity

Staff can add internal comments like:

  • “Returned due to allergy”
  • “Dispensed by Nurse Joy”
  • “Refund pending family approval”

✅ All comments are timestamped and attached to the bill.

🧠 Best Practices

  • Use the return button only — don’t manually edit stock quantities
  • Use barcode receipts to make returns quicker and avoid errors
  • Run a weekly unpaid filter to follow up on balances
  • Encourage your team to add notes for traceability