Configuring inventory and parameters for items using the Item Builder (Classic Items)

Configuring inventory and parameters for items using the Item Builder ensures that your stock, limits, and settings are set up correctly, helping you track availability accurately and manage item fulfillment with confidence.

Learn how to configure inventory and parameters for your items, including attaching existing parameters, creating new parameters, managing attached parameters, editing parameters, detaching parameters, using parameters with inventory control, and setting up parameters for a group activity.

New to the Item Builder? You can read the first article in this series for an introduction to the Item Builder.

Accessing the features mentioned in this article

Where can I find this feature using the top menu?

• Inventory > Items > Add New/Edit Item > Attributes
   

What more do I need to use this feature?

• Admin or restricted permissions to View items, products, and assets and Manage items, products, and assets.
   

Which Checkfront version supports this feature - Classic Items, Classic Products, or both?

• Your account must have access to classic items (Inventory > Items), a key feature of our Classic Items version of Checkfront. 

The Attributes step controls your item’s availability configuration. Here you can manage:

• Inventory – base count or unlimited availability.

• Parameters – allocation and pricing rules (e.g., Adults $30, Children $15).

• Allocation & Visibility – covered in the next article.

The following settings determine whether you have limits on your inventory numbers and, if so, what the overall inventory number is for the item.

Learn more For a detailed look at configuring Product Inventory instead, check out the following articles: Introduction to products and product builder Introduction to assets and the asset builder

The base inventory count represents the total inventory you have for the item.

If you have more complex needs, such as inventory and pricing based on age categories, you can divide this number further using parameters.

Use advanced configurations (e.g., aliased items or product groupings) for more complex cases ( e.g., staff and equipment dependencies). 

Here are some examples from the most common verticals for businesses that use Checkfront.

With advanced configurations, you can address additional dependencies, such as Staff and equipment. Below are examples of advanced configurations to add context and show how they are configured separately from your base inventory.

If you do not have specific limitations on your item's availability, click the Unlimited Inventory button to turn ON this feature.

Unlimited inventory and inventory tracking Turning ON Unlimited Inventory turns off Inventory tracking and management of Inventory for this item via the Inventory Calendar.

Learn more For a detailed look at the equivalent of parameters for products instead, check out the following article: Determining who your product is available to with guest types

Parameters determine how your inventory is allocated and then priced.

For example, you may offer tours or activities and need to sell spaces by age:

• Senior $25.00
• Adult $30.00
• Youth $15.00
• Child $10.00

Parameters make this happen!

• By default, you need a minimum of one required booking parameter.
• Each parameter has several settings that determine how the parameter behaves depending on how your business allocates and prices inventory. We describe this in more detail below.
• Items can share parameters. You don't have to duplicate parameters if they share the same configuration settings. This becomes clearer as you learn more about parameters, how they work with other features, and your offerings.
• We provide several default options, allowing you to attach an existing parameter or create a new one. 

Let's begin by examining some existing default parameters.

1. Click the Attach an existing Parameter button.

2. Select from your account's defaults (QTY, Adult, Child, Youth, Senior, Guest) or any custom ones.

3. Click Attach to attach the parameter to your item.

• QTY and Guest are often used independently of other parameters, while many Organizations use a combination of options such as Adult, Child, Youth, and Senior.
• By default, the system sets these parameters with the Controls Inventory setting turned on so that inventory is automatically deducted from the base inventory when Customers select matching options.  
• Default parameters are also configured with the Sets Pricing setting turned on. You can configure pricing under the Pricing tab within the Item Builder- the next step in configuring or editing your item!
• Price Range is turned on by default (ON) for all default parameters except Qty, as this displays the price range to Customers when you configure multiple price points (e.g., $15.00 Child—$30.00 Adult).
• Visibility is set to Everyone by default, meaning the option is visible to both Customers and Staff.

You can edit the parameters once you attach the parameter to your item. 

Learn more The complete list of existing booking parameters can be viewed and edited within the Configuration tab of Setup under the Manage menu for those with the applicable permissions. Learn more here: Setting up your account configuration

To create a parameter,

1. Click the + Create a Parameter button.
2. Configure the settings described below.

Configure parameter settings to suit your business needs. We describe the options within the Create Parameter modal below. Once configured, you can click the Save button to add the new parameter to your attached list.

Features
Name		This field determines the label displayed on your booking page, e.g., Adult. This value is the label that the system displays in reports.
Default Value		The field represents the default parameter quantity when making a booking. If you enter 3 here, the booking quantity is preset to 3 when a Customer goes to book the item.
Pricing		This setting enables a price for the parameter when creating or editing an item.
Range		This setting allows you to offer a range of prices for the item. If the item has multiple price points, you can show this value in a range (e.g., $99 Child—$189 Adult).
Controls Inventory		This setting determines whether or not the parameter removes the selected value from the item's inventory. For example, if someone books 2 Adults, your item's inventory is reduced by 2.
Required		If this setting is enabled, you ensure the Customer selects a value from this parameter when booking.
Visibility		This setting determines who the parameter is visible to: Customers and Staff, Staff only, or Hidden to All. Customers and Staff: The parameter is visible to both Customers and Staff members.   Staff Only: The parameter is not visible in the public booking portals, but a Staff member can see it when booking through the backend.   Hidden to All: The parameter is not displayed to Customers or Staff when booking. Instead, the system enforces the default value behind the scenes. This option is powerful for Advanced Configurations and automatically assigned Inventory.

Once you create a new parameter, you can modify it further from the list of attached parameters.

Some settings only impact the item in focus, while others have a global impact if other Items share the Parameter. See the description for each setting below.

Features
Controls Inventory		Any parameters listed under this subheader pull from the configured inventory - whether limited or unlimited. One parameter that controls inventory is required. You can change this setting by editing the parameter and selecting controls inventory.
- Limited		If a base inventory number is specified, then that number is reflected in the subheader, e.g., 1.  You can change this by editing the base inventory number.
- Unlimited		If you set the inventory to Unlimited, then Unlimited is displayed. You can change this by toggling Unlimited Inventory to On or Off, as needed.
Doesn't Control Inventory		If you have not configured the parameter to control inventory, it is listed separately from those that control inventory. You can change this by editing the Parameter and selecting Controls Inventory.
Name		The parameter's name and value are displayed to Customers and in reports. You can change this by editing the parameter and the name field. This setting is a global, meaning changing the name here changes it for any items that share this parameter. Booking Invoices for existing bookings retain the Parameter's name at the time of booking.
Shared		This icon indicates that the system shares the inventory with the other Parameters listed under Controls Inventory. This state is always true of any parameters for the item configured with the controls inventory selected. They always pull from the same base inventory.
Visibility		This label reflects the current value of the parameter's visibility setting. Use this global setting to change the parameter's visibility, affecting any items that share this parameter. Options include Everyone (Customers and Staff), Staff Only, or Hidden to All. Edit the parameter to change visibility.
Min per Booking		This field enables you to set the minimum required quantity for the parameter. For example, you could require a minimum of 1 Adult for the booking. The Minimum per booking field is not a global setting so that you can configure this setting on a per-item basis. Directly input numbers to specify or edit these values. This setting is optional.
Max per Booking		This field enables you to set the maximum required quantity for the parameter. For example, you could limit the number of Guests to 10. The Max per booking field is not a global setting so that you can configure it on an item-by-item basis. Directly input numbers to specify or edit these values. This setting is optional.
Details		The Details column houses the option to edit or detach the parameter by choosing that option from the drop-down.

Editing parameters warning Important: Many parameter changes are global. Editing a shared parameter affects all items using it. Example: Renaming a parameter changes it everywhere. Booking invoices retain original values unless manually edited. Best Practice: Finalize parameter setup before accepting bookings. If you need to change parameters mid-season, consult Technical Support first.

Detaching parameters warning Booking Invoices retain their original values as a snapshot of what the Customer booked, unless Staff edit the Booking Invoice itself, e.g., detach a parameter. You can still report on previously associated bookings if you detach a parameter.  Best Practice: Finalize parameter setup before accepting bookings. If you need to change parameters mid-season, consult Technical Support first.

Remove Parameter Do not remove any parameters (Manage > Setup > Configurations > Booking Parameters), as this permanently removes access to the associated data in reports.

Next Steps

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