Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Item Technician

🎯 Role Definition

This role requires a meticulous Item Technician to own item master creation and maintenance, ensure SKU integrity across ERP and warehouse systems, support cycle counts and inventory reconciliation, and collaborate with purchasing, operations, quality and IT teams to resolve item-level discrepancies. The Item Technician plays a critical role in improving inventory accuracy, enabling timely order fulfillment, and supporting product lifecycle management initiatives.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Inventory Control Clerk / Inventory Technician
Data Entry Specialist with experience in product or SKU data
Warehouse Associate with exposure to item set-up and labeling

Advancement To:

Item Master Analyst / Item Master Specialist
Inventory Analyst / Inventory Control Supervisor
Product Data Manager or Supply Chain Analyst

Lateral Moves:

Quality Technician (product inspection focus)
Purchasing/Buyer Assistant (vendor and part number management)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Create, update, and maintain item master and SKU records in ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite), including detailed attributes such as descriptions, unit of measure, weight, dimensions, GTIN/UPC codes, manufacturer and vendor part numbers, hazard class, and default stocking and procurement settings to ensure consistent product data across systems and business units.
Execute end-to-end SKU setup for new products and product revisions: validate bill of materials (BOM) linkage, assign product categories, configure packaging and palletization details, and publish items to WMS and e-commerce platforms according to standardized item configuration procedures.
Lead barcode and label generation tasks, design and apply GS1-compliant barcodes (GTIN/UPC/EAN), create internal part labels, and ensure scanned label readability and compliance for receiving, picking, and shipping operations.
Perform regular inventory reconciliation and discrepancy investigations between ERP, WMS, and physical counts; research root cause, update records, coordinate cycle counts, and submit adjustment documentation to maintain inventory accuracy and financial integrity.
Plan and execute cycle counting programs in partnership with operations teams, prioritize SKUs by velocity and value, analyze count variance trends, and recommend corrective actions to reduce discrepancies and improve inventory accuracy metrics.
Coordinate with Purchasing and Suppliers to validate vendor part numbers, lead times, minimum order quantities, and packaging instructions; manage drop-ship item setup and vendor-managed inventory (VMI) SKUs as required.
Maintain and update product classification and taxonomy (e.g., commodity codes, spare part hierarchies, product families) to support accurate reporting, procurement, and e-commerce categorization.
Support product launches and phase-outs by preparing item master checklists, updating effective dates, inactive flags, substitution mappings, and communicating changes to stakeholders to ensure smooth lifecycle transitions.
Investigate and resolve item-level issues reported by warehouse, customer service, and sales teams — including duplicate SKUs, incorrect units of measure, poor description accuracy, and misapplied barcodes — and implement preventive controls and process improvements.
Validate bills of materials (BOM) and component relationships for assembled products and kits; ensure correct parent/child relationships, unit conversions, and production routing references for manufacturing or kitting operations.
Prepare and maintain standardized item documentation, including item setup forms, label templates, packaging instructions, technical drawings references, and storage/handling notes for hazardous or temperature-controlled items.
Execute regular data quality audits and governance activities: run data completeness and consistency reports, identify missing attributes (weight, dimensions, classification), and remediate issues through coordinated data correction workflows.
Use Excel and SQL to extract, transform, and load (ETL) item data for bulk updates, cleanses, and mass imports; create recurring reports and dashboards to monitor item health and inventory KPIs.
Collaborate with IT and ERP teams to test and validate item-related system changes, patches, or integrations (e.g., WMS, OMS, e-commerce feeds, EDI) and participate in UAT for new item flows or automation.
Support regulatory and compliance requirements by maintaining accurate item documentation for hazardous materials (HAZMAT), import/export requirements, customs harmonization (HTS codes), and product recall traceability.
Implement and manage SKU rationalization projects to reduce redundant or slow-moving SKUs, recommend consolidation strategies, and quantify cost and service impacts for executive decision-making.
Create and maintain spare parts libraries and parts lookup tools for service teams, ensuring rapid identification of replacement parts, cross-references, and correct ordering information.
Maintain accurate cost, valuation, and inventory accounting attributes at the item level, coordinating with Finance to ensure correct costing methods (FIFO/LIFO/Standard) and correct GL mappings for inventory transactions.
Train warehouse, customer service, and purchasing staff on item nomenclature standards, scanning/labeling best practices, and how to request item changes to ensure data consistency and reduce downstream errors.
Support returns processing and warranty item management, including disposition codes, return material authorization (RMA) item setup, refurbish/repair statuses, and proper disposition to inventory or scrap.
Participate in continuous improvement and Lean initiatives to streamline item creation workflows, reduce time-to-market for new SKUs, and automate repetitive data entry tasks through templates or system enhancements.
Generate and maintain KPI and SLA reports for item data health, inventory accuracy, label compliance, and cycle count outcomes; present findings and recommendations to operations and supply chain leadership.

Secondary Functions

Act as a liaison between operations, procurement, engineering, and IT to align item attributes with business needs and system capabilities.
Support ad-hoc inventory investigations for customer escalations and special projects such as seasonal SKU onboarding or promotional product setup.
Assist in vendor onboarding for item data standards and EDI item feeds to ensure smooth supplier-to-ERP integration.
Contribute to the organization’s data governance framework and help define policies for required item attributes, naming conventions, and lifecycle rules.
Participate in cross-functional project teams for ERP upgrades, WMS implementations, and e-commerce integrations focusing on item-data readiness.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient with ERP systems for item management (SAP MM/SD, Oracle Inventory, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics or similar).
Strong Excel skills (VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH, pivot tables, data validation, macros/basic VBA for automation).
Basic to intermediate SQL for data extraction, validation, and bulk updates.
Experience with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Order Management Systems (OMS), and integration points between ERP-WMS-eCommerce.
Knowledge of barcode and labeling standards (GS1, GTIN/UPC/EAN), label design tools, and handheld scanner troubleshooting.
Familiarity with BOM management, kitting, and manufacturing/assembly item relationships.
Understanding of inventory control processes: cycle counting, reconciliation, adjustment procedures, and inventory KPIs (inventory accuracy, shrink, days of inventory).
Experience with SKU rationalization and master data governance processes.
Ability to perform data ETL, bulk imports/exports, and use of templates for mass item updates.
Knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements relevant to items (HAZMAT classification, customs/HTS codes, FDA labeling if applicable).
Experience with reporting tools or business intelligence dashboards (Power BI, Tableau, or similar) preferred.
Familiarity with EDI item mapping and supplier catalog integration is a plus.

Soft Skills

Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy when entering and reviewing item data.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a bias for root cause analysis.
Clear and effective written and verbal communication for cross-functional collaboration.
Project management mindset: able to prioritize multiple item requests, lifecycle changes, and inventory investigations.
Customer-service orientation and ability to work with internal stakeholders under time-sensitive conditions.
Adaptability to changing priorities, system updates, and process improvements.
Collaborative team player who can train and influence others on data standards and procedures.
Organized and methodical with the ability to create repeatable processes and documentation.
Continuous improvement mindset focused on streamlining data flows and reducing manual effort.
High ethical standards when dealing with financial and inventory records.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED; technical certificate or associate degree preferred.

Preferred Education:

Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Business Administration, Information Systems, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Supply Chain Management / Logistics
Business Administration / Operations Management
Information Systems / Data Management
Industrial Engineering / Manufacturing Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1–5 years of relevant experience in inventory control, item master data, warehouse operations, or ERP item maintenance.

Preferred: 3+ years of direct experience maintaining item master data within an ERP/WMS environment, experience with cycle counting programs, SKU creation, and demonstrated proficiency with Excel and at least one ERP system (SAP/Oracle/NetSuite). Experience in manufacturing, distribution, retail, or e-commerce environments is highly desirable.