# Inventories (Beta)
URL: https://docs.clearly-ai.com/docs/inventories
Description: Configure custom inventories, create items, write inventory review template blocks, and export review data to inventory items.
**Inventories** let you track items (vendors, data assets, data processing activities, AI use cases, systems, etc.) alongside your reviews. You can populate the inventory from reviews.

## Configure inventory types [#configure-inventory-types]

Before you create items, you need at least one inventory type. Types define the categories of things you want to track, such as **Vendors**, **Data Assets**, **Data Processing Activities**, or **AI Use Cases**.

Go to **Settings > Inventory** to manage types. Each type has three fields:

| Field  | Purpose                                                              | Example     |
| ------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- |
| Label  | Plural display name shown in the UI. Editable.                       | `Vendors`   |
| Prefix | Uppercase prefix for short IDs. This is not editable after creation. | `VENDOR`    |
| Icon   | Lucide icon shown next to items. Editable.                           | `Building2` |

Short IDs are generated automatically when items are created. They combine the prefix with a random 5-digit number, for example `VENDOR-38291`.

Two defaults ship out of the box:

* **Data Assets** (prefix `ASSET`, icon `Database`)
* **Vendors** (prefix `VENDOR`, icon `Building2`)

You can add, rename, or remove types at any time. Removing a type hides it from the sidebar but does not delete existing items of that type.

## Write review template blocks for inventories [#write-review-template-blocks-for-inventories]

If you already know the items you want to track, you can create them manually from `/inventory`. But an even easier way to get started is to create review template blocks whose answers are inventory items. Inventory select blocks let a review question use inventory items as answer choices. If no matching inventory item exists, Clearly AI suggests new items to create.

[Image: Screenshot of the suggest inventory items feature in Clearly AI]

Clearly AI supports two types of inventory questions. You can edit both in the Review Template Editor.

* **Inventory Single Select**: The answer is a single inventory item.
* **Inventory Multi Select**: The answer can be many inventory items.

## Export to inventory [#export-to-inventory]

You can link a review to a specific inventory item by choosing **Export to Inventory**. Exporting creates a persistent link between the review and the item. It can also write selected answers as attributes on the inventory item. To write answers as attributes, specify the fields in the review template.

[Image: Screenshot of the Export to Inventory feature in Clearly AI]

### What happens during export [#what-happens-during-export]

For each block in the review template that has an `export_as` field and an active answer:

* The answer is written as an **attribute** on the target inventory item, using `export_as` as the key. If an attribute with that key already exists, it is replaced.
* For inventory select answers, the stored short IDs are resolved to a readable format like `Acme Corp (VENDOR-38291)`.

For inventory select blocks, single or multi:

* **Entity-to-entity links** are created between the export target and each selected inventory item. The link description is set to the question's `export_as` label (or the question text if `export_as` is not set). Duplicate links are skipped.

In all cases:

* A **review link** is created from the inventory item to the review. This is visible on the item's Reviews tab.
* A **history entry** is recorded for the export.

Re-exporting the same review to the same item is safe. Attributes are upserted (updated, not duplicated) and existing links are not duplicated.

## Backfill [#backfill]

If you edit a review template to include `export_as` fields, you can export older reviews to the inventory. After editing the review template, go to `/inventory` to see a list of exportable reviews.

[Image: List of exportable reviews with export controls in Clearly AI]