Abstract: An inventory management system tracks consumables used in creation of secure documents through an identification document issuance process. The system assigns states to card and non-card consumables, and these states are used to track consumables from the vendor's inventory to the issuer's inventory. The system includes functions for managing inventory, shipping and receiving, use management, inventory auditing and secure material destruction. Electronic packing lists are transmitted between vendor and issuer systems to verify shipments. Embedded identification numbers, carried in machine readable codes on consumables, are used to track consumables through the document creation and issuing process.