Does the essential subscription allow you to add stock to quotes and estimates. I do not need stock control amounts??

Great to see you here in the Community, @stevenleerowley.

Setting up stock tracking and adding it to your quotes and estimates are only available in the Plus version. You don't need stock control amounts since you're using the Essentials version. For more information, please go through this helpful article: Stock Tracking. 

In line with this, I'd suggest checking out the comparison between our online versions through this link: QBO Plans, Features and Pricing. You can find this helpful in deciding which QBO version suits your specific business needs. 

For more useful links about managing stocks, you can visit this one-stop hub article: Stock Links and Resources. If you have any other product-related concerns, feel free to browse our Community help articles. 

I'm here anytime you have other concerns. Have a great day.