Inventory Control Software (ME)

[Deleted User]

And it doesn't have to be FREE!

Any of you Wallies have any experience with such a beast? Likes, dislikes etc...

We're on a mission...

TIA

ME

Dave DeFord

If you run a ...

General Ledger or some accounting/billing package I would see if they have anything that you can use. Otherwise the best advice I can give you is test, test, test with actual data from your organization. It takes forever but it is even worse to buy software that doesn't work down the road. It's been a while since I have looked at software but one thing that I have seen that looks handy is the ability to combine several inventory items into a package. That way you can sell a boiler, pressuretrol, LWCO, and an autofeeder under one part number and the computer handles the inventory etc. You might look at Open Systems, Platinum, Great Plains (Microsoft now owns them), MAS or Solomon. I know these names have been around for a while. I would also talk to my CPA/Accountant as they may have a lot of insight as to what your needs are. If you want to go the cheap route Peachtree works but it's kind of clunky IMHO. I currently use it but for General Ledger and Payroll only and the best part was it was free (it was given to me). It's now about $600 a seat so if you need more than 3 seats it's as expensive as some of the middle market stuff. Good luck and if you need anything let me know I've been buying and running this stuff since 1981.

Mike T., Swampeast MO

I've used a number over the years

and since they're relatively simple software they all seem to work quite well--OF THEMSELVES.

They KEY is ENSURING that EVERYTHING is logged IN AND OUT--regularly, consistently and by everyone! What you really need is an inventory control SYSTEM.

If you have multiple vehicles carrying a lot of stock you'll probably need software geared to an operation similar to a chain store. You'll want to log everything into "main" inventory then log "out" to individual vehicles and finally "sold" when removed from the truck.

Since knowing when to order what is probably a key component of your plan, you'll really need the above ability as it will allow you to know when you REALLY need to order instead of merely shuffling among the vehicles.

Bar coding is a tool that simplifies things greatly but of course most everything has to be barcoded--whether or not it has one as you receive--and to be truly useful you'd need scanners (and possibly a computer) in each vehicle. Self-contained scanners that can "capture" a limited amount of info and hold it in non-volatile memory to be downloaded to the central system are likely available. Cost of scanners is nothing like it was years ago but you'd probably still be talking some significant $$$. A "cheat sheet" of bar codes for common items like fittings would likely be VERY useful and save barcoding these common items.

There are systems out there now that use tiny transponder chips but they're likely a lot more expensive than barcoding equipment for the time being.

The BIG advantage to systems like barcoding is that it eliminates manual logging and consequently lots of labor. The faster the inventory moves the quicker the payback.

Dave DeFord

What he said..

Mike makes some excellent points you should consider seriously. The transponder tags he was talking about are known as RFID (Radio Frequendy Identification) and seem to be a ways in the future although Wal-Mart is experimenting with them as we speak (write).

Mark J Strawcutter

logging

As Mike said, insuring that stuff gets logged in and out is important. Anything that the software can do to help with compliance would be a plus.

If you can, find software that prepares the "job ticket" and interfaces to the truck inventory. When, and only when, the truck inventory for an item is below restock level does it get replenished from central inventory. This helps catch non-compliance with logging close to the source.

Mark

Mike T., Swampeast MO

One other important thing

Plan for and budget time/money to quite frequent full inventory audits in the beginning. Mistakes of both the honest and resentful varieties will be common until everyone is used to the system AND knows that it is there to stay!