More and more businesses of all sizes are moving away from manual types of inventory counts on a weekly, monthly or quarterly basis to using fully automated systems.
The use of inventory control software that can track the movement of inventory through the supply chain and into the business across multiple locations has revolutionized the ability of the management teams in these companies to make informed, accurate and timely decisions.
Of course, with the use of the inventory control software comes the need to also invest in scanners or readers to be able to identify and track items through the system. Typically, companies will opt for barcode scanners as they are a low-cost option and universally used through most supply chains. Other options include RFID tags or serialization codes, all which can be used across a variety of industries.
Insightful Reports in Current Time
With the best inventory software, data is available in real-time across the entire system or broken down by outlets, facilities or locations or even more specifically by departments. The granular nature of the reporting to the specifications needed by management creates a clear picture of just what is happening across the chain or within a given outlet or location.
This provides real information for managers. With informed decisions, the pricing, limiting unnecessary inventory movement and even placing orders can be completed without any guesswork involved.
Better Overall Inventory Cost Picture
Without inventory control software, it may be difficult to evaluate what the cost is of doing business with a specific vendor. When there is more than one vendor in the market, having the ability to use the software to assess the best pricing will always be an advantage for a business to use.
While moving to software over manual inventory is not in everyone’s comfort zone, seeing the benefits of the system and the ease of use will help to make the transition more positive for all.