How do you manage your company inventory? Do you record everything on paper, or do you have some other inventory tracking system you prefer? Whether you work in retail, manufacturing or logistics, it is essential that you know where your stock is. You must be able to effectively track components, orders and shipments so you know what goods have been received, which orders have been processed, what has been delivered to your customers and whether your business is on track. Without effective inventory control, you will quickly lose track of what stock is available and have no idea when it is time to reorder anything or whether you are actually making a profit.
Why use automated inventory control? Manually recording stock movements on paper can be effective for certain types of businesses, but for those companies dealing with larger inventories, manual recording will be extremely time-consuming. If you order five pieces of a particular item, then counting them into stock isn't going to be a problem. If you order 15,000 pieces, then manual counting is no longer practical and will probably result in an error if you attempt it.
How does a barcode inventory system work? When recording stock movements manually, you will need to write down all the details of each movement by hand. With a barcode inventory system, all of this information is contained in the barcode attached to the item. Simply scanning the barcode will transfer the required details to your computer system and everyone will know that the item is in stock and available for use. Alternatively, suppose you have a purchase order with a selection of items to be picked, packed and shipped. A barcode inventory system can be used to scan items out of stock, encode shipping information including tracking numbers and get the address for delivery.
How do you choose the right barcode inventory system? Barcode scanning systems are widely used across a range of industries, and the available barcode scanners reflect that. Choosing a system that is most appropriate for your company will take a little thought. You will need to consider the following:
- Ease of integration with existing software
- Integration with company workflows
- Staff training requirements
- Environmental factors
- Reliability
- Price
Overall, you will want to find a barcode scanner that is easy for your staff to use and that enables your company to be more productive. The scanning tool must be able to withstand the rigours of constant use in your environment; this can be a particular challenge if you work in an industrial or manufacturing setting. Often it is more worthwhile to opt for a higher specification barcode inventory system that is more robust than to purchase based on the lowest possible price and have it fail in a short amount of time.
If you own a business, it is important that you learn how to hire the best people, how to make a development plan and how to target customers. I know this because I am currently researching the steps I would need to take to start and grow a business. I have spoken to a range of people and asked for advice. Some of these people have been experts who work in the field of business development. I have had the pleasure of learning a lot of very cool things which I would like to share with you on this blog.