Looking for the best inventory control software? Our comprehensive buyer's guide has got you covered. Make an informed purchase decision with ease by checking out our guide.
If you're looking to optimize your company's inventory management and streamline your workflow, investing in top-notch inventory control software is a wise choice. By automating crucial inventory processes and providing real-time insights into stock levels, sales trends, and order fulfillment, inventory control software can help boost your business's bottom line and improve customer satisfaction. But with a wide range of options on the market, choosing the right one can be a daunting task. To help you decide, this buyer's guide will review the key features to look for and the benefits of using an inventory tool.
What is inventory control software?
This is a specialized application that helps businesses manage their inventory, stock levels, and supply chains. It involves monitoring and tracking inventory levels, procurement, sales, and delivery. The aim of this software is to optimize the flow of goods and reduce waste, errors, and inefficiencies.
Its most common use cases include:
- Inventory tracking: It helps track and manage stock levels across different warehouses, locations, and channels. It provides real-time visibility into inventory levels and alerts when stocks are running low or out of stock. According to ValuTrack, approximately 73% of warehouses have plans to implement mobile inventory management solutions.
- Inventory forecasting: An inventory control tool can also predict demand and supply trends, enabling businesses to adjust their inventory levels accordingly. Accurate forecasts can help prevent stockouts, overstocking, and spoilage.
- Purchasing and procurement: By automating purchasing processes, this technology can help streamline procurement, reduce the time and cost of manual ordering, and ensure timely delivery of goods.
- Order and sales management: It helps streamline order management by automating order processing, invoicing, and shipment tracking. It can also monitor sales trends and inventory turnover rates, enabling businesses to optimize their pricing strategies.
- Barcoding and scanning: Many inventory control software solutions includes capabilities for barcode scanning and tracking. These features help eliminate manual data entry errors, improve accuracy, and speed up the inventory management process.
Common types of companies that use inventory control technology include retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, distributors, and e-commerce businesses. In particular, companies that deal with perishable or seasonal goods, high-value items, or complex supply chains can benefit greatly from these solutions. For example, research has shown that, restaurants that use a dedicated inventory management software can help reduce inventory mistakes and overstocking by 17%.
Key benefits of adopting an inventory control platform
With a good inventory control software system in place, businesses can experience a range of benefits. Here are some of the main benefits:
- Accurate inventory levels: With inventory control software, businesses can easily keep track of their inventory levels, ensuring they always have enough stock to meet customer demand.
- Cost savings: The tool can help businesses reduce inventory levels and optimize their stock levels, leading to cost savings by lowering the cost of carrying and storing excess inventory.
- Improved efficiency: Automation of routine inventory tasks such as generating reports, placing orders, and recording inventory movements, frees up staff time and makes inventory management more efficient.
- Increased productivity: Automating inventory management with technology can lead to faster, more efficient processes, reducing workload and making employees more productive.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction: With accurate stock levels and faster service, customers receive a better experience, enhancing their satisfaction with the business.
Inventory control software is important for businesses because it improves accuracy, reduces costs, increases efficiency, improves productivity, and enhances customer satisfaction. To remain competitive and meet customer needs, businesses must keep up with the digital transformation, and investing in the right technology is a crucial step in the right direction.
10 key features of inventory control software
Here are 10 common features of inventory control systems:
1. Barcode scanning
This feature allows for quick and accurate tracking of inventory levels, making it easy to manage stock and avoid out-of-stock situations.
2. Real-time inventory tracking
With real-time data, businesses can stay on top of inventory levels and quickly adapt to changes in demand and supply.
3. Purchase order management
This function allows for effective management of the entire purchasing process, from creating purchase orders, managing vendor information, and tracking delivery statuses.
4. Sales order management
It can help manage the creation and fulfillment of sale orders, which can help businesses avoid stock-outs and minimize excess inventory.
5. Reporting and analysis
Detailed reports and analysis can help businesses identify trends, optimize inventory levels and make informed business decisions.
6. Mobile accessibility
Some inventory control software is accessible on mobile devices, which can be beneficial for those who need to manage inventory on-the-go.
7. Multi-location support
If a business has multiple locations, an inventory solution can help manage inventory levels across all locations, providing real-time data for each facility.
8. Automation
Automation features can help reduce the time and effort required to manage inventory, including automatic reordering and barcode scanning.
9. Integration with other business software
Integration with other applications, such as accounting and ERP systems, can help streamline processes and improve data accuracy.
10. User-friendly interface
An intuitive and user-friendly interface can help minimize errors, reduce training time, and increase overall productivity.
What to consider when investing in an inventory control solution?
To help businesses narrow down their software choices, here are some factors to consider when purchasing this package:
- Scalability: The right inventory platform should be scalable and able to grow with your business. It should be able to handle increasing inventory levels without slowing down the system or requiring additional hardware.
- Inventory tracking: The solution should have an accurate and reliable inventory tracking system to monitor stock levels in real-time, prevent stockouts, and generate alerts when inventory levels are running low.
- Ordering and purchasing: It should be able to streamline the ordering and purchasing process, allowing businesses to efficiently manage vendors, suppliers, and purchase orders.
- Reporting: It should also provide a comprehensive reporting system that enables businesses to analyze inventory data and make informed decisions.
- Integration: The system should be capable of integrating with other essential business tools like accounting software, e-commerce platforms, and shipping systems.
- Ease of use: The tool should be user-friendly and easy to navigate, enabling staff to manage inventory effectively without extensive training.
- Cost: It should be affordable to the business in the long run, taking into account the upfront costs and any ongoing subscription or licensing fees.
- Customer support: The inventory control platform provider should offer excellent customer support, including training, phone and email support, and online resources such as tutorials and a knowledge base.
Industry trends for inventory control software
With manual monitoring being quite cumbersome, many businesses are now shifting to the use of advanced inventory control software systems. Statistics in the field predict a continuous increase in the demand for this technology. Here are the biggest trends to expect this year and beyond:
1. Real-time inventory tracking:
As businesses seek to improve efficiency in their supply chains, real-time tracking is a top trend to watch out for. Businesses can monitor their inventory levels in real-time, reducing the chances of stockouts and overstocks making use of a inventory management software system.
2. Integration with other business systems:
Businesses are looking for inventory systems that seamlessly integrate with other business systems such as ERP software. Integration offers a more comprehensive view of all aspects of the business, allowing businesses to make informed decisions.
3. Predictive analytics:
An inventory program with predictive analytics capabilities is becoming more popular as businesses seek to forecast demand and optimize supply chain management. With inventory data and historical trends, predictive analytics can offer valuable insights that help businesses plan better.
4. Mobile features:
With the shift towards remote work and mobile offices, businesses are embracing solutions with mobile capabilities. These solutions allow businesses to monitor inventory levels, receive alerts, and perform transactions remotely, increasing efficiency and productivity.
5. AI-powered features:
Artificial intelligence is transforming this industry, with AI-powered scanners that can track inventory and update in real-time. AI-powered solutions can also optimize inventory levels, reducing carrying costs and increasing profits.
Businesses that leverage the latest inventory software trends are more likely to enhance their operations and remain competitive.
Conclusion
To sum up, investing in inventory control technology is a strategic decision that can significantly enhance a company's operational efficiency, cost management, and customer service, ultimately contributing to its long-term success.