Anyone here using inventory management software?

[Com_VC]

Hey all,

Got thinking the other week... so a lot of us have stuff in our garage hidden away that we sometimes need and cannot seem to find so we either spends hours looking for it or go out and re buy it which something is not as easy as it seems.

or sometimes we need something but pretty sure we don't have it so end up buying it and then later down the track we find that we had it all along anyway.

or we are doing a project and thick we have enough materials for the job but run out half way through ie bolts or nuts.

So does anyone run some sort of inventory management software either on there pc or smart phone or both? Just wondering if there is someone out there that works well, could even have photos, quantity remaining for fasteners etc.

I think it would take a bit of time to setup but would pay off in the end?

Seems like a good idea?

If anyone is running something similar please share your ideas.

Thanks

 

[mbshop]

To use one you would certainly have to be really organized. Otherwise it just won't work. My parts in my ex shop were organized by part numbers and din numbers in parts bins on large shelves. Move anything out of place and yer messed up. You might just want to organize things in something that can be labled and kept in like areas. And yes, my shop program had an inventory system so parts could be located by description or number.

 

[code4pay]

I have one for my tools it is on my phone so I take a picture and record the details when I buy them. I run a handyman business and do lot of different jobs so require lots of different tools.

Sent from my SM-T530 using Tapatalk

 

[Strouty]

We were talking about this yesterday, I think organization is key, then designating areas and labeling those areas. You could use a spread sheet, another member was using a similar method to yours. There are a few apps that do this, I think they are for insurance purposes.

 

[CN Spots]

When my father gave me all of his stuff it was all in totes and wooden boxes. The first thing I did was take out everything, spread it out on the floor and take a photo of the contents. I then placed the photo on the box/tote so I'd know what was in there. I'd mark off what I used.

 

[bmh]

Like Strouty said, an excel spreadsheet is more than adequate to handle what you are trying to do and most people already have excel. I use excel to keep track of 8500+ autograph plugs in four different storage locations at work. It works like a charm.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

For the "home garage", being organized can usually suffice.

For a business, especially for tools- RFID is probably the best and most widely used today.

 

[bamendaboy]

I'll need more info on the home garage. I wish I had taken my SQL classes seriously.

 

[Dragfluid]

Like Strouty said, an excel spreadsheet is more than adequate to handle what you are trying to do and most people already have excel. I use excel to keep track of 8500+ autograph plugs in four different storage locations at work. It works like a charm.

And if you don't have Excel, and don't want to pay the high price, Open Office is FREE. And it works great. It's open source software, and it's safe.

 

[thomfr]

First, do not start with any system if you not have:
A basic location system
Discipline

If so use Excel of one of the nice and dead cheap app systems (which will allow you to use barcodes or RFID if you like.

Go with as less features as needed.

Thom
(20 years in logistics).

 

[Throbbin Rods]

I aspire to this. Tools are all listed in an Access database, along with where I bought them and how much I paid, at least for the stuff I bought recently. Now if I could just bring that organization into the garage...

 

[Strouty]

Once I have my areas setup, I will start making lists, I can totally see that an area in flux would not be worth the effort.

 

[BoostedOne]

I spend a significant amount of time looking for things..
But I figure tracking would take me longer in the long run. Hell, it would take me weeks at this point just to enter all the stuff in the system!

 

[zr52002]

And if you don't have Excel, and don't want to pay the high price, Open Office is FREE. And it works great. It's open source software, and it's safe.

Not to nitpick, but the Open Office of old has become Libre Office http://www.libreoffice.org

There is still an Open Office project but its stagnated and more or less dead years ago. Software politics

 

[sberry]

No, not going to catalog every Romex connector. Keeping it picked up and the like minded stuff together so we can see it if we look is what works. Having to look in several places in mixed up junk is a problem and it wont help on a computer. That kind of thing is for billable inventory and stock.

 

[rick carpenter]

Like Strouty said, an excel spreadsheet is more than adequate to handle what you are trying to do and most people already have excel. I use excel to keep track of 8500+ autograph plugs in four different storage locations at work. It works like a charm.

I made up an inventory spreadsheet in excel for our books in/out in the warehouse. I have each delivery in and each delivery out recorded, with dates and a running total of what is on the shelves. I moved it over to google sheets because that's what we use at the school and share it with my boss. A nice thing to figure out is how to freeze the inventory items and running total on the left and the delivery in/out dates on the top. That way the field can move all around and you don't have to remember what stock/date you're looking at or for. With ~150 different titles, seven delivery dates in, and up to four delivery dates out for six other schools in the district, that is very helpful.

 

[Dragfluid]

Not to nitpick, but the Open Office of old has become Libre Office http://www.libreoffice.org

There is still an Open Office project but its stagnated and more or less dead years ago. Software politics

"Dead years ago"??
I just went to mine, and I noticed it was kinda old, so I updated to 4.1.3.
Yes, It may be a year old, but who cares? It still works. You don't always have to have the latest and greatest.
Edit: But thank you for the link, I'll look into that one as well!

 

[PeterT]

I am using a light WM version of SAP EWM. My shop has a single warehouse, plant and two storage locations. I've broken them up into WM managed and non WM managed. The managed side, my tool collection I have various storage types and bins. It works well. Next up I am going to integrate a barcode label printer and some RF guns for putaways, issues and transfers.