Guides & Articles on Inventory Management
Better Purchasing
Moving from individual transactions to a formal purchasing process will improve your business' efficiency
By Jennifer Baljko
For a new company, buying office supplies is as simple as going down to the nearest superstore or filling an order on their Web site. However, as your business grows, you'll need the efficiency that a more detailed procurement program brings. Here are some key things to consider when moving to the next level: Evaluate current practices and identify areas that can be improved. F...
Inventory Management Systems
Increase cash flow and customer satisfaction by managing your stock
By Irwin Speizer
Your inventory can be sizable if you run a retail business or minimal if you operate a consultancy. However much inventory you have, properly controlling the costs are an important part of running your business. You need to know when to order items, how much to keep on hand, how much you have at any given time, and what the carrying costs are. An effective inventory management syst...
Inventory Control Software
Start with your bottleneck and choose your ammunition.
By Tonya Vinas
The biggest misconception about inventory control software is that it – in and of itself – will reduce inventory. Not true. An inventory software implementation requires a great deal of mapping and thinking before it can do any good. Define the problem: What type of inventory needs to be managed? Raw materials? Work-in-process? Finished goods? Why is there too much inve...
Using Barcodes in Your Business
Tap into barcode technology for fast, accurate tracking
By John Henshell
Barcodes have evolved into a useful tool for millions of businesses in a wide variety of industries. Barcode technology is faster and more accurate than entering information by hand on a keyboard — about 15 times faster and 10,000 times more accurate. The technology can be used for anything that used to require keyboard data entry: point-of-sale transactions, inventory tracki...
Barcode Software
High-tech solutions to create and use barcodes efficiently
By Frances Sharpe
Using a barcode system can increase productivity, speed sales and improve accuracy. However, implementing a barcode system takes effort and requires specialized software. A variety of barcode software products on the market are designed to facilitate barcode creation and to maximize tracking capabilities. Whether you want to design and print your own labels right in your own offi...
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) for Small Business
Implement an RFID system to improve efficiency and reduce costs
By Traci Purdum
Radio frequency identification (RFID), which uses radio waves to automatically identify goods or people, is on the rise and often used in the retail, manufacturing and transportation industries. How does the technology work? Usually, a serial number is stored on a microchip that's attached to an antenna. The chip and the antenna are called an RFID transponder or an RFID tag. A ...
Disposing of Excess Inventory
Boost your bottom line by selling or giving away excess items
By Daniel Kehrer
Inventory overload can be a serious financial drag for your business. But what to do with excess items – no matter what they are or where they came from – can be a difficult dilemma. Selling it through normal channels may be out of the question. After all, that's why you have the surplus. And – especially if your surplus is new or unexpected – you proba...
Barcode Scanners
Systems allow you to better manage inventory, track sales
By Chris Maxcer
Most people are familiar with barcode scanners from the time spent in the checkout lines at retail outlets. While they speed up shoppers' exit from those lines, they also have valuable business benefits. Here are some considerations to ponder when selecting a system: reasons to implement a barcode system: Consider scanning distance. Some systems can work up to several feet awa...
e-Procurement
Save time and money by streamlining your purchasing system
By Judy Artunian
e-Procurement lets you automate the process of purchasing equipment, parts, supplies and professional services online. Functions that can take hours using traditional paper-based purchasing procedures can be accomplished in minutes. You can search vendor catalogues, issue purchase orders, track the status of your orders, authorize payments to your vendors and handle many more fun...
Beijing 2008 for Foreign Enterprises
Leverage the glory of the Olympic Games
By Kenneth Wong
For foreign enterprises, the opportunities presented by the Beijing Olympics are huge. Small businesses should implement a market-driven strategy to leverage on the glory of the games. As 2008 nears, small businesses should signal respect for the bold aspirations of the nation and its people, riding the games as an express train to the heart of desire. According to Tom Doctoroff&rs...
WMS Software
Take stock of the benefits of Warehouse Management Systems software
By Jason Agard
Warehouse management systems (WMS) have been used to organize materials movement and storage space within a warehouse facility or stockyard for decades. In recent years, WMS systems have grown substantially in scope and complexity. Many are now capable of overseeing and coordinating everything from order management to accounting, light manufacturing, and transportation. The late...
Inventory Management Equipment and Supplies
Control costs and improve efficiency with the right inventory equipment and supplies.
By Amy Jo Garner
Whether you manage a stock room, small warehouse or a network of warehouses, you need inventory management equipment and supplies to get the job done. You lose time and money if your inventory is disorganized or poorly tracked. Affordable inventory equipment systems make even the smallest business more efficient and profitable.Management of inventory equipment should take into cons...
Bar Code Verifiers
Improve quality control by incorporating barcode verifiers into your business.
By Leah Kuriluk
A barcode verifying scanner checks the quality of your barcodes and grades a barcode's quality. This ensures that your barcodes meet industry standards and are readable by your distributors. Using barcode verifying equipment after manufacturing has become a widespread practice. Some barcode verifiers can scan many barcodes a second or come mounted for assembly line needs. A few...
Bar Code Equipment and Supplies
How to find the best bar code supplies for your needs
By Christine Margiotta
The right bar code equipment will give you an inventory tracking solution that's easy to use and fully compatible with the other data systems you're using to keep tabs on the products you sell. Moreover, barcode equipment helps ease common problems that gum up the works by detecting data errors, reducing labor costs and speeding up the inventory process.Many bar coding equi...
Bar Code Labels
Automate data entry and item tracking with bar code labels and equipment
By M. Worcester
Bar code labels are everywhere. Generate bar code labels online by inputting the necessary information into a website bar code generator. Download bar code fonts to create custom bar code labels. The computer then matches the number with an entry in a database and uses that information to identify or track an item or person.If you have a bar code system in place, look for suppliers...
Supply Chain Management Publications
Find a wealth of supply chain articles online
By Janet Krenn
Supply chain management publications may range from explaining the basics of supply chain management to focusing on case studies of good and poor examples of SCM.Supply chain management is the management of the production process. Consider these parts of the supply chain management process, and you'll be more easily able to find SCM articles. In fact, for each of these steps of...
Bar Code Systems Services
Save time and improve efficiency with the right bar code systems
By Octavia McFerrin
Bar code system distributors help businesses save time and money with product tracking and identification. Bar coding systems are also playing a bigger part in hospitals when it comes to patient safety. When hospitals give patients a bar code identification bracelet linked to a medical record, they can also link it to medications, special diets, and even blood for transfusions -- m...
Food Inventory Control Software
Food inventory software helps companies reduce costs and increase profits
By Eric Brantner
In the past, food and beverage inventory control was a manual process that was labor-intensive, costly and inaccurate. Companies that still use these methods risk decreased profits from inventory loss. Wholesale and retail food and beverage distributors stand to benefit by implementing a food inventory program immediately.The only drawback of food inventory control systems is that ...
Magnetic Stripe
Learn how important magnetic strip technology is in the business world, as well as where to get magnetic stripe readers
By Autumn Rivers
Magnetic strip technology is often used to make credit cards, transportation tickets, employee badges, and ID cards. Clearly, we use magnetic strip information daily, but what do you know about it? How important is it to a business? And how can you decide what to look for in quality magnetic stripe readers?Magnetic stripe cards store necessary data by changing the magnetism of magn...
Automated Data Capture Equipment
Get real-time reporting with new automated data capture solutions
By Cheryl Bridges
Current automated data capture systems combine technologies with applications for more efficient processes and accurate data reporting. You can carry out multiple applications, such as bar code scanning, mobile computing, voice and RFID recording, with hand-held data capture devices. Now supply chain systems using data capture technology can make decisions from real-time reporting....
Bar Code Equipment Distributors
Streamline your business by implementing bar code equipment
By D. Johnston
Bar code scanning equipment is a simple solution for your business. By using barcode equipment, you make sales and product inventory quicker and easier. Faster work processes lead to increased efficiency, profitability and customer satisfaction.If your business is in merchandising, whether in sales or warehousing or both, you can benefit from the use of bar code supplies. With the ...
Using Liquidation Suppliers to Sell and Make Profits Online
How to beat the recession by using liquidators to supply your business
By Simon Slade
The prospect of a recession will have savvy entrepreneurs salivating. There is no doubt that the economic downturn will spell doom and gloom for some. Others will see opportunities in the slowing economy. It is entirely possible for home businesses and entrepreneurs to flourish while bigger businesses flounder.Numerous chain stores have already filed for bankruptcy protection. In t...
RFID Transponders
Track and authenticate products and items with RFID Transponders
By M. Worcester
RFID transponders use a technology called Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). The technology is not new; what is new is that RFID transponders are now small and inexpensive and can attach to many items. An RFID transponder antenna receives a signal from an RFID reader and sends a signal back. Businesses use RFID technology for tracking their inventory and authenticating their pr...
RFID Readers
Streamline your inventory system using RFID readers
By M. Worcester
RFID readers, or RFID tag readers, read data on small tags or labels using a technology called Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Also called a RFID chip reader, the reader collects an identifying number and other information from each item it reads without touching the item or even being in a line of sight with it. There are many uses, but merchants mostly use a RFID tag reade...
RFID Antennas
Get the best signal range with your RFID reader using RFID antennas
By M. Worcester
RFID, or radio frequency identification, is a system using small tags or labels embedded with a device that stores and transmits data and information. An RFID reader collects this data. The readers use different types of antennas. An RFID patch antenna is a rectangular piece of metal that doesn't look like an antenna at all. Antennas have either circular or vertical polarizatio...
