When you have a lot of products, it’s easy to get overwhelmed
Between shipping, warehousing, audits and product reviews, there’s a huge amount of data flying back and forth on a daily basis Inventory Software for Small Business .
And if you’re still running wholesale, distribution, or manufacturing operations on paper and spreadsheets, I’ve got good news for you: Inventory Software for Small Business.
There is a better way.
Inventory management software has come a long way in recent years – it’s now easier than ever to get a better handle on what goes where and when.
I’ve compiled a list of the 6 best inventory management tools for small businesses and freelancers. But first, the basics: what inventory software can do and how it can help your business.
Why do you need inventory software?
You probably feel comfortable with Excel (or worse, pen and paper).
However, if you’ve been managing vast amounts of data in spreadsheets for years, you’re probably wondering what you’ve been missing.
Fully featured inventory software (such as some of the cloud-based options below) can help:
Connect all the disparate areas of your business and update the same data across all of them.
Provide you with real-time reports on inventory levels and goods received – often with mobile access for each of your employees.
Integration directly with your accounting software,
So you don’t have to waste time double-entering (or correcting human errors).
Automate your manufacturing processes – including assembly and component lists.
And simplify the management of third-party suppliers and logistics companies.
So what does this mean for your business in practice? Inventory Software for Small Business
It means you can:
Time savings – 55% of companies say inventory software saves them 5 or more hours a week (and 16% say it saves them a full working day a week).Minimise errors and rarely run out of stock – by automating data entry and access to real-time inventory data.Save money – by comparing different suppliers and reducing labour costs (which can often account for up to 70% of a warehouse’s budget).
Now that you have an idea of how inventory software can help your business, we can start to look at the options available to you Inventory Software for Small Business
Here are 6 of the best software packages for small businesses that need better control over their inventory:
Cin7
If you’re looking for a comprehensive feature set that combines all the functionality you need in one cloud-based package, Cin7 is a great place to start.
With such a comprehensive inventory management package
You can:Connect your point-of-sale (POS) software directly to your warehouse system, so your sales teams can sell products directly from stock or still in transit.Connect the software to any hardware you need – such as barcode scanners, receipt printers, cash drawers, and mobile devices or tablets to take inventory on the go.Create an unlimited number of stores and warehouses (for real and virtual locations), allowing products to be stocked in multiple locations.Get detailed, real-time reports and insights on sales, inventory levels and costs – with customized KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and automated reports that help you avoid manual entry.
In addition, Cin7 also has integration options for 3PL (third-party logistics) and EDI (electronic data interchange – essential if you want to sell to larger retailers in the future).
Prices for the Cin7 service start from £199 per month for standard users, but a free trial is available on request
While Cin7 offers itself as a complete package for any selling business
Unleashed is more narrowly focused: it is primarily designed for manufacturers,
Distributors And Wholesalers
If you’re a B2B company (and in particular a product manufacturing company), you’re in luck. The Unleashed application includes a number of important features, such as:A dedicated B2B e-commerce portal. Where your customers can manage recurring orders check stock levels and track your orders. Access to detailed BOMs and recipes
so you can manage stock levels of individual components. And automatically add their costs to finished goods.Batch and serial number tracking. So you can identify and track raw materials and finished goods in the event of problems.
you won’t find the same integrated capabilities, such as a point of sale.
However, it does have a large number of additional. Applications with which it can be integrated. So, if your manufacturing company billing software for small businesses also needs. These customer-specific capabilities, you can easily add new features.
The price of Unleashed starts from £66 per month (per user). And if you want to try everything, there is a 14-day free trial. Read More Innovation management tools are crucial for encouraging creativity and expediting the creation of new concepts inside an organization.