What is an barcode Invetory System?
An barcode inventory system is a set of hardware and software based tools that automate the process of tracking inventory by means of a barcode.
Barcodes allow to encode a wide variety of alphabetic and numeric symbols, it makes them ideal for encoding merchandise for inventory applications.
The kinds of inventory tracked with an barcode inventory system can include any type of quantifiable good, including food, eg. books, clothing, equipment, and any other item that consumers, retailers, or wholesalers may purchase.
Why use an invetory system?
The barcode applied on products and goods in stock helps the company to do fast and accurate inventory system. With the use of devices that can read barcodes and a good software inventory management the storekeeper can provide accurate and real-time information about inventories.
How Does an Inventory Control System Work?
To set up the whole barcode inventory system of a warehouse you need to follow three fundamental points:
- The presence of the barcode on the product in stock.
- Having a device to scan the barcode.
- Manage data collected with appropriate software.
1 To the first point, the goods must have a label with bar code, probably part of the incoming goods have already a label with suppliers’ barcode, otherwise the firm can directly create the barcode using a barcode creator software, and it’s important to have a uniform and unique code recognized by the information invetory system.
2 For the second point, however, you will need some portable devices that can store the information to be collected and transmit it them at a later time. So you have can readers with memory or micro terminals with memory: the choice is made according to the convenience of the warehouseman.
We must underscore that readers with memory are less used and less in favor of micro terminals with memory, which are more economic, programmable and more readily available.
3 Management Software, finally, the third point allows you to manage the data collected. It’s important to determine if the data collection system needs to interact with an information system already existing depositing only the data collected, or whether it should also be provided a complete inventory management system.
Just unload the collected data
When using only the unloading of the collected data with an appropriate software WIN-UP/DOWN, in the PC’s hard disk will become available a text file with all the data collected that the local information system will take charge for the upgrade of the warehouse.
Full Warehouse Management.
In the second case, in addition to the software WIN-UP/DOWN it’s also provided a complete inventory management. The precise management of loading and unloading goods is essential to keep track of all the changes (ie, the historical movements) of the warehouse and then take full advantage of the features that relate to the situation stocks, the calculation of the inventory, estimates of storage, etc.
So you can ‘get:
- Exact situation of stocks.
- Inventory situation always updated.
- Manage the traceability of a product.
LINK to barcode invetory software: