mamoon2

Ok guys,

Heres the idea....

At the moment we have a shop floor full of printed stock which we hold and store for our clients. The stock is taken as and when the client wants it.

We do not have a computerised system at the minute to keep track of stock. We physically have to go and count what is on the racks (pain in the ***)

We have a spare G4, so what i thought was a total stock count and then a database/spreadsheet. I then thought we could go one step further and have a barcode/scanner system so that a barcode is scanned every time an item is took off the shelves. The number will then be deducted from the total stock spreadsheet/database.

Problem is: i have no idea how i would go about this!!!

Does anybody have any ideas on what hardware/software i could use or any suggestions, much appriciated!!

Oh and money is very tight so nothing too expensive.

Thanks

Mike

bob269

You should be able to pick up a basic stock package off the shelf, however if you want to get the scanner seperate and program your own software then www.barcodewarehouse.co.uk is usually pretty cheap for the hardware.

mamoon2

Bob, thanks for that.

I wouldn't know where to start with programming my own software.

where could i pick up a package to suit my needs?

Can you buy them to do exactly as i want?

bob269

Maybe something like this

http://www.pcf.co.uk/barcode/stockcontrolsoftware.htm

You'd probably be talking big money if you want them to tailor it to your own needs, but depending on how flexible the package is in the first place you may be able to configure it to suit your needs anyway.

GaryK

Mike,

You can get a scanner that will do the job for less than £150. You can easily integrate it with any package as what most scanners do is simply convert the barcode into a number and send that as keystrokes to the PC just as someone typed it in. Im pretty sure you can find something that will do what you want or even integrate it with an accounts package, if you get stuck PM me.
Gary

GaryK

Mike,

Kept trying to PM you witout success so

Mike,

I just noticed you mentioned 'G4' so you're running on a Mac. It limits your options somewhat. Your best if your on a tight budget is to probably look at filemaker which runs for Mac and Windows and they do 'templates' which may do what you need. A quick search and I found this site http://www.filemaker.com/solutions/s..._descript.html which has an 'inventory tracker'. The only entry level accounts package I know of that runs on the Mac is MYOB the others are windows only. You may find however that you are spending alot of time to pull everything together just to get something working when it maybe cheaper just to splash and out buy a complete solution.

Cheers

Gary

jpor

iTrader: (1)

Can't MS Access and a scanner do the job? Probably need to set-up the Access database fileds and tables and the forms yourself. But should work out cheaper than a bespoke package.

bob269

It would do it yeah, like GaryK say's the scanners basically send keystrokes to a waiting pc, depends on his knowledge of access tho.

GaryK

Not if he is running a G4 mac no, PC yes then access would be fine although Mike would need to pay for someone to set it up for him.

Gary

bob269

Is that what G4 is, I thought it was a pop/opera male combo

jpor

iTrader: (1)

You can get MS Office 2004 for Apple Macs. Which comes with MS Access.

MJW

I looked at this a while ago - wasn't really suitable for my business needs, but might be for yours :

http://www.waspbarcode.co.uk/

mamoon2

Thanks for all your help guys, its not too much trouble to use a PC instead of the Mac.

The Wasp kit looks good, may be abit pricey though. But it exactly what i want!

I will look into MS Access but like Gary says, i will have to pay somebody to set it up for me.

GaryK

Dont know who told you that but MS do not produce Access for the mac, never have done. Filemaker is the daddy on the mac for your entry level database needs.

BTW Mike a cheap CCD scanner will do what you need something like this; http://www.thebarcodewarehouse.co.uk...anners/895/2/1

Gary

mamoon2

Gary, cheers.

Thats scanner looks ok, i think i have found what i need. I will also need barcode making software, can i print them on my normal inkjet?

http://www.waspbarcode.co.uk/invento...sp_countit.asp - this software take your info into excel.

Just wondering how the scanner will work though?

Will it have settings to scan stock going out, so if i am sending out 4 printed panels from stock i just scan the barcode 4 times, connect the scanner to the PC, then it adjusts stock.

Sorry if this sounds stupid, just trying to grasp how it would work

GaryK

Mike,
You can print barcodes from a laser so possibly from an inkjet. Do the goods not come with barcodes? If so you could just adopt their coding scheme rather than your own and wouldnt have to worry about printing then. As for the actual transactions, you would probably have a goods in screen and a goods out screen so you would just make sure you were in the right screen before scanning and that would make the adjustments accordingly.

I take it you dont run any sort of computerised accounting system?

Gary

mamoon2

Gary,

We are running a print department in which we print and hold stuff for our clients. So all the stock is made in house - hence no barcodes.

However, we could print one barcode and attach this to the shelving, so that each item does not have its own barcode stuck on it. As most products are, say, 20 off Kitkat printed banners. So just one barcode.

We are running Sage Line 50, but the whole setup within the company is not too likeable, very slow and tempremental. Want to steer clear of it, so that its a print department facility only.

I am starting to grasp things a bit now, thanks for all your help

Think i will be looking at the scanner you recommended, plus Wasp countit software, into an excel sheet.

Unless you can think of a simpler setup. I know you recommended one for Macs, is this simple to setup and use?

GaryK

Mike,

One other thing you could do is setup a simple system that creates text files in a determined format (I can tell you what it is) and then import those stock movements directly into Sage L50 (that is if you use Sage to control stock).

Gary

mamoon2

Hmm need to have a think about this one a bit then, i'm gonna speak to the guy who sorts our sage out and see if we can integrate something.

Thanks for your help and i'll pm you if i need to ask your advice again.

Mike

GaryK

No worries Mike for a grand an hour I'll sort it for ya, sound reasonable???

bob269

Just think with the time saved counting stock you'll be able to make one of your warehouse guys redundant, you'll be popular

mamoon2

Sack the lot of them and train monkeys to do there job for 5 bananas an hour, it would be possible too!!!

Would save a fortune!!!!

GaryK

Or maybe they can decrease fulfilment time and deal with more orders and grow the business