Inventory Management Software

You have a choice: you could run your inventory management software on your desktop or laptop, just like it’s 2007. Or, you can join the modern age and run your software on your phone, thanks to apps.

Simple and easy to use, many top inventory management software packages also offer a mobile app. Whatever the size of your business, an app-based inventory management system lets you track your stock, sales, and order whenever you want and wherever you are. Whether your small business is online, brick-and-mortar, or both, you’ll have instant access to all of your inventory information.

Which apps are best? In this list, you’ll find some of the best-reviewed and well-received inventory management system that come in an app. If you’re looking for something to take your business to the next level, but are worried about drowning in Excel spreadsheets and sales reports, you’re sure to find an app on this list that will help you out.

Sortly

Suitable for desktops as well as mobile devices, Sortly can be used on your desktop, iPhone, or Android to keep control of your inventory. Sortly only allows one user per account, which somewhat limits it if you work as part of a team, but that one user gains access to a host of remote management tools.

You can survey current stock, and use the barcode lookup and in-app scanner to stay on top of your stock takes. While the app is fairly simple, you won’t find an in-depth tutorial; like many inventory management apps, the best way to learn Sortly is to use it. You can always access Sortly’s customer service if you require help.

On Shelf

Looking for an app only option? On Shelf definitely fits the best inventory app qualification. Not only does it cover your inventory management, but it also helps you track your customer history. Pretty nifty if you’re a small business looking to better engage with your customer base and keep your clients returning again and again.

Additionally, it tracks your most and least profitable items, keeping you in charge of what sells best to which customers. While the app costs $4.99 and a different app is required for iPad and iPhone, the overall monthly cost of using On Shelf is quite reasonable and allows you to back up information to the cloud. For a small business or a one-person show, OnShelf might provide all the features you need at an appealing price.

Cin7 and Pos

An iPad app, Cin7 integrates with your QuickBooks to give you a one-stop look at your current inventory. The QuickBooks integration also lets you use the app for basic accounting purposes. CIn7 can also be used in conjunction with Shopify, BigCommerce, and WooCommerce, to keep your ecommerce shops fully stocked as well. The app includes automated purchasing and forecasting tools to help you predict how much you have and when you’ll need more.

Odoo

Another Android- and iPhone-friendly app, Odoo is designed to follow your merchandise from your initial purchase to delivery. It also combines with a CRM to help you improve your customer base. Odoo is more than a simple inventory management app; it’s actually an entire platform, with apps that assist with everything from website development to productivity tools, making it a solid choice for the best inventory apps category.

The inventory management app fits in well with the rest of the Odoo family, giving you access to an entire range of potential business aides. With Odoo, you can keep track of your multi-warehouse stock if you’re drop-shipping, and take back control of your inventory management today.

Goods Order Inventory

If you’re not sure that you need an inventory management software, why not try Goods Order Inventory out for free? It works with a wide variety of other e-commerce supports, including Shopify and Quickbooks. Using Goods Order Inventory means you never have to worry about running out of items. The app supports barcode scanning and will help you reduce your stock loss and keep your online store well-stocked and ready for customers. Free makes Goods Order Inventory an excellent addition to best inventory apps selection.

Top Shelf Mobile Inventory

If you’re working towards making your business profitable online by combining CRM, accounting, and inventory management, Top Shelf is for you. This is a highly versatile cloud-based system that also works as a restaurant management tool, so you know what you have and what you need and when you’ll need it.

Top Shelf Mobile Inventory updates constantly and synchronizes data between different systems, so there’s no need to enter data multiple times. This is one of the best inventory apps that works on both iPhones and Androids.

Apps for an active owner

Many of these apps work for both ecommerce and brick-and-mortar stores, and for good reason. Business owners today are likely to have both, and app-based inventory management systems need to be able to switch seamlessly between either one - or better yet, to track all of your stock simultaneously. The apps listed above are some of the best inventory apps out there, but they also aren’t the only ones out there, so it pays to do your research and find one that best suits your needs. Not convinced you need an inventory management system at all?
Check out a full list of alternative inventory management tools here

Businesses at any level deal with the same challenges. They need to attract customers, produce or stock goods, market themselves to new clients. Thankfully, today there are more tools than ever for businesses of all sizes to help them navigate some of the daily tasks they need to accomplish.

If you are a business owner or operator, you may have heard someone mention inventory management software before. Maybe someone recommended that you look into using some inventory management software for your own business. But what is inventory management software, and why do you need it?

Inventory management: back to basics
When it comes to running your own retail business, the basic laws of economics still hold true. Supply and demand dictate your overall success. All the other tools of modern business - traditional marketing, digital marketing, advertising on social media, partnering with influencers, etc. - are all designed to influence the basic supply and demand rules.

How does inventory management factor in?
Inventory management aims to track supply and demand, keeping business owners informed of exactly what they have at any particular point in time. The idea is nothing new; businesses have been doing it since ancient times; the abacus was invented somewhere in the ancient Near East for just that purpose, to count grain and other food stores.

What is different about inventory management systems today, of course, is the technology. Even as recently as a few decades ago, inventory management relied on physically taking inventory of current stock on a regular basis and recording the results with pencil and paper. It required extensive manpower and significant time, and even accessing the results required significant time.

The widespread use of computers in the workplace changed that process significantly, and database software and Excel spreadsheets began to replace ledger sheets. An especially significant development occurred in the early 1970s, when the Universal Product Code standardized barcodes and barcode readers. Together with more sophisticated Point-of-Sale (POS) systems, retailers finally had a system to track inventory digitally.

However, the process still required physically checking the inventory on the shelves, although now it could be scanned with a handheld barcode reader. The information on the reader still needed to be entered into Excel or some other inventory system.

After the turn of the millennium, barcode scanners could communicate wirelessly with computers; the inventory would automatically update itself as someone scanned barcodes during a stock check.

Inventory Management Software

Inventory management system software takes the whole process one step further. It’s not about simply tracking what’s left in the warehouse - now, retailers can track the entire warehouse inventory. The right software package will even let you track products as they are ordered from the supplier, meaning the stock is instantly part of your inventory from the moment you order it.

Even pending and future orders can be done through inventory management software. Almost the entire lifecycle of a given product becomes traceable with inventory software, giving retailers absolutely unprecedented control over their supply chains.

With that increased control comes even more opportunities for retailers to track other aspects of their businesses. If you can track your current inventory down to the minute, you can predict when you’ll need more stock. If you can predict the stock you’ll need, you can schedule orders in advance to meet increased supply.

As more and more of the supply chain comes under the realm of inventory management, the software built to manage inventory has expanded to also include other common business tasks.

IMS
Today’s software for inventory management isn’t simply about what you have and don’t have on stock. If you can track stock and place orders through the same software, then it makes more and more sense to add some form of financial capability to the software. Orders cost money, of course, so having software that can also double as accounting software adds to the package.

Increasingly, today’s inventory management systems packages offer far more than the ability to count stock. These aren’t glorified abacuses; they’re Swiss army knives that provide up-to-the-minute inventory tracking, billing, and accounting information.

Inventory management software-as-a-service
Inventory management software today comes in an almost bewildering array of forms, most of them delivered in the Software-as-a-Service format (SaaS). With SaaS, programs are Internet and cloud-based, not housed on-site on servers or computers. SaaS programs can be updated remotely, and any necessary troubleshooting can be done by the software designers from anywhere in the world.

SaaS are frequently offered on a subscription basis, allowing companies greater flexibility to change which particular software they use based on their given needs. Not every inventory management system is equally good at every task; some are better at tracking financial aspects of inventory management, while others are better at predicting and filling orders.

Benefits of inventory management software

Now that you know what inventory management system software is, what can inventory management software do for you? Specifically, what benefits can you expect?

Accurate knowledge of current inventory
With cloud-based apps and integrated POS systems, many inventory management systems allow you to track what has sold and what you have left in real-time. No worries about missing stock, or about a misplaced order.

Supply chain management
Inventory management and supply chain management are very closely related. If you know what you have in stock, you’ll know what you need, which leads naturally to the rest of your supply chain. Before the widespread use of inventory management systems, controlling or even monitoring the larger supply chain was beyond the scope of most small businesses.

Financial accounting
Time and products both cost money. If you can track them accurately, you have everything you need to track your costs more accurately and manage them more efficiently. This is why many management systems integrate accounting software into their options, and why some software that is primarily accounting-focused has added inventory management.

Enterprise resource planning
ERP is the next step in inventory and supply chain management, moving from managing current and short-term stock and orders into the realm of long-term planning. ERP allows companies to track current resources and position themselves for future growth.

What to look for in inventory management software

Given the importance of the right inventory management software for your business, and given the variety of the programs out there, what should you be looking for in your inventory management software? How do you know what will be a good fit?

Here are some of the general characteristics of good inventory management software that you should be looking for:

Compatibility
With the SaaS business model, compatibility is much less of an issue than with traditional programs that needed to meet extensive hardware requirements. Most inventory management systems today are designed to run on nearly any computer, or even on mobile devices in some cases.

It is always worth double-checking the system requirements before you buy, however. And if mobile access or a particular computer system is a deal-breaker for you, you can use that requirement to narrow the list of suitable choices.

Ease of use
Particularly for small businesses, you want your inventory management software to be accessible. You don’t want to waste valuable time mastering a complicated system, nor do you want to be caught out if you need to train up someone new in a hurry.

Beyond that, ease of use often equals simplicity, and the simpler and more streamlined your inventory management system is, the more likely you will be to get maximum use out of it.

Industry-specific
There are inventory management programs for restaurants, for retail shops, and for warehouses, among a host of others. Before jumping on the first one that appears on Google, do you research to find the best industry-specific choices. These systems aren’t necessarily one-size-fits-all. Industry-specific tools will likely have more resources and be easier for you to use.

Room for growth
Choose an inventory management system that will expand with you. It is likely that a good inventory management system will open up new opportunities for growth for your business. If that is the case, then you want the program itself to be easily expandable, with features that can be added as needed.

Pricing
Part of adding features as you grow your business will come down to pricing; some programs may have different levels, with different features available depending on the price point. Choose a program that fits your current budget, but that gives you room to expand as needed.

Beyond those general points, look for these specific features:

Real-time updating
Select a system that gives you a current glance at your entire inventory status. The more often your system updates, the better-prepared you will be to make decisions about ordering, sales, or special offers.

Data transfer
Importing data from on-site devices, portable inventory scanners, or mobile phones, or exporting to CRM software or an Excel sheet; you want a system that allows you to easily transfer data. Don’t settle for a program that involves a ten-step procedure to process a monthly report.

Statistics and analysis
Speaking of monthly reports, choose a system that does more than simply count boxes. Go with one that gives you sales reports, order frequency, sales points, and the whole array of modern statistical reports. Inventory management isn’t just about knowing when to reorder; it’s about being able to see where your business has been, and where it will go.

Orders and forecasting
Last but not least, choose a system that lets you set basic reorder points. When you stock hits a certain level, the system can automatically place a new order, ensuring that you never reach a critically low level or go out of stock and miss out on potential sales. Not only does this prevent lost sales, it can also automate much of the ordering process, reducing the load on you as the business owner.

Small business
The right inventory management system can make or break a small business, but small businesses might have different requirements than a large corporation.

Cloud-based system
It’s handy for any business, but absolutely crucial for small businesses to use a cloud-based inventory management system. By using the cloud, you’ll be able to access your inventory from anywhere in the world, keep your software constantly updated, and have quick access to any customer service assistance you may need.

POS integration
Most inventory management systems will have some form of POS integration, but don’t be afraid to choose one based solely on how well it handles that integration. Most small businesses don’t have the large margins of giant corporations; even a handful of missing or unaccounted stock can make a big difference to your bottom-line.

Mobile access
This one isn’t an absolute necessity, but most small business owners appreciate the ability to access their stock and view reports whenever they want to, from their mobile phones. Mobile compatibility for your inventory management system will give you better access to better information in order to run a better business.

IMS, CRM, and you: navigating SaaS

Inventory management, enterprise resource planning, customer relations management - the sheer variety of SaaS programs out there can be bewildering. With all those options come a huge array of questions - do you need one of each? Can they be integrated? If you can only choose one, which one?

The good news is that all of these systems are designed to help you, not to make your life an information overload. If you struggle to manage workflow and deal with clients, a CRM package might be ideal; if you’re managing multiple retail stores in different locations with dozens of products, then an inventory management system will be a better use of your time and money.

Do you need any of these inventory management systems? Perhaps not, if all you want to do is maintain your business at its current level. But if you want to expand your business and find new opportunities, then it might be time to take advantage of the vast array of tools available.

You can find more resources on inventory management software here - Link

Do you have an e-commerce store and struggle with staying on top of your current stock? Perhaps you’ve always relied on Excel sheets, but have a hard time finding the time to keep them up-to-date. There is a better way! Modern inventory management software programs exist for two main purposes: to make tracking your current inventory easier, and to give you a whole new suite of tools for your ecommerce site.

What inventory management software does for your e-commerce site. Not convinced you actually need ecommerce inventory management? Check out our resources here. Every retail business can benefit from inventory management software, whatever and wherever it’s selling. But e-commerce sites do require a slightly different set of features in their inventory management systems than the ones you’d find in a brick and mortar retail store.

What can an IMS do for you?

Whether you drop ship or ship everything out yourself, or do a combo of both, a good system for Shopify inventory management will help you avoid dead stock that’s just sitting in a warehouse. You’ll save money on storage costs and still be able to meet orders if demand increases. By minimizing excess stock while still meeting demand, a good IMS can improve your cash flow and save you money.

This article covers inventory management software for Shopify, so if your Shopify account is connected to your Shopify storefront, Amazon, or Etsy, here are some recommended apps for you! Of course, if you use Shopify, you may just want to use the in-house Shopify app for your e-commerce store to manage your inventory.. But if you have used it and are looking for something different, there are plenty of options available. These are some favorites.

Trade Gecko
If you’re looking to integrate inventory, sales, and multiple selling channels, Trade Gecko has you covered. It emphasizes automation to prevent your site from running out of stock. Additionally, Trade Gecko can also integrate with accounting apps such as QuickBooks, so your entire business can operate from one app.

Pros: Works with a myriad of different e-commerce sites like Shopify and Amazon.
Cons: Multiple complaints of tech help being unavailable or unable to assist.

Stock Sync
One of the top apps in the Shopify store, Shop Sync is popular with Shopify users for good reason. It not only updates inventory automatically when low but also can be used in conjunction with a brick and mortar storefront to ensure inventory is always there.

Pros: Can be used in conjunction with online and brick and mortar stores. Only costs $5 per month.
Cons: Not always the most user-friendly, with several complaints about the customer service.

ShipHero
If you’re looking for a Shopify inventory management software that integrates shipping and management of your inventory, ShipHere is your app. It integrates with multiple shipping companies and allows you to determine the cheapest shipping methods for your orders. Because it can also be integrated with Amazon, eBay, FedEx, UPS, and USPS, it offers plenty of flexibility to fulfill orders.

Pros: Wide range of features that integrate it with multiple systems, making it flexible to work for you.
Con: Cost begins at $1850 per month.

Etsy Marketplace Integration
If you are looking to integrate your Shopify and Etsy storefronts, this app is one of the highest-rated ones out there. By providing bulk uploading to Etsy and Shopify storefronts, it helps cut down on manual uploading and keeps products consistently in stock. It also notes errors in the Etsy shop and can convert the currency to specific countries.

Pros: Etsy-specific; if you rely on Etsy, this is a very useful, specialized app.
Cons: Multiple complaints of the app being buggy and deleting listings.

Ecommerce inventory management
Perhaps even more than brick-and-mortar stores, eCommerce shops require innovative inventory management software. There might not be a physical storeroom to inspect and verify stock amounts. Stock might be located in a warehouse in another city or another state, and many of the transactions can happen overnight and outside of “normal” business hours.

Ecommerce is a different type of business, so it requires creative approaches to managing inventory. Inventory management systems provide a method of tracking bestsellers and poor sellers outside of Shopify’s own tools, along with analysis and insights to give you the edge over your competitors.

Ecommerce inventory management, for Shopify, Etsy, or any other online storefront, is just as important to the success of your business as a manual month-end stock-take in a brick and mortar shop. Ecommerce and Shopify inventory management brings the ability to take stock of your virtual storefronts instantly and opens avenues for expansion down the line.