Small Business Barcode Inventory System
Small Business Inventory Management
The Importance of Accurate Inventory Tracking
It’s no secret that small businesses are
the backbone of the American economy. Nearly half of all employed Americans work for a small business. But running a small business is no piece of cake. They face the same challenges big businesses do. Stiff competition, supply chain problems, external economic factors…it’s all the same. And just like the big companies, they have to contain their expenses and watch their cash flow or they will end up a former small business. And outside of revenue, nothing will impact a small company’s cash flow like inventory. They need to expertly manage their inventory to ensure they aren’t tying up their cash in slow or non-moving inventory, preventing them from investing in the inventory they need. Once inventory becomes obsolete, converting back into cash is next to impossible, and if you can, it’s pennies on the dollar.
Small Business Tech
Small companies can use the exact same technology that big companies use to manage their inventory. Today, there is no reason why a small business shouldn’t be using barcode technology to manage their inventory. Both software and hardware solutions are available that are affordable, effective, and suitable for virtually any small business. Even companies that have little or not technical resources can deploy barcode solutions that will make a positive impact on their bottom line.
Even the most basic task, such as counting your inventory to know the quantity, product type, and location is the perfect starting point for managing your inventory properly. If you know current quantities, you can take proactive steps to sell off slow-moving inventory before it becomes obsolete. If you know where it is you won’t waste time looking for it, or assume it’s lost and buy more when you don’t really need it.
Small Business Inventory Management Software
Counting your inventory is step one. And the AML out-of-the-box-ready solution for counting inventory is our DC Suite software. DC Suite consists of multiple components. The desktop application, DC Console, is an editor, or program generator, which allows users to create their own applications for collecting barcoded data. No programming experience is required. In just a few minutes anyone can create an application to count inventory, capture lot codes, track assets, and more. But to make it even simpler, DC Suite consists of seven pre-written applications that when installed on a mobile computer, are ready to go to work. No programming is required at all. Pick the application that best suits the task at hand and go to work. Scan item numbers and enter quantities. Scan item numbers and serial numbers. Scan asset tag numbers and locations. Check tools in and out. The applications are all ready to go.
Once the barcodes have been scanned and all the data is collected, it’s transmitted to a PC using a USB connection, or a Wi-Fi connection if the mobile device is so equipped. The file format comes across as a comma separated file (.csv) or and Excel file (.xlsx). Now the file can be opened in an Excel spreadsheet or imported into an accounting or inventory management system.
The real beauty of DC Suite? It’s free. No license fee whatsoever. It comes license free and preloaded on AML mobile computers such as the LDX10 and the Striker. Note that if a Wi-Fi transfer is preferred over USB, that can only be accomplished using the Striker and the DC Uplink utility which requires a modest license fee.
Affordable Barcode Scanners for Small Businesses
The LDX10 is a compact medium-duty mobile computer with an integrated barcode scanner. It is intended for the intermittent user that does a modest amount of barcode scanning, and in an office or office-like environment. It is available in a USB mode only. No charging cradle is required and a power supply and charging cable is included with each device. The DC Suite software applications are preloaded on the device the DC Console program generator maybe downloaded from the AML website. For most users, the LDX10 is as out-of-the-box ready as any device can be. Most find they can simply charge the battery, open an app, and go to work.
For those environments where barcode
scanning is a daily task, and the environment may be more industrial, we highly recommend the Striker Android Mobile Computer. The Striker also comes preloaded with DC Suite software, and it is equipped with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios. The Striker is much better suited for harsh environments where the device will be used constantly and may be subject to abuse. It is designed to withstand 6′ drops to concrete and tolerate a wide range of temperatures. The Striker does require a charging cradle to charge the device and spare battery (if purchased).
For further guidance on how to manage inventory as a small business, please read the whitepapers below.
How to Kill a Small Business
Every year, thousands of companies close their doors, not because they weren’t profitable on their income statement, but because they ran out of cash.
Inventory… A Necessary Evil for the Small Business
Not enough of the right inventory and too much of the wrong inventory, is the recipe for disaster. So what’s “right!” and what’s “wrong” when
Leveraging Technology in the Small Business
Trying to stay competitive and financially sound requires accuracy and speed that just can’t be accomplished with proper-based systems.
Barcodes and the Small Business Manufacturer
Barcodes are not to be feared. Nor is the expense of the investment, or the time and resource required to implement a system.
Featured Devices
Striker
Enterprise Mobile Computer
Powered by Android®
4″ LCD with Capacitive Touchscreen
DC Suite Software Included
Integrated Barcode Scanner
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Connection
LDX10
Batch Mobile Computer
Operates Windows® Embedded 6.0
2.8″ QVGA Display With Touchscreen
1D Linear Imager or 2D Imager Scanner
DC Suite Software Included
USB Data Transfer
Questions?
If you have any questions about pricing, requesting demo units or technical specs, submit the form below and our team will be in contact shortly.
About AML
AML was founded in 1983 to respond to a need in the barcode data collection marketplace for high performance, easy-to-use, and cost-effective barcode and data collection products. Our goal is to provide sensible solutions for mission critical activities, to improve efficiency and productivity, and to make barcode data collection applications worry-free.
