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Choosing the right inventory and consumption management system
Every choice in an organizational environment must be made in a way that maximizes efficiency, offers a good cost-benefit ratio, and helps optimize the company’s internal processes.
However, choosing inventory management software goes beyond that; it has peculiarities that make it more strategic and, therefore, with a greater need to be well-grounded in the act of choosing.
See the benefits that a management system can bring and understand the importance of this decision:
Increased efficiency and organization
One of the main points of using an inventory and consumption management system is the possibility of automating operational processes, especially regarding the control of the quantity of products and inventory flow (entry and exit of items).
When performed manually, a series of errors and problems can arise that can compromise the company. As a result, the company’s image in the market can suffer serious damage.
Waste reduction
Especially for companies that work with perishable products (food, medicines, among others), maintaining adequate inventory control is essential to avoid waste. And this can be done through a good management system.
The software will warn you when a certain lot is relatively close to the maximum commercialization period. Thus, if you still have a large quantity in stock, it may be necessary to perform clearance sales and promotions to reduce waste.
When this process is done manually, efficiency can be lost, and errors or oversights can lead to a much greater loss of materials than necessary.
Assistance in managing the company
Inventory data is responsible for much of the analysis of the production chain in general. If there is a need for immediate replenishment, productivity must be accelerated. If you have many products in stock, it becomes necessary to speed up their commercialization.
Thus, inventory management helps determine marketing actions and the speed of the production chain, and is directly related to the sales department, among others. Through an automated system, operational data can be sent to these departments to speed up decision-making and ensure more efficient strategies in these areas.
Choosing the system in the most appropriate way
This demonstrates the importance of a proper choice of a management system in order to minimize errors and bring about real and significant changes.
Here are some criteria that should be considered when choosing software for your company:
1. Sampling of results
The first point is to check whether the system offers the possibility of generating sample reports for employees in the area and for others involved in the production chain.
This is important because it is through this data that decisions will be made, especially regarding sales data, dissemination strategies, and subsequent goals, among others.
2. Workflow optimization
Through automation, a system must be able to optimize the workflow. After all, this is its main function. If the software does not make this possible, it is not a good choice.
The more you promote integration and ease in the workflow, the better the choice for the company.
3. Process automation
A good inventory management system uses automation of important processes that are routine in the inventory and storage department, such as incoming and outgoing items, recording the location in the warehouse, number of available parts, lot expiration (in the case of perishable products), among others.
4. Considering other points
The points we mentioned are essential for any inventory and warehouse management system. If any of these items are missing, the system should be discarded immediately.
And then? How to choose the best option among those available on the market? Here are some criteria that become important differentials in the selection process:
5. Company Need
The software must be adaptable or have features that are in line with the company’s needs. Otherwise, some important processes will not be included in the system and, consequently, optimization will be less than expected.
6. Functionality
The system may have several interesting features, but they will be of no use if it is not functional for the company. Therefore, it is important to verify that the functions available in the system are, in fact, adequate for the organization’s routines, as well as to know if it is possible to make adaptations in the organization itself to adapt to essential functions of the system.
Cost-effective
When choosing between several options, it is essential to check the cost-benefit ratio. Some systems are more economical but do not add anything positive to the company’s routines. Others may be more expensive but do not necessarily bring the expected return to the organization.
With this analysis, it becomes possible to choose an inventory and consumption management system that truly adds value to the company and brings the expected returns.
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