SOFTWARE RESEARCH
There are four main factors to take into account when choosing inventory software, and these are: what its features are,
how much it costs, how easy it is to implement and integrate with your business, and how difficult it is to maintain.
About Features: If you do not know what you want your software to do, and you do not know what the software in question can do, you are in the dark. It pays to be as specific as possible in determining what you want your software to do, and in determining what the software in question can actually do. Many companies that offer inventory software are rather secretive about telling you what their software can do, and often they want you to get in touch with them - they try to suck you into a business relationship first, and then divulge the secrets of their software. The smart customer will insist on knowing exactly what the software can do before making any decisions. Some companies offer free trial versions of their software, and/or offer to help you with implementation free of charge. This is really the best bet for you as a consumer. Once actually in front of the software, it quickly becomes obvious whether it is right for you, and also to what extent the company selling the software wants to inform you and to what extent it just wants to make a sale.
It is advisable to make a detailed list of the software features you want prior to going out there and doing research. Once you begin to learn more about the different options out there, you can revise this list and make a second version, then a third version, each one more informed than the last. Also, keep a portfolio with information about the different software options you have come across, and prune this portfolio of every option that clearly will not work for you. It is unlikely that you will find software that immediately jumps out at you as being the best choice, and if this does happen, you can take it as a warning sign, and with a grain of salt. It pays to be as objective as possible when making this decision.
About Cost: Inventory software ranges in cost from one hundred dollars to several million dollars. The difference in quality, features, and performance between the low-cost and high-cost systems frankly does not explain or justify the enormous differences in cost that exist. Certainly some software is better, more functional, and so on than other software - but not one hundred times or one thousand times better. The high-cost systems are typically sold by companies that have many employees and pursue a "business relationship" with you. There are pros and cons to such a relationship. Certainly the company that you have invested so much money in will do a good job helping you to implement and maintain their software. It is very likely, however, that they will try to get you to shell over more and more money for different perks, services, and maintenance that you do not really need. You must find out what such a business relationship will consist of and must know what you want to be able to make a decision. A lower-priced inventory control system may well suit your needs just as well as one of the million-dollar behemoths. On the other hand, you may want the sense of security that comes with paying top dollar for a product, and with top-dollar products there are usually better opportunities for getting in touch with other companies that are using this software and hearing their verdict on it.
About Implementation: Ask the companies whose inventory software you are researching exactly what kind of assistance you will get with implementation. Keep a detailed file on their response and determine whether it will suit your needs. Be objective about this: it is very dangerous to assume that software will be easy to implement, and it is best to make conservative estimates of the dollar and time cost of implementation.
About Operation: Now we can segue into the difficulties and costs of operating the software once it is implemented. I say segue because it is during implementation that you can best determine what operating the software will be like, how many employees will be required, what kind of training, and so on. Remember, it is likely that you will be the one training most or your employees or coworkers in how to use the software. If you are not comfortable with explaining to someone else how to use the software after a few weeks of working with it, it is a bad sign, and means you may want to invest in something more manageable.
Good luck with your search! Here is some inventory software that might help you along.
About Features: If you do not know what you want your software to do, and you do not know what the software in question can do, you are in the dark. It pays to be as specific as possible in determining what you want your software to do, and in determining what the software in question can actually do. Many companies that offer inventory software are rather secretive about telling you what their software can do, and often they want you to get in touch with them - they try to suck you into a business relationship first, and then divulge the secrets of their software. The smart customer will insist on knowing exactly what the software can do before making any decisions. Some companies offer free trial versions of their software, and/or offer to help you with implementation free of charge. This is really the best bet for you as a consumer. Once actually in front of the software, it quickly becomes obvious whether it is right for you, and also to what extent the company selling the software wants to inform you and to what extent it just wants to make a sale.
It is advisable to make a detailed list of the software features you want prior to going out there and doing research. Once you begin to learn more about the different options out there, you can revise this list and make a second version, then a third version, each one more informed than the last. Also, keep a portfolio with information about the different software options you have come across, and prune this portfolio of every option that clearly will not work for you. It is unlikely that you will find software that immediately jumps out at you as being the best choice, and if this does happen, you can take it as a warning sign, and with a grain of salt. It pays to be as objective as possible when making this decision.
About Cost: Inventory software ranges in cost from one hundred dollars to several million dollars. The difference in quality, features, and performance between the low-cost and high-cost systems frankly does not explain or justify the enormous differences in cost that exist. Certainly some software is better, more functional, and so on than other software - but not one hundred times or one thousand times better. The high-cost systems are typically sold by companies that have many employees and pursue a "business relationship" with you. There are pros and cons to such a relationship. Certainly the company that you have invested so much money in will do a good job helping you to implement and maintain their software. It is very likely, however, that they will try to get you to shell over more and more money for different perks, services, and maintenance that you do not really need. You must find out what such a business relationship will consist of and must know what you want to be able to make a decision. A lower-priced inventory control system may well suit your needs just as well as one of the million-dollar behemoths. On the other hand, you may want the sense of security that comes with paying top dollar for a product, and with top-dollar products there are usually better opportunities for getting in touch with other companies that are using this software and hearing their verdict on it.
About Implementation: Ask the companies whose inventory software you are researching exactly what kind of assistance you will get with implementation. Keep a detailed file on their response and determine whether it will suit your needs. Be objective about this: it is very dangerous to assume that software will be easy to implement, and it is best to make conservative estimates of the dollar and time cost of implementation.
About Operation: Now we can segue into the difficulties and costs of operating the software once it is implemented. I say segue because it is during implementation that you can best determine what operating the software will be like, how many employees will be required, what kind of training, and so on. Remember, it is likely that you will be the one training most or your employees or coworkers in how to use the software. If you are not comfortable with explaining to someone else how to use the software after a few weeks of working with it, it is a bad sign, and means you may want to invest in something more manageable.
Good luck with your search! Here is some inventory software that might help you along.