Guide to QuickBooks Inventory Control
Why do you need inventory control software in addition to QuickBooks to manage your business? If you perform daily inventory, tracking your inventory data could quickly become overwhelming without inventory software to track data such as items received and item location and quantity after receipt. Using warehouse or inventory management software that integrates with QuickBooks would create an accurate and efficient system for controlling the inventory aspect of a business such as a warehouse or stockroom. The need for an integrated system could be determined by how QuickBooks accounting software is utilized, inventory size and budget.
How are you currently using QuickBooks software? If you are a warehouse manager, inventory control software in addition to accounting software is recommended for managing inventory efficiently. A paper-based method of recording inventory receipts, inventory moves, serial numbers, units of measure and cycle counts would not be able to keep up with a large or ever-increasing amount of on hand inventory.
With the right warehouse management system (WMS), designed with a plug- in for QuickBooks, you could:
Close a purchase order upon receipt of a shipment
Retrieve QuickBooks sales orders & upload them into WMS software
Generate Invoices
Close a Sales order after an order is picked
What version of QuickBooks is used? Confirm that the warehouse management software you are considering is compatible with:
QuickBooks Premier
QuickBooks Enterprise
QuickBooks Premier & Enterprise Industry Specific Versions
What is the size of your inventory? Any size warehouse or stockroom will ultimately benefit from using a warehouse management system. Features such as reporting, barcode labeling, and physical counting will keep any warehouse on the right track. However, size may dictate additional features you need. A small warehouse or stockroom may not need a wireless system to manage inventory (a wireless warehouse inventory system utilizes radio frequency (RF) to automatically transmit data from a handheld to the workstation without having to dock the barcode scanner) or additional features such as sequenced pick and put away, basic cubing, replenishment, and zone picking.
What is your budget? Before deciding on a final software budget, consider the true value of an inventory or warehouse management system that is integrated with QuickBooks. Efficient inventory control is a common goal for any business. Efficiency in this area may be accomplished easily with the right tools. Warehouse management software cuts costs by preventing inventory loss or errors, and it also provides accurate data collection through the use of barcode or wireless technology. Many businesses that manage inventory on a daily basis rely on accurate record keeping in order to maintain streamlined operations. Reducing inventory waste caused by over ordering or expired stock would further reduce business costs. Through the use of WMS software integrated with QuickBooks, a business can manage everything from inventory to purchase orders to save time and cost. The many benefits of a WMS-QuickBooks integrated system enable business operations to achieve their fiscal goals.
