Design and Implementation of an Automated Inventory System
Chapter One
Aim of the study
The purpose of this study is to design and implementation of an automated inventory system for Sunnybenz Auto Nig. ltd
Objective of the study
The main objective of this study is to Design and Implementation of Autoshop inventory management system. Others include;
- Calculate the bill.
- Give the bill to the customer.
- Store how many products are sold.
- Store products and their prices and with other information.
- Set the rates of taxes and commission on the products.
- Can see the report of the product in a fix period of time.
- Change the Graphical User Interface of the system.
- It provides higher level security as the system would be passworded to prevent unauthorized access.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Comprehensive Overview
According to [1] Inventory is the quantity of goods and materials on hand that a manufacturer uses to represent those items that are ready and available for sale.
An inventory control system is a set of hardware and software based tools that automate the process of tracking inventory. The kinds of inventory tracked with an inventory control system can include almost any kind of quantifiable goods including food, clothing, books, equipment and other items that consumers, retailers, or wholesalers may purchase. Modern inventory control systems are exclusively based on using technology to track and control inventory. [2]
Inventory control systems work in real time using technology to transmit information to a central computer system as inventory is monitored and as transactions occur to ensure an organized management system and generate detail-oriented records and reports that cover all aspects of the business. [3]
Purpose
Companies often use inventory control systems to reduce their carrying costs. The system is used to track products and parts as they are transported from a vendor to a warehouse, between warehouses, finally to a retailer or directly to a customer. The purpose of a good inventory control system is to maintain a balance between too much and too little inventory. It provides the foundation for monitoring product sales and measuring inventor levels. Inventory control systems acts as a blueprint for picking, packing and shipping items from a warehouse and receiving items into a warehouse or other storage locations to cut down product obsolescence and spoilage. [4]
TYPES OF INVENTORY CONTROL SYSTEMS
Properly managing inventory requires a system of some sort. It does not matter if the system consists of writing inventory levels on the back of an envelope or using the most sophisticated radio frequency identification system. As the old saying goes, “there are many ways to skin a cat”, the different types of inventory control systems all have pros and cons. choosing the right one boils down to which system holds the most value for the company. [5]
Basically, there are four types of inventory control systems:
- Manual inventory management system
- Barcode technology
- Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
- Warehouse Management System
Manual Inventory Management System
Many small business owners, especially if the business has very few products, keep track of inventory manually using a spreadsheet. Spreadsheets are set up to calculate when products need to be reordered. At the start of each week, the owner manually counts products and materials that are on hand and enters the values in the spreadsheet and also enters expected usage based on existing orders. Using the appropriate spreadsheet formulas, the owner can determine if he has enough materials for the week or if purchases should be made. Manual systems allow the small business owner to manage inventory with very little investment in systems or training. Maintaining data integrity is a major downside to manual inventory management as a single data entry or formula error can cause major inaccuracies in the data output. [6]
Barcode Technology
Barcodes consist of series of parallel vertical lines, or bars, used to assign a unique identification code to an item. The major use of barcode identification system is to track inventory automatically. A barcode combines several sequences to create a unique set of numbers or characters that identifies the item. [1]
All major retailers use barcode technology as part of an overall inventory control system because it increases the accuracy and efficiency of managing inventory. When a barcode is read at the point of sale, inventory sales data is immediately read and sent to a broader system that maintains usage statistics. Barcodes manage inventory at the warehouse level as it facilitates movement of inventory within the confines of the warehouse. [7]
CHAPTER THREE
SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
METHODOLOGY
This involves the specification of procedures for collecting and analyzing data necessary to define or solve the problem for which the research is embarked upon. The scope of this research covers the SunnyBenz auto Nig. Ltd Abuja in particular.
DATA COLLECTION
The major source in data collections and facts findings used is primary source.
Primary Source
This involves oral interviews conducted with various personnel in the SunnyBenz Auto Nig. ltd, reviewing and sharing their experience about the difficulties they undergo in using the manual inventory control system.
Secondary Source
This includes the use of textbooks, dictionaries, journals, newspapers, electronic books and internet downloads to collect data and aid comprehension of the system.
Input Analysis
The input analysis deals with the information or data that serves as the system. This section encounters a lot of problem in its input process. When products is purchased, the product is stored in the warehouse and some of the information used in tracking the products include:
CHAPTER FOUR
SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND TESTING
Introduction
This chapter discusses how the program was implemented and how the program was tested respectively.
CHAPTER FIVE
RECOMMENDATION, SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
Recommendation
From the research I and analysis carried out during my analysis on designingthis project work, design and implementation of automated inventory system for sunnybenz Nigeria Limited, I recommendon patient database. It was recommended that sunnybenz Nig ltd the system should implements it and use itbe used in Renaissance University medical centre to control and trackassist medical expert in carrying out their daily transactions. This system isjobs. Also, with the assistance of this software, other personnel can go through the software. It was recommended that more accurate than human expert so therefore using this research should be used in changing the system will help the manager make timely decision..
Summary
The general information collected is used to design and develop an automated inventory management system for sunnybenz Nig. ltd. The inventory system serves as a control system; in the sense that it is used to control records, monitor transactions, keep accurate records of day to day transaction. It also serves as a real time system.
The information contained in the medical record also serves as a basic for planning patient care, documenting, communication between the health care provider and any other health professional contributing to the patient care, assisting in protecting the legal interest of the patient and health care providers responsible for the patient care, and documenting the care and services provided to the patient. In addition, the medical record may serve as a document to educate medical students/ resident physician to provide data for the internal hospital auditing and quality assurance and to provide data for medical research. Personal health records combine many of the above features with portability, thereby allowing a patient to share medical records across providers on health system.
Conclusion
Based on the findings of this work, the following conclusions have been researched. The implementation of an automated inventory control system in Sunnybez Nig ltd will positively increase working performance within the organization. It will eliminate the trial and error which occurs when implementing the manual method. It will also help the manager to make timely decision.computerized medical diagnosis system on patient database will be a big relief for medical doctors and nurses. The system can help in the following ways;
REFERENCES
- Microsoft Encarta Dictionary, (2009). Inventory. Retrieved May 24, 2011..“About VB” http://VB./ABOUT VB.html. Retrieved April 30, 2011.
- Kotler, I.C. (2003). Inventory Control Management in the 21st Century. Charlotte (USA): Mac-Williams and Capital Publishers Inc.
- Harry, E.G. (2005). Tracking Inventory. London: Underwood Pitman.
- Monzerka, J.G. (2002). Sales Management: Theory and Practice. London: Paul Chapman Publication.
- Rubin, K. (2007). Computer Applications for Inventory Control Systems. Boston: McGraw Hill.
- Lysons, M.C. (2001). Systematic Planning for Change. Palo Alto, California: Mayfield Publishing Company.
- Kenneth. D.C. (2002). Contemporary Inventory Management Systems. New York: McGraw Go Spot.
- Hamlet, J. (2006). Cultivating Alliances with Customers. International Journal of Organizational Management, New York. Vol. 7. Issue 3, pp. 255-287.
- Sande, O.F. (2003). Automated Warehouse Management Systems. Journal of Information Technology, Massachusetts. Vol. 2, pp. 35-43.