Accuracy is crucial for managing inventory since mistakes in tracking, counting, or forecasting can result in unreasonable purchases, insufficient stock, and delayed shipments. Inventory planning systems streamline your daily operations and significantly reduce the faults connected with supply chain procedures, whereas manual inventory monitoring offers a lot of space for error. With the best inventory forecasting software, you can consistently fulfill orders accurately and on time while avoiding the risks of losing money and disappointing your consumers.
Features to Look for in an Inventory Planning Solution?
It’s challenging to choose the best inventory planning system for your company, but if you know what to look for, you’ll be more prepared than others. Take your time, consider your options carefully, and don’t forget to keep these qualities in mind as you seek.
Inventory Tracking
You must be able to monitor the status of raw materials and finished goods across the supply chain in order to establish an inventory control system. You may automate inventory tracking with the use of inventory planning systems for e-commerce, doing away with the necessity for laborious and time-consuming manual labor. When a receipt or invoice is created, for instance, many systems automatically produce tracking numbers, freeing up critical time and mental energy for other tasks.
Additionally, you may improve client interaction by quickly disclosing what is in stock or providing updates once orders have arrived, all made possible by automated tracking.
Forecasting Accuracy
One of the primary functions of an inventory planning solution is to forecast demand accurately. Advanced forecasting algorithms, powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning, can analyze historical data, market trends, and external factors to provide more precise predictions. Look for a solution that leverages these technologies to enhance the accuracy of your demand forecasting, ultimately minimizing stockouts and overstock situations.
Analytics
Analytics is essential for comprehending client behavior and corporate performance. However, inventory planning solutions must go beyond merely gathering data and deliver information in a tangible and useful way. After all, what value is data if you can’t understand it or use it to your advantage?
Many inventory planning systems include pre-defined reports with the key indicators you require, but some may go a step further by allowing you to design reports and delve deeper into the insights that are exclusive to your company.
Real-Time Alerts for Overstocking and Stockouts
An inventory planning system receives continuous updates means that the program is constantly updated with the most recent data. In other words, the inventory counts are real-time and show the current stock levels. It creates automated alerts for low stocks and overstocking. Real-time inventory counts guarantee that out-of-stock items cannot be ordered and provide you control over the stock levels of your raw materials, enabling you to place just-in-time orders to satisfy client demand.
Vendor Reputation and Support
Choosing a reputable vendor is as crucial as selecting the right solution. Conduct thorough research on potential vendors, considering factors such as their track record, customer reviews, and financial stability. A vendor with a solid reputation is more likely to provide ongoing support, regular updates, and a roadmap for future enhancements. Establishing a strong partnership with your vendor ensures a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship.
Integrations
You probably use a variety of management tools to run your company. If possible, your inventory should be integrated with all of the back-end programs you use; otherwise, you’ll have to manually enter data, which will be extremely time-consuming.
Purchasing, accounting, and warehouse management systems are frequently connected with inventory planning systems. The more streamlined your supply chain gets and the more time and money you can save as a result, the more these different programs can communicate with one another through integration.
Usability
Don’t discount the significance of simplicity of use in your purchasing decisions, even if pricing will undoubtedly play a role. The usability of inventory planning software influences how effective the overall system will be, a point that business owners sometimes neglect.
For instance, it’s probably not a worthwhile investment on your part if learning the program will take your staff hours and hours. You need a solution that will streamline your operations rather than make them more complex. If the learning curve is excessively steep, it will probably take more time, money, and effort in the long run.
Accessible Support
Having access to top-notch customer service is essential to your success with this program once you’ve decided which inventory planning system to use. Having someone on hand to assist is crucial when you encounter problems, such as being unable to locate your purchase transactions or your team being unable to set up stock notifications.
If you don’t have easy access to customer assistance, your problems might not be fixed and cause a supply chain management bottleneck. For this reason, confirm that your seller will offer whole support, including training, a guarantee, and round-the-clock assistance.
Scalable
When choosing an inventory planning system, keep in mind that you might not have an endless amount of cashflow to devote to this program. While looking for a system, keep in mind that you should also opt for one that is future-proof and highly useful.
Even if you can’t currently afford many extra features, you still want something that you can improve as you implement sensible, scalable growth. In the same way that you expect your business will grow, look for software that can accommodate your demands as they are today while also expanding and improving for future optimization.
About the Company
Inventory forecasting software by Fountain9 enables retailers to satisfy client demand at the correct time. Their Kronoscope inventory forecasting program, which is powered by artificial intelligence (AI), can precisely estimate demand for each SKU item and calculate the quantities that must be stocked to meet demand. With the use of this software, businesses can meet client expectations and make more money overall.