Successful warehouse management is increasingly contingent upon robust remote inventory management. Businesses across the world are focusing on enhancing remote work flows to deliver high performance while keeping costs low.
One way to achieve this goal is to opt for a cloud-based mobile inventory management system that enables you to track assets in real-time. Choosing the right solution can have a significant impact on the bottom line and increase productivity.
Following recent global trends, the warehouse management system industry is expected to reach $1.2 Billion from 2020-2024. As companies switch towards automation, it becomes critical to understand how such systems work. Mobile inventory management enables users to track inventory using smartphones or iOS with an installed application. This system can be used anywhere, anytime, and is extremely effective for remote warehouses.
Manual inventory management poses many challenges when it comes to remote warehouses. Working with excel sheets increases the chances of errors and outdated information. To avoid such drawbacks, companies can switch to a cloud-based system to control inventory movements and streamline stock management. This upgrade offers you the following advantages:
- Minimum hardware costs: You don’t need to invest in handheld scanners. Just ask employees to download the mobile inventory management app.
- Get upgrades faster: It is not easy to upgrade a manual inventory system quite so often. However, a cloud-based system can be updated with just a single click.
- Work on the go: You don’t always need to have a scanner or laptop to update your inventory database. You can simply do it through the mobile application.
These advantages lead to efficient warehouse workflows and improve overall performance. The next step is to look at what the mobile inventory management application has to offer:
Populate Your Dashboard
A busy warehouse typically has a high volume of inventory moving in and out of it. This means you have to update your records frequently, quickly, and of course accurately. Using a mobile app allows you to easily record product details in real-time with a quick scan.
As an example, say, you have a new stock of paint coming in at the warehouse. If you wait for someone to come from the office and create a record of this inventory, it becomes a long and tedious process. A more efficient and quick solution is to scan the barcode and enter the details with your mobile application.
Once you have entered the details, you can easily make changes and edits . Apart from this, you can filter out the items you want to see on the dashboard. Select the relevant filter and check out which items are available.
Read more: Assets Inventory Management System: Benefits and Future
Check-in and Check out Items Instantly
Working in a remote environment means there is a chance you don’t have all the hardware required to carry out operations immediately. But this should not be a problem with a mobile inventory management application. For example, you have to check out a small shipment but don’t have a scanner readily available. You can simply scan the asset barcodes from your mobile app and check out the shipment under your name.
Running a warehouse implies multiple items being checked in and checked out at the same time. If you start entering details manually, you run the risk of missing out important items or even worse, making wrong entries.
To avoid such mistakes, simply train your employees to use the mobile inventory application. Once it’s decided which stock items have to be checked out, they can simply update the inventory from their phones. On the other hand, if some items are damaged or returned you can check them in without delays through the mobile app.
Check-in and checkout alerts also help you keep a track of item usage. For instance, you notice a certain inventory item has been checked in last week, but you can’t find it in the warehouse. Just check the mobile app to determine which employee was responsible for checking in the item in question and carry out an inquiry.
Take Mass Actions
The key to streamlined inventory functions is organized workflows. Since you are dealing with items in bulk, it can become challenging to effectively trace the movement of your inventory. However, a mobile inventory management application lets you take mass actions to speed up the whole process.
The software application lets you reserve inventory items in advance for an event. This saves you from hassles such as running short on stock items at the last minute. Along with this, you can also retire multiple items with a single action. These advantages eliminate redundancies and save time for employees!
Lastly, all inventory items which need maintenance can be added to a service event as well. This ensures that your equipment is always in the best condition before checkout..
Track Work Orders
One way to improve warehouse productivity is to keep employees motivated. This is possible when employees are clearly instructed and monitored on their duties. Limited facilities at remote warehouses hinder supervision, but you can tackle this problem easily . A mobile inventory management app lets you access work orders and track progress from anywhere.
A robust mobile application further facilitates this by enabling you to filter out the completed orders and follow up on the delayed ones. A detailed analysis can also shed light on reasons for delays etc. and enable users to come with solutions to speed up the process.
The mobile application also gives you access to details like how much time was spent on a particular work order. This is useful when you’re running a cost-benefit analysis. A costly work order might mean it’s time to retire an item.
Read more: What Features Do the Best Inventory Management Software Solutions Have?
Work on the Go: Upgrade Remote Warehouse Management with a Mobile Application
A mobile inventory management application can increase efficiency and boost revenue for warehouses. The right solution can help minimize errors and provide valid statistics for measuring KPI’s. With the help of a mobile app, users can instantly update data on the go without missing out on critical information. This data can then be used to run in-depth performance reports for the business.Â
Moreover, real-time inventory tracking allows you to monitor movements and minimize loss of items. This is reflected in the financial statements and reduces the need for unnecessary replacement. However, before opting for a tracking technology, understand the nature of your business. Whether you would want to go for a barcode or a RFID tracking system.
Initially , switching to a tracking software may seem like a big change for your business. on of work. However, it is important to remember that this change can help you maintain a competitive edge in the market. And the right solution can increase inventory accuracy as well as the bottom line!Â
About EZOfficeInventory
EZOfficeInventory is a leading inventory tracking software. It allows you to track, maintain, and report on inventory from anywhere, at any time.Â
