Inventory control and tracking?

[C. Charles Hahn]

How do you guys keep your inventory organized so you know what to re-order, when, and from where? My "shop" inventory (the stuff I use for customer details) has gotten a bit out of hand lately so I can never remember what products I'm running out of; and most of the stuff in my personal stash is more expensive either in terms of product or time to work with them than what I can do for customers.... so I don't really want to start stealing from that if I don't have to.

Ideas?

 

[pappy]

theres got to be a program out there....search on google...or download.com...or you can probally set up a spreadsheet to do it.

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

theres got to be a program out there....search on google...or download.com...or you can probally set up a spreadsheet to do it.

I started an excel spreadsheet, but it just doesn't seem as manageable. I want to be able to do more like a database (Access) style, but I don't have much experience in programming that sort of thing to do what I want.

 

[shotime]

I'm covering this in accounting now. It's pointless to keep track of how much of a single product you use all the time. There's many products and you use a different amount on every vehicle. Do a one time product cost average per vehicle, it will also assist in reordering. Ex: 2oz soap per wash @ $.05/1oz liquid wax @ $.50 per application etc.
Then take the amount you use and divide it by the size you buy it, set a reoder amount for each vehicle, and just order that product when you reach that number.
You may also want to cut down on different products for the same thing. EX: Meg's #83, IP, SSR 2.5, all essentially the same product. It's much easier for accounting purposes.

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

I'm covering this in accounting now. It's pointless to keep track of how much of a single product you use all the time. There's many products and you use a different amount on every vehicle. Do a one time product cost average per vehicle, it will also assist in reordering. Ex: 2oz soap per wash @ $.05/1oz liquid wax @ $.50 per application etc.
Then take the amount you use and divide it by the size you buy it, set a reoder amount for each vehicle, and just order that product when you reach that number.
You may also want to cut down on different products for the same thing. EX: Meg's #83, IP, SSR 2.5, all essentially the same product. It's much easier for accounting purposes.

I'm not really worried from an accounting standpoint as much as knowing how much of something I have on the shelf. I keep my "active stock" (what I pull to use on a detail) in the garage, and have reserves in the basement on other shelving units. What I run into is emptying one bottle of a product (say, DACP for example) and going to the basement only to find I don't have any in reserves. Usually if I grab something from my personal stuff, I'll just charge it out for however much out of that bottle I use for the detail (price per ounce basically) and it all evens up in the end.

 

[CharlesW]

I'm not really worried from an accounting standpoint as much as knowing how much of something I have on the shelf. I keep my "active stock" (what I pull to use on a detail) in the garage, and have reserves in the basement on other shelving units. What I run into is emptying one bottle of a product (say, DACP for example) and going to the basement only to find I don't have any in reserves. Usually if I grab something from my personal stuff, I'll just charge it out for however much out of that bottle I use for the detail (price per ounce basically) and it all evens up in the end.

Not being a professional detailer, I don't have any detailing product specific suggestions, but.....
A good way for me to keep track of inventory needs has been to use a reorder point.
In your case you might have two bottles of a product. One you are using and the backup in the basement. When you empty the one you are using and have to get the one from the basement, reorder another for backup. If you are refilling smaller bottles from gallon containers, order another gallon container when you fill a smaller bottle with the last of that product. Pretty basic and crude, but unless I am missing something, it seems like it would work.:dunno

Charles

 

[C. Charles Hahn]

Not being a professional detailer, I don't have any detailing product specific suggestions, but.....
A good way for me to keep track of inventory needs has been to use a reorder point.
In your case you might have two bottles of a product. One you are using and the backup in the basement. When you empty the one you are using and have to get the one from the basement, reorder another for backup. If you are refilling smaller bottles from gallon containers, order another gallon container when you fill a smaller bottle with the last of that product. Pretty basic and crude, but unless I am missing something, it seems like it would work.:dunno

Charles

That's exactly how I've been *trying* to do it. However usually when I run to my stash for a new bottle, I'm in a hurry to grab it and get the job done so I forget to note what I used up. Then the next time it competely slips my mind. I'm hoping to figure a way to FORCE myself to keep better track of things. Maybe I just need to start writing down "order _______" on a whiteboard or something in the shop so I don't forget.

 

[Volks_Jetta]

Setting a reorder point (ROP) is a good method.. or a simpler way of ensuring that you don't run out is to use the Kanban system (used by Toyota Manufacturing Systems). Simplified, its really easy - You just need to know how long it takes to get product in and approximate how long it takes you to use your product. Lets say that you use a bottle every week and it takes 2 weeks to get product in. You know that you will need to order new product at least 2 weeks prior to running out (3 weeks if you want to keep a safety stock of 1 bottle). Put a sticker or marker on the 2nd to the last bottle in your inventory to remind you to order new product when you get to that particular bottle. This should give you enough time to order and recieve new stock. Hope this helps.

 

[CharlesW]

That's exactly how I've been *trying* to do it. However usually when I run to my stash for a new bottle, I'm in a hurry to grab it and get the job done so I forget to note what I used up. Then the next time it competely slips my mind. I'm hoping to figure a way to FORCE myself to keep better track of things. Maybe I just need to start writing down "order _______" on a whiteboard or something in the shop so I don't forget.

Another crude and simple thing we used was a clipboard that if you took the last of anything, you wrote it down. We than checked the clipboard daily and decided if we wanted to order more of that item or quit stocking it.
Can you tell that I like easy?

Charles

 

[Scott P]

Why not keep your back-up shelves labeled? That way, when you have an empty spot, the label tells you what is missing. Just make yourself go down there once a week or so and re-order based on the number of empty spaces. I think Staples has a nice little label machine this week for $15 or so.

 

[Bob]

Yeah, screw all of that program stuff to manage your supplies. Just keep them NEATLY organized on a set of shelves and when you see an empty spot, or better yet a low spot, then you know it is time to reorder.