"Inventory data capture" refers to the process of capturing and recording information about the existing stocks or assets of a company. This may include physical goods such as products, raw materials, equipment, or intangible assets such as licenses or intellectual property. Data capture allows companies to have an accurate overview of their inventory, which in turn enables effective inventory management and control.
Typical functions of software in the "inventory data capture" area include:
Barcode or RFID integration: Integration of barcode or RFID technology for quick and accurate identification of inventory items.
Mobile data capture: Ability to capture inventory data directly on-site using mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets.
Inventory tracking: Real-time tracking of inventory, including inventory movements, location changes, and availability status.
Inventory valuation: Calculation and recording of the value of the entire inventory or individual inventory items based on various valuation methods such as FIFO (First In, First Out) or LIFO (Last In, First Out).
Inventory analysis: Generation of reports and analyses on inventory to identify trends, track inventory movements, and highlight inventory optimization opportunities.
Automatic inventory update: Automatic updating of inventory based on incoming or outgoing transactions to keep inventory data up to date.
Integration with other systems: Integration with other enterprise systems such as accounting, procurement, or inventory management for seamless data transfer and updating.