The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a monumental increase in the demand for personal protective equipment (PPE). Whether you are a business that makes use of PPE to offer to your employees, an organization that manufactures PPE, or one that distributes PPE to other organizations, it can help to invest in PPE inventory management software that will help you keep track of your organization’s PPE stock at all times. Listed below are the uses of inventory management software for different kinds of businesses.
Barcode and QR Code Scanning
Businesses that use PPE equipment for their employees can use an inventory scanner to check various items in and out or to access any information about a specific product. The software can help companies reduce the number of people needed on site within the workplace to count inventory. Given how quickly the pandemic is spreading, it is now more than ever than PPE inventory management software can help you.
Similarly, if you are a business that manufactures PPE, investing in inventory management software that scans barcodes and QR codes is necessary, especially in the given times. With such a software solution, all you will need is an inventory manager who can update the inventory using a compatible scanner. This is a much more time and cost-effective solution, in comparison to having dozens of employees keeping count of the physical inventory in your warehouses and factories and risking physical contact.
Even if yours is a business that supplies other companies with PPE, inventory management technology in the form of barcode and QR code scanners can be instrumental in keeping track of your existing inventory as it moves along your company’s fulfillment system. It also reduces the risk of human error.
Custom reports
Businesses that use PPE equipment for their employees are usually required to offer proof that employees are being adequately protected, to corporate compliance committees and governments. PPE inventory management software can help you customize reports for this purpose in just a matter of seconds.
Businesses that manufacture PPE may need to create reports that indicate what you have on hand before an important audit or a financial review meeting. Inventory management software can help create reports that will help you showcase exactly how much of the equipment you have and where it is in the supply chain.
Similarly, a business that distributes PPE may need to share reports about how the goods are being distributed with the local or state governments or may need these reports for internal reviews. In such cases, inventory management software can generate customizable reports for you in the form of PDFs or spreadsheets.
Low stock and expiry alerts
If you are a business that requires PPE for your employees, an equipment inventory and management system can tip you off when the stock of a certain item is low or nearing the expiry date. This can help you reorder well in time.
For businesses that manufacture PPE, inventory management software can help indicate when you are about to run out of raw materials. It can also help alert you on the expiration date and warranty dates.
Inventory management software is essential for businesses that distribute PPE, especially given that you are responsible for the procurement of PPEs for other organizations and institutions. Running out of PPE equipment when you are a distributor can be disastrous, which is why it pays to invest in PPE stock management software that will alert you when the stocks are low or nearing the expiration date.
Customizable tracking
Businesses that need PPE for their employees can make use of inventory management software to keep a track of their stock by way of grouping the stock into categories or by location.
Companies that are in the business of manufacturing PPE can also invest in PPE management software to help create groups through which inventory can be categorized and organized intuitively. A system like this can help you keep track of all the items that are available and sold.
For organizations that distribute PPE to other companies, inventory management can help categorize goods by storage areas, offices, warehouse locations, or different categories. When you are in the distribution business, efficient PPE inventory tracking can be immensely helpful.
Instant access to data
For businesses that need to have access to PPE to offer to their employees, inventory management software can help one keep track of the inventory remotely. So, regardless of whether you are in your or the workplace or not, you will be able to ensure that you have enough PPE for your employees. This can be especially useful if the pandemic has caused your business to shut down for a while and re-open, which essentially would require you to ensure your employees have adequate PPE right from Day 1.
If your business manufactures PPE, you should invest in an inventory management software that can act as a virtual stockroom, and show you exactly what’s in stock. This will help you get the required stock to your team, even if you aren’t physically around them which is critical in the age of social distancing.
In the case of businesses that distribute PPE, on-demand and real-time PPE inventory management software can help you access to data can be especially helpful since you’ll know exactly how much stock you have to distribute at all times. In case, you notice a shortfall, you can immediately place an order for the necessary stock so you have enough.
Keep in mind that as a business owner you don’t have to invest in expensive inventory management software to keep track of your PPE stock. However, it is important for you to invest in the right inventory management tools that will help you stay on top of your stock at all times, generate reports, and give you alerts when you are running low on inventory. With COVID-19 raging across the country, inventory management software such as the one from Ignatiuz can help keep yourself, your staff, other organizations, and the community at large safe and protected.