Inventory management for a small organization

[moncton golden flames]

Hello CP Braintrust!

I am on the Board of Directors for a small organization here in Calgary, the Permaculture Calgary Guild. We have a new initiative that I am spearheading, a Tool Trailer, and it will involve tracking tools that will be loaned out to our membership. It is essentially a community based tool sharing program we are setting up and it will require inventory management for the tools.

I would like to get a system set up that is scalable, so a revamp will not have to be done in a few years as the program grows. I would also like it to be simple enough to not require huge amounts of labour input beyond the initial setup.

I have been looking at using QR codes for each tool, but the management of those codes seems to be a pricey piece of software (monthly fees) and at an early stage of our Organization and the Tool Trailer, we need to keep costs to a minimum, preferably zero costs.

Ideally we want a system that is flexible and could possibly be managed by mobile phone or any other easy to use gadgets. Am I wrong in thinking QR codes are the way to go? If so, what other ways are there to manage the inventory in a cost and time sensitive manner?

Any input, suggestions or comments are very much welcome!

[PowerPlayoffs06]

[octothorp]

I've heard that the microsoft tag system is free to manage, though I have no experience working with it. However, a quick look at their site (I've never actually worked with it), and I wonder if it would be flexible enough to adapt to something that isn't simply a marketing campaign.
In theory, you'd probably just have them scan a code for the tool they're taking out, take them to a web page that asks them to fill in a user ID (and maybe a radio button for checking in or checking out), and then submit that. So it saves the tool ID, the check-in/out status, and the user ID to a server. It would take a small amount of back-end setup, but nothing too onerous.

[CaptainCrunch]

Are you looking at something that integrates to your financial system?

What is your financial system?

[moncton golden flames]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Are you looking at something that integrates to your financial system?

What is your financial system?

Sorry for the late reply, I have been in SE Asia for the past 2 months.

It does not need to tie into our financial system, just tool inventory tracking.

[CaptainCrunch]

http://www.toolhound.com/