The Simple Inventory blog

The fastest way to move your inventory off spreadsheets

Retyping items by hand is why systems get abandoned. How a bulk CSV import with a real preview gets you live in an afternoon.

5 min read

From low-stock alert to purchase order: closing the loop

A reorder point tells you what to buy. Formal suppliers and auto-drafted POs handle who, and the paperwork.

6 min read

Barcodes vs QR codes for inventory: which belongs in your stockroom

UPC and EAN, your own Code 128 SKUs, and QR codes each solve a different problem. When to use which.

6 min read

Connecting inventory to your books without double entry

Why an import-ready export to QuickBooks or Xero beats keying products in twice, and what it should contain.

5 min read

Unit-level tracking: when to track each item individually

When a count isn’t enough: track each physical item as its own named unit, and know when it’s worth it.

7 min read

Serialized vs quantity tracking: which does your inventory need?

An item-by-item decision: count the screws, serialize the laptops. Here’s where to draw the line.

6 min read

How to run a tool library or equipment pool, unit by unit

Know which unit is out and who has it. Model checkouts, repairs and returns as status moves.

6 min read

Ask Claude which units are out: unit-level tracking over MCP

List, add and update individual units in plain language through the built-in MCP server.

5 min read

An audit trail for every unit: accountability with per-unit tracking

Answer “who had it, and when?” with a logged history behind every unit.

6 min read

The small business guide to inventory management

Set up accurate stock tracking, avoid stockouts, and ditch the spreadsheet for good.

8 min read

Inventory management for coffee shops and cafés

Par levels, waste tracking and quick counts so you never 86 a drink during the morning rush.

6 min read

QR code inventory tracking: a practical guide

Why QR codes beat manual lookups, how to label your items, and how to scan stock from any phone.

6 min read

Inventory for e-commerce and Etsy sellers

Keep listings, raw materials and finished stock in sync across channels so you never oversell.

6 min read

How to organize a stockroom so anyone can find anything

Zoning, naming conventions, labeling and QR codes that make finding stock instant.

6 min read

FIFO vs. LIFO vs. FEFO: which one does your stock need?

A plain-English rundown of stock rotation methods and when expiry dates should win.

6 min read

How to set reorder points so you never run out

What reorder points are, the formula, and how alerts keep you from running out or overstocking.

6 min read

Inventory management for dental and medical practices

Track consumables, expiry dates and high-value supplies with par levels, QR scanning and audit-ready records.

6 min read

How to calculate safety stock without tying up cash

Size your buffer from demand and lead-time variability, enough to cover spikes without locking up cash.

6 min read

ABC analysis: focus on the 20% of stock that matters

Use the 80/20 rule to rank items by value and give your most important stock the most attention.

6 min read

Keeping stock counts honest across multiple locations

Per-location tracking, clean transfers, and rolling counts that stop multi-site drift.

7 min read

Tool and equipment tracking for construction crews

Treat each site as a location, check tools in and out by QR, and stop hunting for the drill.

6 min read

Economic order quantity (EOQ), explained simply

The formula for how much to order, with a worked example, and how it pairs with reorder points.

6 min read

How much working capital is sitting on your shelves?

Calculate the cash tied up in inventory and find the dead stock quietly draining it.

7 min read

How to run a stock reconciliation (without the headache)

A step-by-step approach to counting, comparing and correcting your inventory.

7 min read

Inventory management for retail stores and boutiques

Handle variants, seasonal peaks, shrinkage and multiple locations with counts you can trust.

6 min read

Cycle counting vs. full physical counts

Pros, cons and how to choose (or combine) the two approaches to counting stock.

7 min read

Dealing with seasonal demand without over-ordering

Build a simple seasonal forecast and stage reorder points so you ramp up and wind down on time.

7 min read

Receiving stock the right way: a 5-minute SOP

A repeatable check-in process (verify, count, label, put away) that keeps numbers accurate.

5 min read

Automating low-stock alerts and reorder lists with AI

Set up Claude to watch your levels and draft reorder lists before you run out.

6 min read

Asset tracking vs. inventory tracking: what’s the difference?

When you track reusable assets, when you track consumable stock, and how to handle both with QR codes.

6 min read

Inventory for nonprofits and food banks

Track donated stock, expiry dates and outflows with volunteers who change every week.

6 min read

SKUs and barcodes vs. QR codes: what to use and when

How to design a SKU scheme, and where barcodes still beat QR codes (and where they don’t).

6 min read

Inventory accuracy: the one number that proves your counts can be trusted

What inventory record accuracy is, how to calculate it, and how to push it toward 99%.

6 min read

AI demand forecasting for small teams

Forecast demand from your own sales history with AI, no data team required, then act on it.

7 min read

Why SAML SSO is no longer optional

Inventory is operational data worth protecting, and here’s why single sign-on has become table stakes.

6 min read

Custom fields: track the details that matter to your stock

Add your own fields (lot numbers, expiry dates, serials and more), reuse them across items, and show them as columns.

6 min read

Lot numbers, expiry dates and serial numbers without a spreadsheet

Track the details that keep you audit-ready and recall-proof using custom fields, right on the item.

7 min read

Add custom fields to your inventory just by asking Claude

Use the built-in MCP server to set lot numbers, expiry dates and serials in plain language.

6 min read

Custom fields in the real world: 10 ways teams use them

Ten setups from retail, medical, construction, makerspaces and field teams, and the fields that run them.

6 min read

From box to QR code: label your inventory in an afternoon

A step-by-step playbook for tagging your entire stockroom with QR codes in a single afternoon.

6 min read

Van stock 101: inventory tracking for field teams

Treat each vehicle as a location and give crews a phone-first way to keep stock current.

6 min read

Reducing shrinkage: a playbook for small businesses

Measure inventory shrinkage, find the real causes, and reduce it without locking everything down.

7 min read

5 questions to ask an AI assistant about your stock

Five practical prompts to run against your live inventory once you’ve connected Claude.

5 min read

One login, total control: how SSO protects your business

One front door for your team, and central control over who comes through it, from onboarding to offboarding.

5 min read

How to choose inventory management software: a buyer’s checklist

A practical checklist for picking inventory software: mobile, multi-location, orders, AI, pricing and data ownership.

7 min read

Restaurant and bar inventory management

Control food and beverage cost with par levels, weekly counts, FIFO/FEFO rotation and waste tracking.

6 min read

Inventory KPIs that actually matter for small teams

Skip the vanity metrics and focus on the handful of numbers that tell you whether your inventory is healthy.

6 min read

What is an MCP server, and why your inventory tool should have one

A plain-English explainer of the Model Context Protocol and why a built-in server matters.

6 min read

From password chaos to peace of mind: the case for SAML SSO

What SAML actually is, in plain English, and why it ends shared logins and reused passwords for good.

6 min read

7 signs you’ve outgrown spreadsheets for inventory

Spreadsheets are fine until they aren’t. Seven warning signs it’s time to switch.

5 min read

Inventory management for makerspaces

Track shared tools, filament and fasteners with QR scanning, alerts, and access for every member.

6 min read

The true cost of a stockout (and how to calculate yours)

Stockouts cost far more than a missed sale. The hidden costs, and a formula to estimate yours.

6 min read

How to manage inventory by chatting with Claude

Connect Claude and manage stock in plain language: check levels, log receipts, build reorder lists.

6 min read