Inventory management:

[Ryk]

How is your approach to managing inventory?

For instance, if I initially have ten sheets of 4'x8' 3mm white acrylic, and I use one to cut it into a 4'x2' size, I'll have the remaining size of 4'x6'.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Are you asking how to physically store it, or how to keep track of it? We built a vertical rack to hold all our sheet goods, it works well and doesn't take up much space.

I don't have a system to track it, I usually calculate how much I need for a job, walk to the rack and see what I have, order the balance, then find I actually had more than I needed hidden behind something else...

 

[Stacey K]

I used to have an excel spreadsheet. Each roll or each sheet got a small little number sticker. I would enter the item into the spreadsheet with the cost. When I used the item I marked the number in the spreadsheet. After some time I realized I really never went back to look at the spreadsheet, I would walk to the rack instead. The spreadsheet worked well for end of year inventory but now I only count anything that is over half a roll or half a sheet. Then I guesstimate how many partial rolls equal a full roll if there's a decent amount left on them. I figure the government isn't going to unroll all my vinyl so a guess is close enough. Sometimes we make more work for ourselves than is needed.

 

[Ryk]

Thank you for the response. Occasionally, I may not be aware that my stock has run out until my staff informs me. Additionally, there are instances when our suppliers are out of stock, especially when we place last-minute orders. I agree with you; sometimes, we create more work than necessary.

 

[Stacey K]

On those 10 sheets, maybe create a ticket system so on the 3rd last sheet it says "re-order now" with a ticket they have to bring to the office? Same with the vinyl rolls. I always put my empty cores on my desk so I remember to reorder. They do have barcode systems with scanners. I don't know much about them but there are threads on them.

 

[White Haus]

I'm in the same boat, need to come up with some sort of SIMPLE inventory management system that doesn't create a part-time job to maintain. For the most part we keep sufficient inventory levels for our most common materials, but since covid the whole "just in time" approach has bitten us in the ass more times than I can count.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Figure out a reorder level and keep inventory separate from the working product. To control it, you can restrict access to 1 or 2 people that are disciplined enough to tell you when to reorder. For consumables like tape rolls, put them in a cabinet in a row and have a sticky note at the point where you need to reorder. When an employee gets down to the thing with the post it on it, they take the post it off and either bring it to the office or stick it on the front of the cabinet for you to see as you make your rounds.

 

[gnubler]

I just use a white board to add to shopping lists for each of my suppliers. I try to maintain an ordering schedule, say every week or two weeks, to consolidate orders or get free delivery.

 

[Pauly]

Ours is visual at the moment.
Its on my list to work our a nice inventory system, but because it's not crucial, it sits on the back burner.
The visual system works well for us at the moment as everything has a home, and you can just walk around checking all the boxes if they're full or low.
Same with the vinyls and boards.
If we have a big job we just check, if we dont have enough we'll order more.

 

[bpp]

How is your approach to managing inventory?

For instance, if I initially have ten sheets of 4'x8' 3mm white acrylic, and I use one to cut it into a 4'x2' size, I'll have the remaining size of 4'x6'.

I use inflow inventory management and anytime I start a sheet or roll I take it out of inventory. If I just need a partial sheet and find a piece there I'll use it but no need to take it out of inventory since it was removed already. I use the showroom feature for the employees to remove from inventory without having access to the whole more complicated part of the system.

 

[woody1512]

I used to have an excel spreadsheet. Each roll or each sheet got a small little number sticker. I would enter the item into the spreadsheet with the cost. When I used the item I marked the number in the spreadsheet. After some time I realized I really never went back to look at the spreadsheet, I would walk to the rack instead. The spreadsheet worked well for end of year inventory but now I only count anything that is over half a roll or half a sheet. Then I guesstimate how many partial rolls equal a full roll if there's a decent amount left on them. I figure the government isn't going to unroll all my vinyl so a guess is close enough. Sometimes we make more work for ourselves than is needed.

this is also the system I use, I created a spread sheet. I would keep a note of what I used during each day. then before order cut off time I would transfer that data onto my spreadsheet. if the material fell to minimum reorder level or below I would then order what's required in for next day.

 

[Ryk]

Thanks to everyone for the helpful tips!

 

[bdw99]

We just have a dry erase board with all of our materials listed on it. Just take inventory every couple days. No need to over complicate it in my opinion.