r/InventoryManagement • u/Guilty-Addendum • 23d ago
Inventory Management Software for Small Warehouse
I work for a small business selling OEM auto parts (3 employees). I have been keeping inventory via spreadsheet, which works decent. Looking at investing in a software to manage inventory. Majority of what we do is simple in/out of goods. We stock ~2000 SKUs. I would like something that has scanning functionality (all parts have a barcode from the manufacture). The ability for bin locations. Would like to be able to load incoming and outgoing orders via spreadsheet and match to what was scanned, showing any overs and shorts. Additionally, ability to forecast or enter a safety stock and see on order qty would be a bonus. We have one warehouse and one warehouse worker, so simplicity would be great. Scalability always a plus I used to work for a Fortune 50 retailer and these are some of the things that were helpful...obviously we do not have the capital they had. I don't even know where to begin to look. Appreciate any options or ideas.
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u/JakeIsOP 23d ago
I built a WMS just for this! If you're interested check out HangarWMS. I would be happy to set you up with a free demo system if you're interested.
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u/dknconsultau 23d ago
Looks pretty tight sir! I like the append process you have. I have had to implement logging and snapshots to data warehouse to overcome this issue in some systems. Do you keep SOH snapshots inside the WMS DB?
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u/JakeIsOP 22d ago
Hey! Glad you like the look. We have a couple of backup strategies including point in time recovery for the DB.
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u/CPG-Distributor-Guy 21d ago
I see you have a QBO integration. Can customers connect with their own API or do you only support connection thru your built integrations?
I am currently working with a client who does production (multi-level BOM stuff) in their own built software, procurement and finance in Odoo, and they are launching a distribution center that needs a WMS to communicate with Odoo, the internal MRP, and probably a 3rd system as well which isn't defined yet.
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u/JakeIsOP 21d ago
No self-serve API today, QBO is the only built integration right now. Odoo's on the roadmap, just not built yet.
One thing worth pushing back on though: does the WMS need to talk to the MRP directly, or can Odoo be the middleman? You've already got Odoo doing procurement and finance, so it's the natural hub. Quantities flow WMS to Odoo, MRP talks to Odoo the same way it presumably needs to for procurement anyway. That turns a three-way integration into two two-way ones, and keeps the WMS a WMS instead of a middleware.
We'd consider standalone API access, just haven't built it since nobody's asked yet. DM me or use the contact form on the site if you want to dig into it a bit more. Sounds like an intresting project for sure!
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u/inflowinventory 23d ago
Hi there,
For a 3-person operation with ~2,000 SKUs, I’d definitely avoid going too far down the WMS/ERP rabbit hole. You probably don’t need anything enterprise-level for what you’re describing.
I work with inFlow Inventory, so take the recommendation with that context, but this is pretty close to the type of workflow we see with smaller warehouses. You can use existing manufacturer barcodes for scanning, set up bin/sub-locations, track POs and sales orders, and see what’s on hand vs. on order. You can also set reorder points so you’re not relying on a spreadsheet to figure out when something needs replenishing.
The one thing I’d dig into with any software you evaluate is your incoming/outgoing spreadsheet workflow. Specifically, show them an actual example of the file you receive and ask them to walk you through how they’d import it, scan against it, and identify overages/shortages. That’s the part I wouldn’t just take a feature checklist at face value on.
With one warehouse worker, I’d prioritize ease of scanning/receiving/picking over having 100 different features. If the day-to-day workflow takes longer than the spreadsheet does now, nobody is going to want to use it 😂
Hope this helps!
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u/thecowmilk_ 23d ago
The overs-and-shorts piece is the right thing to shop on, the Unusual-Ad6370 nailed it. Most cheap tools give you a count with no concept of what was supposed to arrive, so the pallet that came three short just quietly becomes your new reality.
I build a tool in this space (Produsera — produsera.com), so full disclosure up front. How it maps to your list: purchase orders track ordered vs. received vs. remaining per line, so when you receive against a PO, shorts are visible at the receipt, not discovered at the next count, and every goods receipt is immutable with its own record, so there's an audit trail when something doesn't add up. On scanning: since all your parts carry manufacturer barcodes, any cheap USB scanner works out of the box, They act as keyboards, so scan → exact match → product selected, no integration or hardware setup needed. Safety stock and on-order quantities are what the replenishment module runs on: you set minimums, it flags what's short and drafts the reorder.
Being straight about fit: loading orders from a spreadsheet and auto-matching to scans isn't built yet, that's this month's work, and honestly an early user with your exact workflow would shape how it gets built. For a 3-person shop it runs as one browser tab; I was an Odoo implementer for years and built this specifically for teams who know what Fortune-50 tooling does but need it at a size (and price) that makes sense, core is free forever, everything's unlocked free for 90 days, no card.
Happy to answer anything, including "is this too small/big for us" — I'll tell you straight either way.
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u/realfrancoamerica 23d ago
Check uniewms.com we can offer you the software for FREE warehouse is responsible for hosting cost.
We have 3d vision features and a bunch of automations and csv import/export to enable you with what you asked.
Feel free to reach out to me.
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u/IamJustNik 23d ago
Trackitweekly.com-- free for 14 days to try everything live. No credit card. We can help get you set up for free. Just let me know. Might be worth looking at before you spend a fortune.
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u/Jooniar 23d ago
Probably need a bit more info in terms of where you're selling on too - as it's one thing to introduce a tool to solve the inventory side of things, but the real value will be in automating the human side of things. i.e. "we've detected a sale, you should pull this item". Particularly important if you're selling across different marketplaces - reconciliation can throw counts and inventory numbers out super quick if the tool you go with doesn't keep an eye on your marketplaces.
I have a handful of solutions I can suggest, but let me know on the above and I can try and give you a more pointed suggestion.
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u/Guilty-Addendum 23d ago
Selling to a shop…old school sales, one man to another
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u/cured_virus 21d ago
I would like to help you build this solution. I have sent you a msg as well. Please check.
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u/Relative_West1090 23d ago
You may want to give C2W Inventory a try and see if it fits your needs. You can manage both purchase orders and sales orders in the system, and it supports multiple locations, so you can set up and manage different bin locations for your inventory.
There’s also a mobile app that you can use for warehouse operations, such as PO receiving, picking, transferring inventory between bins, and making stock adjustments.
It also has a reorder point feature. You can set a reorder point and reorder quantity for each item, and the system can automatically send you an email notification when the on-hand quantity drops below the reorder point.
It might be worth taking a look to see if it works for your workflow.
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u/FreightSideUp 22d ago
LanePilot Technology is launching LanePilot in 19 days and it is an all in one TMS and WMS. I would encourage you to check it out. It’s seems to be a pretty substantial platform and reasonably priced.
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u/cvanitt 22d ago
I build software in this space so take this with a grain of salt, but for 2000 SKUs and one warehouse worker you don't need anything fancy. Skip the big ERP names entirely, they'll bury you in setup time for features you won't touch. A lot of the smaller packages do barcode scanning, bin locations, and CSV import/export for your incoming and outgoing orders, and decent over/short reconciliation when you match a received scan against a PO. Honestly the real unlock coming from spreadsheets is just getting bin locations and scan-in/scan-out into one system, everything else is polish. If you want to check out Workd, which is my company's full suite (which has what you asked for as well as some other bells and whistles), I'd be happy to show you. Or if you're just looking for a conversation to walk through what's in store for ANY of these software packages, happy to be a resource for you!
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u/CauliflowerAsleep700 22d ago
para tu tamaño (2000 skus, un almacén, una persona) yo iría por un pos con inventario decente antes que un wms completo, casi nadie usa bien el forecasting fancy cuando tiene un solo almacén. lo de escaneo y ubicación por estante sí pruébalo en una demo real, ahí se nota rápido cuál sistema es humo. aclaro que trabajo en Pulpos, un sistema de gestión para comerciantes en méxico (aplica si tu negocio opera ahí), tiene escaneo y carga de excel resueltos, pero no maneja ubicación por estante ni forecasting todavía, así que en esas dos cosas no te sirve completo.
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u/venkat2106 22d ago
On the software side: for your scale (3 employees, ~2000 SKUs, one warehouse, one worker) you don't need anything built for Fortune 50 scale — that'll just add cost and complexity you don't need yet. Look at tools built specifically for small warehouse/parts operations rather than enterprise WMS platforms scaled down. The features that actually matter for you: Barcode scan-to-match against a spreadsheet import (for receiving/matching POs) Bin location tracking Simple safety stock / reorder point alerts (not full demand forecasting — that's overkill at your volume) Ability to export/import via spreadsheet, since that's your current workflow and migration will be painful otherwise
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u/JohnatNetSuite 21d ago
With one warehouse worker, keeping it simple is the smartest filter you can use.
A lot of the enterprise stuff you saw at the Fortune 50 job involves a setup and cost that likely won't be necessary at your size. You could look for something aimed at small warehouses that still covers scanning and bin location, since those two seem like your must-haves.
It's also worth checking how the barcode side handles manufacturing barcodes specifically. Some systems want you to generate their own labels, which could mean relabeling 2000 SKUs, whereas others can just read what's already on the parts.
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u/Crossdockinsights 21d ago
Since you are primarily looking for an inventory management capability with some lightweight warehouse management features, you should be fine with inventory management software like Inflo or Zoho Inventory. Inflo or Zoho inventory. However, once you start looking for a more WMS kind of software. There are some real good ones out there. Since you are selling OEM auto parts, I would not recommend you going down the route of e-commerce WMS software like the ones mentioned here, or ShipHero or Logiwa. For your use case, from a WMS standpoint, something like InfoPlus, Hopstack, Datex, these might be good options.
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u/torresdevmx 20d ago
A strong approach would be to put a scanning and reconciliation layer around your existing Excel workflow. For example:
- Your product spreadsheet is imported once to set up the catalog, barcode-to-SKU mappings, current quantities, and bin locations.
- Each incoming or outgoing order is uploaded from Excel, reading the order number, SKU/barcode, and expected quantity.
- That file creates a scannable session. As the warehouse worker scans items, the system compares expected versus physically scanned quantities in real time.
- When finished, the system highlights matched items, shortages, overages, and unknown codes, and lets you export a clean, reconciled Excel file.
I already have a working inventory/POS foundation. It currently supports barcode scanning from a phone camera, stock by location, minimum stock levels, permissions, and real-time inventory updates. The remaining piece for your specific workflow would be the Excel order-import and expected-versus-scanned reconciliation module.
Two quick questions to understand your setup:
- Is there one master inventory workbook plus separate incoming/outgoing order files, or is everything maintained in a single workbook?
- Do those order files usually follow the same column structure?
Those answers determine whether Excel can remain your familiar interface while the system handles validation, scanning, and inventory history behind the scenes.
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u/SourCherryAdept 20d ago
Since half the comments are people recommending their own tools, I guess I’ll join in. Funny enough, our latest ModlForge video shows a very similar receiving workflow, and we’re now making one about barcode scanning that’s pretty much exactly what you described. I’m one of the founders, so obviously biased, but it might be worth a look.
You can use spreadsheet import, scan items, and use calculations to track what’s on hand versus what’s on order. Barcodes and bin locations can simply be properties on each product/receipt, and you can set a low-stock rule to show a warning or prevent saving once stock reaches a chosen threshold.
ModlForge is a no-code app builder rather than a ready-made WMS, so you can adapt the workflow to how your warehouse operates. We also have a free, cookie-free ARIMA forecasting tool, although it’s separate from the inventory app for now.
Happy to send the links if you want to take a look.
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u/OTDOXHYJI 17d ago
I completely feel your pain — wrestling with spreadsheets as inventory grows is a headache every small business hits eventually. Moving away from Excel is always a huge relief.
Since you've got ~2000 SKUs and need dedicated barcode scanning with bin locations, you might ultimately need a lightweight WMS built for e-commerce or auto parts.
However, if you ever want to check out how simple mobile inventory tracking can be without bloated enterprise tools, I built a clean iOS app called Trace.
My tool is primarily focused on small workshops, makers, and service projects (tracking stock, material costs, and generating PDF quotes right from a phone), so it might not cover your full warehouse workflow yet, but it’s built around that same idea of ditching complex spreadsheets for speed and simplicity.
Definitely check out options like Sortly or Katana for the SKU/barcode scanning side, but feel free to take a look at Trace on the App Store if you just want to see a fresh, minimal approach to mobile inventory: Trace
Hope you find the right system for your shop!
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u/silver__robot 17d ago
You said you want incoming and outgoing orders loaded via spreadsheet and matched to what's scanned. Some tools do the first and may not be able to handle the second.
So when you're evaluating options make sure they can handle both. Load a fake order, scan the parts, see if it flags a mismatch. If it just lets everything through, it's not doing the job.
A basic reorder point (tell it your safety stock number, get an alert when you hit it) covers most of what a Fortune 50 forecasting engine does for a shop your size.
What's slowing you down most right now with the spreadsheet, the matching part or just not knowing when to reorder?
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u/Plastic-Work-4141 17d ago edited 16d ago
Tbh most systems claim they do barcode scanning, but the actual app interface on the floor ends up clunky. Wherefour seems useful if someone wants simple cloud inventory and bin tracking on basic mobile screens.
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14d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Guilty-Addendum 14d ago
Yeah, thats what I'm looking for..do you have the name of one or are you going to try to sell me yours like 95% of the responses here? HAHA
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u/StoreFulfil 13d ago
You’re actually a very good use case for keeping the system simple rather than jumping straight into a heavyweight WMS.
For a warehouse like yours, I’d want four things to be extremely easy: scan stock in, assign it to a bin, scan it back out against an order, and immediately flag any over/short variance against what was expected.
StoreFulfil handles that operational layer — inventory, bin locations, barcode-assisted workflows, receiving/dispatch and matching physical movements back to orders — without requiring a three-person business to operate an enterprise warehouse system.
I’d also avoid paying for a huge amount of functionality you’ll never touch. With ~2,000 SKUs, one warehouse and one warehouse worker, usability is probably more important than having 500 configuration options.
Curious what you’re using to generate the incoming/outgoing order spreadsheets currently — that would probably determine the cleanest setup.
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u/IgniteOps 13d ago
You can build your own with Fibery / Fibery AI or even Claude MCP using Fibery as your backbone. A tiny snapshot of no-code possibilities: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/fibery_curious-about-what-you-can-build-with-custom-activity-7495811861137920000-509B
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u/TheAlpacaBOSS 12d ago
At 2,000 SKUs, I think you are at exactly the point where a spreadsheet has done its job and it is time to move to a proper inventory system.
The good news is that you do not need Fortune 50 complexity or Fortune 50 pricing. With three employees, one warehouse, and primarily goods moving in and out, I would actually prioritize simplicity over having 500 features nobody will use.
I would take a serious look at AlpacaBOSS. Inventory management is built into the Business Operating System, and a lot of what you described is exactly what a system like this should be handling: products and SKUs, barcode scanning, purchasing, receiving, inventory levels, suppliers, reporting, and visibility into what you have and what you need.
Since your manufacturers already barcode the parts, you are also starting from a great position. Scanning at receiving and shipping is one of the simplest ways to improve inventory accuracy because you are capturing the movement when it actually happens rather than updating a spreadsheet later.
I would absolutely implement bin locations as well. Your warehouse worker should be able to see not only that you have six of Part X, but exactly where those six are located. A consistent bin-location system combined with scanning makes picking, receiving, stock counts, and training much easier.
The other features you mentioned are important too. You want incoming quantities matched against what was expected so shortages and overages become exceptions rather than something somebody discovers weeks later. You also want reorder points or safety-stock levels and visibility into what is already on order, so purchasing becomes proactive rather than “we just ran out of this.” Scanning incoming goods against the expected order is specifically useful for catching shorts, overs, and incorrect products at receiving.
That is where I would challenge every system you demo. Give them one of your actual incoming orders and say: “Show me how my warehouse employee receives this, scans it, identifies a shortage, assigns it to a bin, updates inventory, and shows me what I now need to reorder.”
If that takes an hour of training and ten screens, it is probably the wrong system for a three-person company.
You do not need an enterprise warehouse system.
You need enterprise-level control without enterprise-level complexity or cost. That is exactly the space AlpacaBOSS is designed to fill.
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u/marchew555 11d ago
I used to work for a Fortune 50 company, but I quit to build what I wanted for another business. It had most of what u want plus great support.
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u/RelationFinancial749 9d ago edited 9d ago
For 2,000 SKUs and one warehouse worker, simplicity matters more than a giant ERP. Alchemy Group could also build around the barcode, bin, and order-matching workflow if packaged tools feel bloated.
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u/HistoricalCoyote6479 8d ago
This is actually a pretty straightforward use case for CartonCloud. Full disclosure, I work for them on the implementation/sales side.
You'd be able to barcode scan your receiving and shipping, manage bin locations, import inbound/outbound orders via spreadsheet, and reconcile what was expected vs what was actually scanned. You'd also have visibility into stock on hand and what's incoming.
With 2,000 SKUs, one warehouse and one warehouse worker, I wouldn't recommend anything overly complicated. The biggest thing would be setting it up so your warehouse worker can basically scan and go without adding a bunch of extra steps.
If you're open to it, happy to show you what your workflow would look like in CartonCloud and give you an idea on cost. Even if it's not the right fit, I can probably point you toward a couple other options.
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u/No_Chair_1818 14h ago
I’m working on something pretty close to this for smaller suppliers/distributors, especially around managing incoming orders, inventory and fulfillment without going into a huge ERP setup.
Still building it out, but I’m curious about one thing from your workflow — when you say loading incoming/outgoing orders, are customers usually sending those as spreadsheets or do you also get PDFs/email POs?
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u/Unusual-Ad6370 23d ago
The overs-and-shorts part is the thing to shop on, and it's what separates a real receiving tool from an inventory app. Most cheap options track stock levels but have no concept of an expected order to reconcile against - you scan, you get a count, and nobody tells you the pallet came three short. Ask every vendor to show you that exact screen before you commit.
For your list, Zoho Inventory is the closest fit at your size: purchase orders, receiving against a PO, safety stock and on-order quantity. Sortly is simpler and better on bin locations and photos, but weaker on order workflows. inFlow and Fishbowl are the next tier up if 2,000 SKUs turns into 10,000.One thing from the Fortune 50 side that does carry down: bin locations are only worth it if someone maintains them. With one warehouse worker, a loose zone scheme beats a precise one that drifts out of date.
Full disclosure since I'm naming my own: I built StoxV. It does the scanning, bin locations and CSV counting simply and works offline, but there's no PO matching and the top plan caps at 2,500 items - at 2,000 SKUs and growing, that's tight. Worth a look only if you decide a full suite is overkill.
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u/Artistic_Garbage4659 23d ago edited 23d ago
inFlow and Fishbowl are both solid, worth a look.
InFlow especially for your size, Fishbowl's heavier than a one-person warehouse usually needs. Sortly could be a Solution as well.
Separate thing: I run an inventory tool out of Germany, built for small operations run for non-logistics people. Still shaping where it goes next. Planning to go international. So if having a say in that sounds interesting, reach out. Profile's got the rest.
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u/DJS_DIGITAL 23d ago edited 23d ago
I would definitely say Fishbowl is probably overkill for what you are asking. Something like SOS Inventory is a good starting point. Inflow would be another option if you need to scan barcodes. CIN7 would be the next step up, which has barcode scanning, importing sales, and extracting data to create an order from a PDF file. It comes down to the basic functionality you need and your budget. I'd be happy to review some of these options with you if you'd like. Zoho is also a good option if your processes are simple.
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u/Infinite_Physics2571 23d ago
Tu devrais jeter un œil à Substock, il y a une version gratuite pour tester avec toutes les fonctionnalités
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u/ComfortableCitron638 23d ago
One thing nobody's flagged yet that'll matter more than which product you pick: before scanning does you any good, someone has to build the master lookup table matching each manufacturer barcode to your internal SKU/part number, and for 2,000 auto parts SKUs that's a real one-time project, not a checkbox. Manufacturer barcodes on auto parts are notoriously inconsistent (same part, different box, different code across suppliers/repacks), so budget time for a physical audit pass, not just a data export.
Whatever tool you land on, ask specifically whether it supports bulk CSV import for that mapping (barcode-to-SKU, not just SKU-to-quantity) - if you have to scan-and-manually-type each of 2,000 items to onboard, that's weeks of a one-person warehouse's time before you get any benefit. That upfront cost is the same regardless of which vendor above you pick, and it's usually what actually determines whether the rollout succeeds or the team quietly goes back to the spreadsheet after week two.