Need suggestions for a wireless scanner store inventory system

TL DR

Hi, and as always thanks in advance.
An associate of mine owns a large-ish convenience store in town, and asked for my help with something. Right now when a grocery order comes in, he scans everything and then has to manually update his inventory database (currently using some Microsoft program, iirc). What he wants is a portable scanner that can automatically sync with the store's inventory database. For example, he wants to be able to scan a case of beer, find out how many he should have, and compare that with how many there actually are, with the ability to make changes from the scanner in event of discrepancy.

What I need is a recommendation for the hardware, or at least some info to push me in the right direction, and advice as to how easy it will be to incorporate into his current system, or at least transfer everything from Access(?) to the new system.

Thanks!

Ruckus

You're looking a Point of Sales and Inventory management database, usually each register and workstation is a fairly low end machine, with a Small Office/Home Office server running the database. Each host is connected via Ethernet or Wireless, and you can get handheld computers with integrated bar code scanners from Symbol that connect via 802.11b/g wireless for inventory management.

All of this stuff is normally sold as a package with a service contract by companies that specialize in Point of Sales systems. The package sometimes includes importing the legacy system's data, which if it's all in an MSAccess Database should be really easy for them.

pacbowl

This touches on what I do for a living.

Palm/Janam and Symbol makes a nice wireless inventory scanner that incorporates nicely with the POS software we sell. Whether or not they will work with your associates POS software is something he needs to look into with his software vendor. It probably won't be easy if it doesn't support uploading from a portable terminal already.

The Percon PT2000 is a solid inventory scanner, but lacks any kind of SKU management in the unit itself, as discrepancies are usually done in the inventory/pos software.

I wouldn't run anything that uses bluetooth or any kind of wireless. I've seen lots of people have way too many problems with them. It's best to either use a long, tethered cable scanner such as Metrologic that records inventory as you scan, or a portable terminal that you upload/plug into the POS system after you've scanned your inventory.

TL DR

pacbowl wrote: »

This touches on what I do for a living.

Palm/Janam and Symbol makes a nice wireless inventory scanner that incorporates nicely with the POS software we sell. Whether or not they will work with your associates POS software is something he needs to look into with his software vendor. It probably won't be easy if it doesn't support uploading from a portable terminal already.

The Percon PT2000 is a solid inventory scanner, but lacks any kind of SKU management in the unit itself, as discrepancies are usually done in the inventory/pos software.

I wouldn't run anything that uses bluetooth or any kind of wireless. I've seen lots of people have way too many problems with them. It's best to either use a long, tethered cable scanner such as Metrologic that records inventory as you scan, or a portable terminal that you upload/plug into the POS system after you've scanned your inventory.

You know I didn't gather whether it needed to integrate with his POS system or not. I'll also see how he feels about something he can just sync after updating inventory. I think the main focus is to automate the whole manual input of new orders process, so it should be fine.

Improvolone

The Penny Arcade forums are fucking amazing.

TL DR

The forums are amazing indeed.

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So right now I'm looking at scanners on the page pacbowl linked, and I seem to be lacking in crucial expertise. Like with this Janam XM60 Kit, the product is supposed to be able to sync with a database, and the unit itself is running either Windows CE or Windows Mobile 5.0. Does that mean that we might be able to import the existing inventory directly from Access? If not directly, then hopefully at least there is some sort of formatting jutsu possible so as to not have to re-inventory the entire store.

Mom2Kat

Also you could try contacting NEC as they do POS and Inventory systems as well. I will second Symbol scanners as damn friggan rugged, 7-Eleven and Shoppers Drug mart in canada use them and I can't tell you how much we abuse the 2 handheld scanners in our store.

TL DR

Thanks for your responses. I'll be talking with him today about the specifics of what this system needs to do, and report back here.

TL DR

Talked with the owner today. He said that integration with the POS system would be preferable, and wireless isn't necessary.

Anything specific I should be looking for?

Ruckus

It's really hard to say without seeing what kind of system he's got now. I'd say a Metrologic handheld like pacbowl suggested, but I wouldn't know anything about integrating it with whatever system is already in use (all of my experience is facilitating full system upgrades with all new equipment).

pacbowl

It really depends on how he wants to do it. I've been to some shops that just have a machine running the inventory software in a receiving warehouse or in a back office to scan shipments that come in. In this case you just need a simple scanner like a Metrologic. The scanner is corded, plug-n-play and acts like a keyboard. You can literally open notepad and scan a barcode into it. In this case no integration is needed because it acts like someone is manually typing the SKU in.

The more expensive scanners can do this as well, but the portable terminals are for a high volume shop that gets lots of shipments. You can take the terminal, scan the shipments, put it on a cradle hooked up to a inventory software computer and upload the counts. The portable features come in handy because you don't need a 20ft usb or serial cable attached to the scanner, which is also great when you're doing an actual physical inventory. In this case there is integration needed because the terminal software needs to talk with the inventory system to upload.

It also depends on how robust the inventory software too. If it's worth anything it will do single line item scans as well as portable terminal batch uploads.

TL DR

I doubt integration with the current POS system will be entirely crucial, although being able to transfer the current inventory data in some fashion would be a huge time saver. Basically I'm just seeing the need for one or two POS scanners, one or two inventory bar code scanners, and some software that can keep it all straight on an XP network.

pacbowl

I work for a Retail Pro vendor. I recommend version 8 if you're looking for a new POS/inventory setup. It's pretty solid and the reporting features are exceptional, but it's expensive as hell. You can import data from a csv file, but not directly from Access unless it's exported first, and it supports a crapload of peripherals.

Quickbooks POS is just a stripped down version of Retail Pro 8 with minimal features and reporting capabilities.

Microsoft RMS is a newcomer to the POS world. We are a licensed RMS business partner as well, but I don't think we've sold more than 5 licenses so far and I haven't had much experience with it.

We have started dabbling in the Counterpoint systems as well, but I haven't had much hands-on with them either to have an opinion yet. All of those sturdy looking touchscreen POS systems you see at fast food places and movie theaters. Chances are it's Counterpoint.

TL DR

So would my best bet at this point be to just contact a company (Retail Pro, for example), explain my needs and deal with them directly? I'm not really seeing much in the way of places to order a package deal with POS and inventory tracking scanner(s).

And at this point I want to again thank the people in this thread. I'm way out of my depth here, and your advice is helping a small business owner in a down economy.

TL DR

Ok, sent some emails out to various resellers. It's strange not being able to just view product and order it like ordering PC components.