Along with every new year comes the annual and arduous task of counting parts inventory. Not unlike getting a four year old to go to bed, or for that matter, trying to get a teenager out of bed, your parts department will begrudgingly prepare for the task of counting each and every part on the shelves and in the warehouse.

There are a few tricks I have seen over the past 30 years that parts managers have come up with to make the counting process run a little smoother. The most efficient way is to use portable data collectors. A data collector is a barcode scanner with the ability to store what has just been scanned and uses a small keyboard to allow the user to type additional information. In its simplest form, the user scans the barcode and then types the quantity and bin location on the scanner’s keypad.  This process is repeated until all parts have been scanned. Once all the parts have been scanned, the scanner is connected to a computer and the data file is downloaded. This file is then imported into the parts inventory management system which updates the system with current parts quantities. 

The downside of data collectors is the expense. Costing upwards of $600 each and needing one for each person involved in the process, the data collector route can prove too costly for some businesses. After years of seeing parts departments struggle with inventory counts or having to coordinate with other businesses to share scanners, I directed my programming staff to write an app for Apple’s iPhone®. Using the built-in camera, we created a barcode recognition feature and an on-screen keyboard. Then, to eliminate the need to connect the device to the computer and download a file, we built in the ability to e-mail the file to yourself or another party. This file can then be imported into any parts management system. But the best feature of all is the price: the app is just $49.95. Instead of paying $600 each for a data collector, you can go to the App Store and download the application for less than one-tenth the price. To find the program on the App store, just search for “sys2k” and tap install to purchase. Remember, this program works with any management software that can import data files.  Unfortunately, the iTouch® and iPad® cameras don’t have the resolution and barcode recognition that the iPhone® 4 has, so the app isn’t available yet on those devices. Rumors are swirling though that the third generation of iPads® will have an improved camera, so hopefully we’ll get to see the app working on multiple devices sometime in 2012.

Sorry droid users, the app is not yet available for your devices, but keep looking in 2012 - if the world doesn’t end, we should have something for you.

Now, if you don’t have an iPhone or a data collector, but you do have the tethered point of sale (POS) scanners, you may want to try connecting the POS scanner to a laptop and putting the laptop on a rolling cart.  Then you can scan the part number and type the quantity on the laptop keyboard.  You can either use the parts management screen, or create an Excel spreadsheet file with column headings such as part number, qty, etc.  When you have scanned the parts and entered the quantities into the spreadsheet, just save the spreadsheet as a comma separated file and use this file to import into your parts management system.

For those poor souls who don’t even have a laptop (don’t worry, you are in good and plentiful company), take your desktop terminal and place it on a rolling cart with a battery backup and a long extension cord. A battery backup will work as “insurance:” just in case you accidentally pull the extension cord out of the wall, you won’t lose everything that was scanned.  

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