Inventory management software development for service businesses

Where service stock lives

• Main store

  Bulk stock and less common parts.

• Vans

  Each van a location with its own quantities.

• Job sites

  Materials delivered for a specific job.

• Supplier collection

  Parts collected directly by engineers.

Recording parts used on jobs

When an engineer fits a part, recording it on the job sheet, ideally by choosing from their van stock or scanning a label, does two things at once: it reduces van stock and adds the part to the job for invoicing or cost tracking. Without this link, parts go unbilled and van stock figures drift. The recording step must be quick enough to do on site, on a phone, even without signal.

Consumables used in small amounts can be recorded by job type rather than individually.

Restocking vans

Keeping van stock accurate

Warranty and faulty parts

When a fitted part fails under warranty, the business may be able to claim from the supplier. Recording serial numbers or batch references for warranty-relevant parts, linked to the job where they were fitted, makes claims possible. Faulty parts returned from site should be tracked until the supplier credit arrives.

A practical approach

1. 01

   Agree van lists

   Standard stock per van type.

   Output: Van templates

2. 02

   Count vans

   Opening counts for every van and store.

   Output: Accurate starting point

3. 03

   Link to job sheets

   Parts recorded on jobs reduce van stock.

   Output: Usage tracked

4. 04

   Restock routine

   Weekly or daily restocking from usage.

   Output: Vans ready

Charging for parts

Parts recorded on a job can be priced from a list and added to the invoice automatically, or included in a fixed price where that is the arrangement. Either way, the record shows what was used, which helps with customer queries and job costing.

Parts bought on the way to a job

Engineers often collect parts from a supplier counter on the way to a job. If these purchases are not recorded, the job cost is understated and the part may never be charged. Recording the purchase against the job, with the receipt photographed, keeps both the job and the accounts accurate. Where suppliers offer trade accounts, quoting the job reference on each collection makes matching invoices later much easier.

Agree a simple rule for which purchases engineers can make without prior approval.

Controlling consumables

Small items, such as fixings, sealants and cleaning materials, are rarely worth recording individually but still add up. Issuing them to vans in packs, tracking pack usage over time and comparing across engineers and job types gives enough control without slowing work. Large differences between similar engineers often point to a training or process issue rather than misuse.

Seeing stock across the team

When an engineer needs a part they do not carry, a view of which nearby van or store has it can save a trip to a supplier and a return visit.

When vans change hands

When an engineer leaves or swaps vans, count the van stock and record the handover so the next person starts with accurate figures.