Keeping track of inventory

[barrypatch]

Now that I am getting my vinyl business off the ground, I am wanting to be more efficient and keep track of inventory.  I have a chart with the colors I am stocking in the various types of vinyl.  How does everyone keep track of what is left on a roll?  I can eyeball, but I am still rather new at this.  I was thinking of creating a spreadsheet with the beginning inventory of each roll and then taking off what is used on each job.  I do lots of little things, so that might become a pain, but I could take off the length used, just to keep track of what is left on the roll.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks.

Nancy

[guest]

I never do, i keep track of how much material is used and write that off as an expense. When you see the roll getting thin just order some more.

[American And Proud]

When you use a color and tape it closed, mark whats left on that roll so the next job you get if it's needed all you have to do is look at the rolls piece of tape.

Each time you take some more off mark whats left again on a new piece of tape that keeps it nicely rolled up when stored and you'll easily be able to see just how much you have left and if the job will call for you to order more to do it.

10 yard roll to start, cut 1 foot off for a job, mark it at 9 2/3rds yards left.

Use it again taking 2 feet off thats 9 yards left.

If you take a foot and a half off mark it as you took 2 feet so you never underestimate whats left on the roll, better to have a foot extra on it than be shy 6 inches for the next job.

This way if a new job needs red @5 feet black @12 feet and white @8 feet long all you have to do is look at your red, black, and white rolls to see whats left on the tape you wrote it on, order up whats needed if a roll is too short to complete the job.

I think I got this idea from another post here someplace.

[Speedoggy]

not feasable for me..  my standard orders are 20 ft. long.   that would wipe out a 10 yd roll on the first order.  I only use 50 yrd rolls. 24" and 30" wide.  When it gets to about a 1/4 of the roll left,  time to order. Usually before.   And I always order (3) 50 yd black  .as black is my biggest selling color, . If other colors are 30-40% left,  I order then at the same time, too,, Where I purchase I get  free shipping,  So I just make it 1 order.  

[barrypatch]

I rearranged my shelves and came up with a better system.  I am keeping track of how many of each color I have ordered to see if there is a trend.  I only use 15" rolls for now.  I put my full unopened rolls in a seperate area and one of each color on a shelf.  Now I can see what back ups I have.  When I order, I do order anything I am low on.  I have a seperate box for scraps and always check there first.  Like I said, I am doing small cuts for the most part.  I did sell 8 banners last week and started selling Coroplast signs.

Thanks!

Nancy

[xstreme]

I keep everything in Quickbooks as inventory items, it makes it easy for me to keep track that way.  As for cash sales I enter them as a quote so I still track customer history but not show as a sale.

[Dakotagrafx]

I keep everything in Quickbooks as inventory items, it makes it easy for me to keep track that way.  As for cash sales I enter them as a quote so I still track customer history but not show as a sale.

don't think I would have put that in writing on the internet - evidence for the IRS   just my 2c