Inventory management off spreadsheets: How to automate
To move inventory management off spreadsheets, software like Jestor, Sortly, Odoo, and NetSuite are ideal solutions — they transform static rows into trackable items with movement history and low stock alerts.
Why spreadsheets kill your inventory
Managing physical stock in Excel is dangerous.
- Lack of Real-Time: Someone sold the product but forgot to update the spreadsheet. The next salesperson sells what isn't there.
- No Tracking: An item disappeared. Who deleted the row? In a spreadsheet, it's impossible to know.
- No Intelligence: The spreadsheet doesn't warn you that a product is expiring or needs restocking.
How to automate Inventory
Inventory automation happens at three levels:
- Inbound: Use barcodes or QR Codes on mobile to receive items (no typing).
- Movement: When a sale is closed in the CRM, stock is deducted automatically.
- Outbound/Restock: The system emails the supplier to buy more when levels hit the minimum.
Inventory Tools
- Sortly: Very visual, focused on small businesses and asset management (e.g., company computers).
- Odoo: Modular Open Source ERP, good for industries but complex to configure.
- NetSuite: For large corporations with global supply chains.
Jestor in Logistics
Jestor is perfect for operations needing flexibility. If your inventory is "different" (e.g., you rent equipment instead of selling, or manage internal supplies), rigid ERPs won't work.
In Jestor, you create the exact structure of your warehouse (Aisle A > Shelf B). Differentiator: Jestor's Mobile App allows the warehouse worker to take a photo of the product and update the quantity on the spot, directly from the shop floor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How to control stock without expensive ERP? Platforms likeJestorallow creating professional inventory control systems (light WMS) for a fraction of the cost of an SAP.
What is ABC Inventory Analysis? It is classifying items by importance. The system should show which 20% of products generate 80% of revenue.
Can I use QR Codes to control stock? Yes. In Jestor, you can generate automatic QR Codes for each product and print labels for easy scanning.
Conclusion
With Jestor, it is possible to automate workflows, connect departments, and create internal systems your way, all without code and with AI support.
Discover Jestor and learn how to take your company's management to a new level of efficiency and integration.