Inventory / labeling information, and tracking software / hardware

[Harry George]

How do you track your saleable inventory, and items that are in the pipeline. How are you labeling your inventory?    What type of material are your lumber tag made of? Are you using Log tags?
Are you using UPC,  SKU or other information on the label? I guess I should ask what's on your labels?
What hardware? are you using handheld scanners?

I am working on setting up my inventory and trying to find a label system that can help me track my inventory. Including software and Hardware.
Any help would be greatly appreciated

[Rob Bocik]

Good posting. I'll be watching this one, our "system" is not as efficient as it needs to be. It basically consist of end marking individual blanks and boards which can be a real PITA to mark and track.

[WIwoodworker]

If you're handy with spreadsheets you can just set up your own tracking system. Otherwise, Quickbooks is a reasonable inventory, sales, and accounting package you can buy just about anywhere.

How much inventory are you trying to track and what data are your trying to capture or track?

I have two parts related to cost: boards and logs that get made into boards. Boards are easy. This is how much I paid for them and this is how many board feet I have.

Logs that get made into boards account for the logs, transportation, sawing, and drying. When those costs are accounted for I arrive at a board foot price for the lumber and that's the cost assigned to those boards.

How you account for cost over a large inventory is up to you depending on what method you prefer. If you're unsure consult an accountant. FIFO, LIFO, and Average Cost, or Actual Cost are most common. I use average cost because it's easy for me to manage.

Accounting software like Quickbooks (there are others. this is just one I'm familiar with) makes tracking sales and keeping your books easier.

I've seen people use tags on their lumber and some use a hand written system. I don't use either but have considered at least writing the board feet of each board on the end of the board to make it easier tally when a customer selects their lumber.

With log sets of lumber or stacks of air drying lumber I write the date of when the lumber was sawn. That way I don't forget how long it's been air drying.

Good luck with your project!