Spreadsheets that don't corrupt when two people edit.
Custom inventory app with multi-location, barcode scanning, reorder logic, and Shopify/NetSuite/QuickBooks integration. Monthly subscription delivery.
Who this is for
Ops lead at an e-commerce, manufacturing, or distribution company where spreadsheets are failing and QuickBooks Inventory is too limited for how the business actually runs.
The pain today
- Spreadsheets corrupting when multiple people edit simultaneously
- QuickBooks Inventory's lot/batch tracking too simplistic
- Cycle counts producing variances nobody can explain
- Multi-location transfers manual and error-prone
- Reorder triggers based on gut, not data, causing stockouts
The outcome you get
- Real inventory system with SKUs, lots, locations, bins
- Barcode scanning on mobile for receiving, picking, cycle counts
- Automatic reorder logic based on velocity and lead time
- Two-way sync with Shopify, NetSuite, QuickBooks, or custom
- Audit log of every stock movement with user, timestamp, reason
Inventory data model
Inventory looks simple and isn't. The right data model has SKUs (what you sell), variants (size, color, configuration), units of measure (each, case, pallet with conversions), lots or batches (for traceability), expiration dates (for perishables or regulated goods), locations (warehouse, store, truck), bins (within a location), and reservations (committed to orders but not yet picked). Getting this wrong early is how inventory projects end up rewritten — 'we didn't need lots at first' becomes a crisis when a recall happens. I model for your actual complexity plus one level of growth, not for every theoretical case, and not for just today.
Barcode scanning on mobile
Barcode scanning is the single biggest UX win in warehouse ops. Progressive Web App with camera-based barcode scanning works on any smartphone — no hardware scanner required for most use cases. Receiving: scan arriving boxes, app pre-populates expected quantity, operator confirms or adjusts. Picking: scan location, app guides to next pick, scan item, confirm. Cycle counts: scan SKU, app shows expected quantity, operator enters actual. Each scan is a transaction with user, timestamp, location recorded. For high-volume ops (>10k items/day), dedicated hardware scanners (Zebra, Honeywell) integrate via Bluetooth for faster throughput — scoped per volume need.
Integrations: Shopify, NetSuite, QuickBooks
Inventory lives in many systems. Shopify: two-way sync — Shopify sells, custom app holds authoritative inventory, decrement on sale, replenish on restock. NetSuite: often the authoritative system for finance; custom app as the operational layer. QuickBooks: for smaller businesses where QuickBooks is accounting + inventory and custom app is the advanced operational layer. I wire integrations as two-way where appropriate, with conflict resolution for simultaneous edits (last-write-wins, version vectors, or explicit reconciliation depending on data criticality). Clear ownership of each data field prevents the 'three systems, three different quantities' chaos.
Case study: LAK manufacturing B2B
LAK Embalagens is a Brazilian B2B manufacturer with inventory complexity — raw materials, work-in-progress, finished goods, multiple locations, batch tracking for quality control. I rebuilt their website and admin toolchain; the inventory-adjacent patterns (structured product data, fast search across 10k+ SKUs, batch/lot support, multi-location view) are the same ones I apply to dedicated inventory management apps. Bounce rate dropped 45% on the marketing side; operational workflows on the admin side became measurably faster. The architectural principles (tight data model, fast search, mobile-friendly operator UI) transfer across manufacturing, distribution, and e-commerce inventory contexts.
Pricing
Inventory management apps fit the Applications Standard tier at $3,499/mo for typical ops (single company, 2–5 locations, 1k–10k SKUs). Pro at $4,500/mo for larger scale (10+ locations, 100k+ SKUs, complex manufacturing BOMs, multi-entity). First-version timeline: 5–7 weeks. Subscription continues through refinement — inventory apps always find new edge cases when real ops use them (damaged goods, short picks, emergency transfers). 14-day money-back, cancel anytime, Work Made for Hire.
When Cin7 or Katana is enough
Off-the-shelf inventory tools (Cin7, Katana, DEAR Systems, Fishbowl) cover the 80% case well at $200–500/month. Custom is worth building when your ops have unusual requirements (complex BOMs, serial-number traceability, industry-specific compliance like FDA for pharma), when Cin7 or similar would require significant customization anyway, or when inventory is central to your differentiation (3PL with custom pricing, complex kitting). I'll say honestly in the first call — if Cin7 covers 90% of your needs, that's what I recommend. Custom inventory is a meaningful investment and the math has to work.
Recent proof
A comparable engagement, delivered and documented.
Turned a B2B manufacturer into a digital showroom
Designed and developed a high-performance institutional website to showcase packaging solutions and generate qualified leads.
Frequently asked questions
The questions prospects ask before they book.
- Can barcode scanning work without specialized hardware?
- Yes — modern smartphone cameras scan barcodes reliably through a PWA. QR codes work especially well; standard product barcodes (UPC, EAN) also fine in good lighting. Dedicated hardware scanners (Zebra, Honeywell) add throughput for high-volume ops (>10k scans/day) but aren't required for most businesses.
- How does multi-location work?
- Inventory balance per SKU per location. Transfers between locations are explicit workflow (create transfer → pick at source → in-transit → receive at destination). In-transit stock accounted separately. Transfer history audited. Counts and adjustments scoped per location. Consolidated view for corporate reporting.
- What about manufacturing with BOMs?
- Bills of material supported — finished good is a composition of raw materials with quantities. Producing a finished good decrements raw material inventory and increments finished good inventory in one transaction. Multi-level BOMs (sub-assemblies) supported. Work-in-progress tracking for multi-step manufacturing.
- How do I integrate with my e-commerce?
- Shopify and WooCommerce most common, both two-way sync. Decrement inventory on sale, increment on refund or restock. Out-of-stock handling configurable (hide product, mark as backorder, allow negative stock). Custom e-commerce integrations via API — any platform with reasonable inventory webhooks integrates cleanly.
- What about serial number tracking?
- Supported for regulated or high-value goods (electronics, medical devices, auto parts). Each serial is tracked individually through receive → stock → sell → returns. Compliance reports (who received what, when) generated on demand. Serial-number tracking adds complexity; warranted when required by regulation or customer expectation.
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