Inventory software for small business with scanner support: which plan you need

Inventory software that works with a scanner, and the plan that includes it

Most small business inventory software now scans barcodes with a phone camera, and several also accept a USB or Bluetooth hardware scanner, but the plan that unlocks scanning differs by vendor. The table shows what each vendor's own pages state.

Phone camera or dedicated barcode scanner: what the documentation says

A phone camera is enough when you scan a few dozen items a day. inFlow's help article describes the flow: open an order or the adjust stock screen, tap the barcode icon, line up the barcode and tap to scan. That is several taps per item.

A hardware scanner is faster for receiving and picking because it acts like a keyboard. On the inFlow Windows app you click the first product cell, scan, and the cursor moves to the next line. inFlow's support page says most plug-and-play scanners work, whether USB, wireless receiver or Bluetooth. inFlow also sells its own Smartphone Scanner, a rugged Android phone with a built-in laser scanner, and a Rugged Bluetooth Scanner. New customers get a one-time hardware credit of $100 on Lite and $250 on Core.

If you plan to scan GS1 QR codes that carry lot numbers and expiry dates, inFlow advises a scanner that reads 2D barcodes.

What you can scan in inFlow Inventory

inFlow's barcoding page lists the jobs that scanning covers:

• Receiving vendor shipments against a purchase order.
• Picking products for a sales order.
• Checking stock on hand for one item.
• Adjusting quantities for damaged or missing stock.
• Transferring stock between locations.
• Loading a printed inFlow order by scanning the barcode on it.

Products without barcodes are covered too. inFlow can generate free internal barcodes for products that lack one, and its Label Designer prints to thermal printers such as Zebra, DYMO and Brother. The barcode rollout plan explains the order to do this in.

Which scanner-ready inventory software suits which small business

• Lowest cost with scanning: BoxHero. Its free plan covers 1 member and 100 items, so it is a fair test before paying.
• Scanning supplies in and out with many staff: inFlow Stockroom, because scanning users are unlimited. It has no sales or reordering.
• Scanning plus purchase orders, sales orders and QuickBooks Online: inFlow Inventory. The 2 team member cap on Lite is the limit to watch. Extra team members are $29 per month each.
• Already on QuickBooks Online and need lot or serial tracking with barcodes: SOS Inventory Plus includes serial numbers, lot numbers, bin tracking and barcoding together.
• Directed picking in a warehouse: Finale Inventory's scanner app guides pickers bin by bin. It costs several times more than the others.

Checks to make during a trial with your own scanner

Vendor pages rarely name every scanner model, so test before you buy hardware in bulk.

1. Scan one of your vendor's printed barcodes into a product record and confirm it saves. inFlow does not allow duplicate barcodes, so each one must be unique.
2. Receive a small purchase order by scanning only.
3. Run a count of one shelf and compare the time with a clipboard count. The cycle count plan gives a schedule to follow afterwards.
4. Print a label for an item with no barcode and scan it back.

For the full setup sequence, read how to create a barcode inventory system.