Inventory count is an iPad app that helps retailers to keep track of their inventory, stay on top of their inventory movements and identify any discrepancies faster.
This, like all the projects, was done in a collaborative way. I worked in close collaboration with the developers, managers and have received great insight from support and sales teams. All work is copyrighted to Inventoru.m.
The challenge (opportunity)
Every year, all retailers need to do an inventory count, to update their stock levels and check for discrepancies. They need a tool works fast and matches the workflows they have in doing this kind of counts.
Some of the challenges presented: match a mental model of the merchants for this type of activity, easy to use for merchants which don't have barcodes (cause they produce their own products), ensure the right product is counted, distinguish quickly between the variations of a product.
The solution
An app that has the layout similar to a comparison sheet, mirroring the paper model which is sometimes used in stores, where the 3 numbers columns show what's the expected amount, the counted one and the difference between the two. The app makes it easy to work by integrating a barcode scanner, using the iPad's camera. Pictures are used to help with visual confirmation of the product. Once the count is finished, a report is created, showing a summary of the counted items.
Dashboard screen below is used to give users more specific info about the posibilities and limitations of the app. It is also used for handling the errors (missing permission, not available in pricing plan, session exists)
The actual count screen below is built by using the same mental model of how a count is done on paper. With of course the help of search, scan or filters. It is built to help the various use cases or strategies the merchants have when doing an inventory count.
The screen below shows an alternative solution which was considered for this app.
