Stock Taking Solution

Project Brief

To create a new stock taking solution to streamline the bi-annual stock takes. System must use modern Pocket PC based readers.

Key goals are to decrease the amount of time that the figures are available at head office and to increase the reliability of the hardware and minimise misreading.

The existing solution requires that staff to physically upload the data from the readers to the head office. As such staff would complete the stock take at there Dover branch and then have to travel several hundred miles to the head office to apply the readings.

Solution is required to be operational within 4 weeks.

Solution Implemented

This system was developed using a variety of software and hardware. After reviewing the market the Symbol PPT 8800 series devices were selected. These Pocket PCs run Windows Mobile 2003 are ruggedised for use in harsh environments and have an integrated laser barcode scanner.

As the solution requires access to stock data held at the head office a web service was created. Through this web service stock data is securely transferred from the head office to a laptop via the companies VPN.

Once resides on the laptop the Pocket PC devices are synchronised with the laptop with the stock data being replicated to the device using Microsoft SQL Server Pocket PC edition.

When the stock take is complete all devices are then re-synchronised with the laptop to enable variance reporting to take place. This enables the management to have to hand the exact variance figures prior to uploading the data to head office. In this way any major items of variance can be investigated prior to the upload.

Built Using Microsoft SQL Server Microsoft Compact Framework Microsoft Visual Studio Microsoft Visual Basic .Net Microsoft .Net Framework Web Service Microsoft ASP.Net XML Crystal Reports

Services Provided Requirements Analysis and System Design Database Design Development Setup and Distribution Kit Management Reporting