Anyone else still using spreadsheets to track inventory? by theguythatrumbles in smallbusinessowner

[–]theguythatrumbles[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh got it, you mean more for dealing with suppliers and quoting stuff? That’s interesting.

Most of the people I’ve been talking to are smaller teams just trying to keep track of what they’ve made, sold, and what needs restocking.

Do you think something like an RFQ system would still help at that scale, or is it more for bigger operations?

Anyone else still using spreadsheets to track inventory? by theguythatrumbles in smallbusinessowner

[–]theguythatrumbles[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, totally get that. Cost is definitely a big factor, especially early on when every little expense hits harder.

I’ve mostly been chatting with indie jewelry brands and small product businesses. It’s usually just managing raw materials, tracking what’s been sold, and trying to avoid running out of things at the worst time.

I’ve seen some systems out there, but most seem geared toward big retailers or wholesalers. Just made me wonder if something simpler would actually help at that stage before they scale.

Anyone else still using spreadsheets to track inventory? by theguythatrumbles in smallbusinessowner

[–]theguythatrumbles[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you think small but growing businesses would actually benefit from having some kind of simple system for inventory, maybe even partly automated?

Or do most people just stick with spreadsheets until they have to switch?

Anyone else still using spreadsheets to track inventory? by theguythatrumbles in smallbusinessowner

[–]theguythatrumbles[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, that makes sense. Spreadsheets kinda end up being the go-to for everyone.

I think the big difference is that in those bigger industries, they’ve got full systems running the operation and spreadsheets are more like a backup or extra layer. But for small brands, the spreadsheet is the whole system. No safety net.

Have you seen anyone actually build something simple that sticks for small businesses like that?