Scope of Online Inventory Control System for Retail Final Year Project

1. Requirements Analysis

• User Requirements: Identify the needs of retailers, inventory managers, and administrators.
• System Requirements: Determine hardware and software requirements for the system.

2. System Design

• Architecture: Design the overall system architecture, including front-end, back-end, and database components.
• Database Design: Create a database schema to manage inventory items, categories, suppliers, orders, and sales.
• User Interfaces: Design interfaces for different types of users (inventory managers, retail staff, admins).

3. Features

• User Management:
  • User registration and authentication (inventory managers, retail staff, admins)
  • Role-based access control (e.g., managers can update inventory, staff can view reports)
• Inventory Management:
  • Add, update, and delete inventory items
  • Track inventory levels and manage stock quantities
  • Support for multiple categories and subcategories
• Stock Monitoring:
  • Real-time tracking of stock levels
  • Alerts for low stock levels and reordering
• Supplier Management:
  • Manage supplier information and contact details
  • Track purchase orders and supplier performance
• Order Management:
  • Create and manage purchase orders
  • Track order status and delivery
• Sales Management:
  • Record and manage sales transactions
  • Track sales trends and performance
• Reporting and Analytics:
  • Generate reports on inventory levels, sales, and order history
  • Analytics tools for forecasting and trend analysis
• Barcode Scanning:
  • Integrate with barcode scanning devices for easy item tracking and updates
• Stock Adjustment:
  • Manage stock adjustments due to discrepancies, damages, or returns
• Notifications and Alerts:
  • Notifications for stock levels, order statuses, and system updates
  • Alerts for inventory issues or anomalies
• Admin Panel:
  • Dashboard for monitoring system performance, user activities, and inventory metrics
  • Tools for managing users, inventory items, and system settings
• Customer Support:
  • Mechanism for users to contact support for issues or queries
  • FAQs and help documentation

4. Technology Stack

• Front-End: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and frameworks like React or Angular.
• Back-End: Server-side languages like Node.js, Python, or PHP.
• Database: SQL databases (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL) or NoSQL databases (e.g., MongoDB).
• APIs: RESTful APIs for communication between front-end and back-end.
• Barcode Scanning Integration: Libraries or tools for integrating barcode scanning functionality.
• Cloud Services: For hosting and scalability (e.g., AWS, Heroku).

5. Implementation

• Development: Coding the application based on design specifications.
• Integration: Integrating various modules and features.
• Testing: Unit testing, integration testing, and user acceptance testing.

6. Deployment

• Hosting: Deploy the system on a server or cloud platform.
• Maintenance: Plan for system updates, bug fixes, and user support.

7. Documentation

• Technical Documentation: Details on system architecture, database schema, and APIs.
• User Documentation: Manuals or help guides for inventory managers, retail staff, and admins.

8. Evaluation

• Performance Metrics: Measure system performance, user satisfaction, and inventory management effectiveness.
• Feedback Collection: Gather feedback from users and stakeholders to identify areas for improvement.

9. Future Enhancements

• Scalability: Plan for future scaling to accommodate more inventory items and users.
• Advanced Features: Consider adding features like AI-driven demand forecasting, integration with e-commerce platforms, or advanced analytics for inventory optimization.