01
Define the stock record
Agree product codes, units, pack sizes and locations. Name the system that owns each record, including branches, vans or third-party storage where they are in scope.
Wholesalers · Merchants · Multi-branch distributors
Stock management software built around how your goods move
When the counter, warehouse and second branch give different answers to “have we got one?”, another spreadsheet is rarely the answer. We build stock systems around your locations, reservations and exceptions, so each team works from an agreed record of what can actually be sold.
Fixed scopeQuoted before work starts
Human controlDecisions stay with your team
Honest boundaryKeep existing systems where they work
Stock on the shelf is not always stock you can promise
Some is allocated to another order. Some is damaged or awaiting inspection. A transfer has left one branch but has not reached the other. If the system treats all of it as available, staff still have to ring around before making a promise. A useful stock system records those distinctions and shows when each location last reported.
How the workflow works
These are the stages we would review with your team, then include or exclude explicitly in the project scope.
02
Separate held and available stock
Distinguish physical stock, allocations, quarantine and inbound quantities. Apply the availability calculation you approve; an expected delivery is not stock available now.
03
Reserve without double allocation
Check and commit reservations through the authoritative system. Two people trying to reserve the last unit must receive a checked result, not two apparently successful promises.
04
Record branch transfers
Track requested, dispatched and received quantities separately. Stock in transit stays visible until the receiving branch confirms it, with differences held for review.
05
Handle returns and adjustments
A return does not automatically become saleable stock. Record its condition, destination and release decision. Adjustments keep the reason, time and person responsible.
06
Give each team a useful view
Show the counter what is available, the warehouse what needs action and managers what is held or overdue. Where feeds are periodic, display the last update time.
One availability question, with the arithmetic visible
Illustrative example: a branch holds 24 units, with eight allocated and four awaiting inspection. Under the agreed rule, 12 are available. Another ten are due from a supplier tomorrow and remain separate. If someone requests 15 today, the counter sees the shortfall and can check another branch instead of treating the inbound ten as already received.
The records have to reflect the physical work
Software cannot count an unrecorded movement. We agree who records receipts, transfers, picks and corrections, then test that process with the team. Batch tracking, serial numbers, expiry rules, valuation and automatic purchasing are separate requirements to assess; they are not assumed to come with a small stock project.
Working with the systems you already have
If your ERP or WMS already manages stock well, it should stay in charge. We may build a missing reservation screen, branch-transfer workflow or shared availability view. If a replacement is justified, we scope migration, reconciliation and changeover explicitly. Product names such as Sage or an existing warehouse package are starting points for an interface review, not a promise that your version supports every connection.
Starting point, price and scope
Start with one recurring stock problem: for example, an inter-branch transfer from request to receipt. Agree the records, permissions and acceptance checks before building. Small fixed-scope builds start from £1,495; a complete stock system, multiple interfaces and historical data migration receive their own quote.
Hosting, optional support, third-party licences and any additional work are agreed in the quote. See pricing and what is included, or start with the £895 Operations Audit if the workflow needs measuring first.
Is this the right purchase?
A good fit
A good fit when branch rules, stock states or exceptions matter to your operation and a standard package cannot represent them without repeated manual work.
When another route makes sense
If the current ERP already supports the process, configuration, training or more consistent recording may solve it. If a standard stock package meets the requirements, buying that may cost less than maintaining a bespoke system.
Questions to settle before the build
Can it replace Excel?
Yes, when the spreadsheet has become the place where several people manage live stock. We first document its rules and check what the existing business software could already handle.
Will the figures be live?
That depends on the agreed connection and how movements are recorded. A scheduled export produces a view as of its last refresh. We show that timestamp and do not describe it as live stock.
Can it cover vans and several warehouses?
Those can be included after we agree product identifiers, ownership and how each location records changes. Start with a representative route and scope the differences between sites.
Do we need AI for this?
No. Stock movements, reservations and calculations use explicit software rules. A separately scoped private AI assistant can help staff find information, but it does not invent stock figures.
Connect this to the rest of the operation
See all wholesale, stock and distribution software, or explore Bespoke business systems.
Built and supported locally
Based in Horsham, we work on site across Sussex and Surrey. Explore the practical starting points for businesses in Crawley and Manor Royal, Lancing and Shoreham.
Bring one stock discrepancy and the steps that led to it.
The first fifteen minutes are free. We will review the problem, identify the useful boundary and explain what would need checking before a quote.
For a wider platform covering orders, stock and customer records, explore a bespoke order, stock or customer system.