Basic software for keeping track of component inventory levels? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: e100
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2017, 10:04:02 am
content: Currently I'm using Google sheets with one tab per component type which doesn't scale at all well.For each tab I have a handful of fields such as "Qty total", "Qty in use" "Calculated qty available", "Qty on order" plus basic data and a link to a datasheet. Embedding photos half works as photos aren't linked to rows.I had a look at partkeeper.org and partsbox.io but they were both lacking basic features such as "qty on order" etc.Mike

author: hcglitte
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2017, 11:08:37 am
content: I use inflow inventory.I have no comparison with other SW.It works fine, but some quirks as there always are with SW.Anyone else who uses it?

author: ElektroQuark
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 29, 2017, 01:03:11 pm
content: EleLaIn German and English.Works on Windows, Linux and RaspberryPi.

author: Cloud
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2017, 04:06:10 pm
content: Try thishttp://ic-locker.com/

author: HoracioDos
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2017, 11:58:17 pm
content: Quote from: Cloud on March 29, 2017, 04:06:10 pmInteresting!!https://majerle.eu/projects/ic-locker-online-inventory-for-ic-components

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2017, 01:26:34 am
content: Quote from: Cloud on March 29, 2017, 04:06:10 pmWhile your nickname is humorously appropriate, I do not really see the need for this to be online. It is one of those services that can disappear without warning, obviously when you need it most.

author: spanner888
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2017, 01:38:35 am
content: PartKeepr is pretty good, especially now it has an import function. It does all the expected basic tracking and also handles projects. I implemented it a few years back in a hackerspace and we also used it to track drinks and tool loans etc.Link is to an online demohttps://demo.partkeepr.org/

author: hcglitte
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 01, 2017, 12:00:53 pm
content: Could someone tell me if any of the mentioned software has the ability to create a BOM where unique lines in the BOM can point to multiple inventory lines?This is very useful if you have a specific line in your BOM (e.g. 100 nF cap) that can be of various manufacturers/variants etc.A bonus point would be if you could set a priority to the "alternate" parts for which it will use first when you create a work order.HC

author: kayvee
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2017, 11:53:37 am
content: https://www.minimrp.com/does all I need.

author: DTJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2017, 12:02:08 pm
content: Quote from: kayvee on April 02, 2017, 11:53:37 amGood to see someone happy with it. I've been looking for quite a while and minimrp seems to be the best.I'm not quite at the stage of needing it yet but when I do I'll spend my money with them. I think it's around us$200 for an indefinite licence with local data storage (no cloud rubbish).I'm quite surprised an enthusuast with software skills has not put together a decent free package.

author: kayvee
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2017, 12:06:11 pm
content: Definitely worth the asking price IMO.I know of a few other small companies running it and they are all satisfied.

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2017, 12:14:35 pm
content: Quote from: kayvee on April 02, 2017, 11:53:37 amI might look at this. I was using partkeepr but gave up on it... it was too slow and buggy for me.

author: kb0thn
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 03, 2017, 05:32:45 pm
content: My company is transitioning from various spreadsheets and manual systems to a system based around partkeepr. I found partkeepr to be pretty bad by default. But I looked at how much work to get to where it is, and decided I could use it as a starting point. I spent about 2 days modifying forms and fields and making it useable for what I need for parts management.

author: jwr
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2017, 06:45:29 am
content: Hey everyone, PartsBox founder here.Just so that you know, I try to read these discussions regularly to see what features are needed. In particular, while "parts on order" isn't there yet, it definitely will be. I've recently added a Project/BOM pricing subsystem, which was a huge amount of work, but should work much better than anything spreadsheet-based, especially if you want to consider multiple price breaks and if you have offers in multiple currencies.As for part alternates (the ability to include multiple part choices as a BOM line item), it's something that I also have on my TODO list. It isn't easy to design, so I have to think it through carefully — it has to play well with the pricing engine. But it will definitely be there, it's something I need to use myself, too.best regards,--JanFounder, PartsBox ·https://partsbox.io/· Twitter: @PartsBoxIO

author: ^_^
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2017, 08:50:44 pm
content: Hmm, I just wanted to try outhttp://ic-locker.com/but it seems down.For online-based storage it can't be a good sign.

author: DTJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2017, 01:22:42 am
content: Quote from: ^_^ on May 09, 2017, 08:50:44 pmFor me personally the fact that it's online storage rules it out.That said, I'm still looking for a decent stand-along package.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 02:02:13 am
content: Quote from: DTJ on May 10, 2017, 01:22:42 amThere are so many cloud options nowadays, but what happens if the website goes down and your hard work and parts system goes with it?

author: SVFeingold
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 09:04:55 pm
content: That's why if you use cloud software you use companies that are well established and profitable.Frankly I don't understand the hatred of cloud services on this forum. Is it an age thing? Culture? So many people think that their data is somehow safer on their $99 external USB hard drive than on Amazon's servers. Very few people know how to implement proper backups and security anyhow. Seeing as how, for a business, you rely so heavily on cloud services (whether you know it or not) then you're kind of screwed if the internet goes down anyway.Granted, I see how it may not appeal to people who only need to track their stuff in their one lab on one computer. Or those that have shoddy internet connections or some such.So really you have a few risk factors:1) Quality of internet access: varies by region/person2) Longevity of company: do your diligence, don't put your data into a company that's liable to be out of business in a week. I imagine any worthwhile inventory tool will let you export your data locally.3) Security of company: The elusive HACKERS. Your personal computer is at far greater risk.4) Accessibility of data: Depends on the company, see again point 2. When is the last time Amazon "just went down?" When's the last time all your local DNS servers "just went down" leaving you unable to accessanything?5) Safety of data: Pretty much every internet service that exists runs on Amazon AWS. Again, your data is much safer there than it is on your home computer.Maybe I'm biased living in an area with pretty good, solid internet. I just don't get the fear. For an inventory tool to be useful you need it to access the internet anyway, unless you plan to download all product data from Digikey somehow or you deal only with internal part numbers.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 10:25:23 pm
content: Quote from: SVFeingold on August 09, 2017, 09:04:55 pmAmazon does not appear to have an online parts inventory service, nor does Google, nor does Microsoft. Many people have already been bitten by services evaporating from one day to the next. The fact that Amazon hosts the service does not mean they will host it tomorrow. They want to get paid. If a customer packs up shop, they will not hesitate to pull the servers. If the service is provided by the big three themselves, there still is no guarantee it will be around tomorrow. Myriad examples exists of services being abandoned or replaced. Even various physical products have been rendered completely useless because their required cloud services were pulled.In many cases you might be able to backup the data yourself, but you still would not have the infrastructure to do anything with it. If things roll over, a company might need weeks to substitute the infrastructure, which might very well be the end of the business. There is nothing you can do about that, while you can do something about the risk of storing your things on a USB drive. People being stupid with their data does not detract from that. In all cases you need to think about data security and take appropriate measures.The 'hatred' is not as unfounded as you purport it to be here. The problem is that, nowadays, anything and everything is moved towards the cloud, even if that is not the most optimal solution. Cloud services have a place in the modern IT world and can be great in certain situations and user cases. However, currently it is a buzzword and everyone is tripping over themselves to get on board and force their portfolio into that ubiquitous cloud shape. When all you have is a hammer, well, you known the rest. Not even the greatest oscilloscope in the world makes for a complete and adequate tool kit on its own.Of course, there is also the discussion of data harvesting. Some people are fine with every company collecting, compiling and selling their personal and behavioural data. However, many are fairly uncomfortable with it. When you use a cloud service, there is very little you can do about it if and when that happens. It would be safe to say that most online services do something of that nature. In many cases, big data has become the core business and the product a means.Reliability is far from perfect, even in areas with great internet reliability. I know of several companies that migrated to Office 365, only to turn around and go back to a more traditional set-up. They experienced too many outages or performance was not up to par, even when combined with a mature infrastructure. In their cases, it was just not the right tool for the job.In conclusion, people having a distrust of the cloud has nothing to do with age, culture, unfounded fears, bad internet or other irrelevant factors. Instead, many people have very well considered reasons or real world experiences that have made them wary. It would be too easy to dismiss anyone hesitant to go all in as a naysayer.

author: SVFeingold
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2017, 01:29:06 am
content: I have to use far more online services than I'd like, simply because either my company uses them, or my clients, or they're required for X, Y, Z. Not once, not one single time, ever, has one of them just suddenly vanished. Yes, it happens, but it's exceedingly rare that a well established company (i.e. not 2 programmers in a room) just suddenly dies and deletes all of their data without warning. I agree that not everything is well suited to being a cloud service. However many things can and do benefit from that. By way of example, Autodesk asking me to login every other time I go to use EAGLE is infuriating. On the other hand, keeping all my important data that I need to share between 3 computers on Dropbox is supremely useful and saves a ton of time. And of course, I regularly backup my Dropbox just in case.Office 365, sure I agree with you. I don't benefit from their "cloud" features at all. An inventory management tool? There are legitimate use cases there. It would be nice to walk around the shop using my phone to scan items rather than having to either carry a computer or carry products to a desk. Being able to check your inventory remotely when you aren't in front of your computer at home is useful for me. If you don't benefit at all from something that's connected to the internet and you just want a standalone program, that's fine. I'm sure many exist. Even so, anytime I see discussion on this topic it's always along the lines of "What if X just goes down?" That does not happen very often. People forgetting to backup data or not securing their backups sufficiently? Happens all the time. If you're an exception to that then good, no argument here.And if the company that made the standalone program goes out of business, what then? Sure you have your program. And if Digikey or whoever modifies or updates their API and you can no longer access the API correctly? Who is around to fix it? You are left with the same potential issue of having to migrate to a new platform. Anything that works as a tightly-integrated inventory management tool relies heavily on being connected to the outside world. And if you don't need any of that, a spreadsheet is probably just fine.Being cloud-connected doesn't automatically make a product good, but it doesn't automatically make it bad either.

author: alexanderbrevig
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2017, 02:02:05 pm
content: Anyone givenhttp://bomer.coa try? I liked it when I tried it back when the beta was announced.Don't remember if it supports nested BOMs though.

author: dundee
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2017, 07:37:33 am
content: Hi Guys!PartKeepr looks very nice. Can't install it on my webspace due to missing plugins.After searching a bit I found Part-DB:Discussion:https://www.mikrocontroller.net/topic/305023(German)Github:https://github.com/jbtronics/Part-DB/tree/nextgenDemo:http://part-db.bplaced.net/startup.php

author: jwr
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 11, 2017, 12:10:33 pm
content: Hi,Since part alternates were discussed here as an important feature, I thought I'd let everyone know, that PartsBox (https://partsbox.io/) now has "meta-parts", which implement this concept.A meta-part contains other parts, which are assumed to be equivalent (any of them can be used as an alternate). When you use meta-parts in your projects/BOMs, you can delay the decision on the actual part to be used until later. When pricing (in the paid plans), PartsBox will consider offers for all alternates and choose the least expensive one. When building the project and removing stock, you will have to select the actual part (and storage location) that you intend to use for building.This was an often-requested feature, and it is indeed very useful, especially with long-term production and simple passives, where people switch components often depending on pricing and availability.--JanFounder, PartsBox ·https://partsbox.io/· Twitter: @PartsBoxIO

author: desertgreg
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: November 28, 2017, 11:17:43 pm
content: I am considering using PartsBox after reading your posts. I use KiCad so I tried out your BOM import tool. Unfortunately it only seems to work with the BOM I can export from the kiCad PCB layout tool. I think it would be better if it worked with the BOM from the schematic editor. My schematic BOM has everything, manufacturer, datasheet, part number, etc. The other one I didn't even know existed and it doesn't have half of the data (e.g. no part numbers).Then after I imported the BOM into a project, I couldn't figure out how to edit the entries to add the part numbers manually. Its close but not quite there. If you'd like I could send you an example BOM file.

author: jgalak
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2017, 02:26:19 pm
content: PartsBox looks really nice, but the plans aren't useful for me in their current form. The free plan can't import a BOM from Eagle (I'm currently using the free version), and the cheapest paid plan is too expensive - and I don't really need any of the features there other than the BOM import.If there was a "hobbyist +" plan that was in the range of about $100 per year and offered more import options (and maybe the custom fields), I'd be all over it.The fact that the founder is on this forum and is responsive is a big plus in my book.

author: cdev
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 05, 2017, 08:45:06 pm
content: You can make your own database easily using MariaDB/mysql or even better, postgresql and in the long run that is likely to be the most scale-able option too.

author: cibolo
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 06, 2017, 05:08:06 pm
content: Quote from: kb0thn on April 03, 2017, 05:32:45 pmDid those changes get merged with the partkeepr code? If not, would you share them so they could be?Thanks,John Griessen

author: jastreb
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 21, 2018, 08:31:46 am
content: Quote from: jwr on May 05, 2017, 06:45:29 amUnfortunately your pricing options just don't suit people like myself (hobyist). Options that are not available in the standard free offering I really want and the next up is a monthly subscription which is too much for me as I am not a business.

author: mpi
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 27, 2018, 10:00:26 pm
content: I've gone with a custom database (LibreOffice Base).(While setting this up I had a strange feeling of Déjà vu until I realized why -- I did the exact same thing around 1986!)Eventually this will link to the BOM spreadsheets.

author: jastreb
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2018, 02:11:21 am
content: Quote from: mpi on January 27, 2018, 10:00:26 pmCare to share your database structure?

author: jwr
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2018, 04:58:58 pm
content: I'll respond to several concerns raised here (as a PartsBox founder):I know the current paid plans are way too expensive for hobbyists: they only make sense for companies. Regarding features, I would love to be able to offer everything for free, but I do have to make a living. Even as it is now, there are plenty of companies using the free hobbyist/maker plan. If I move even more features from the paid plans to the free plan, I won't be able to sustain PartsBox.As for EAGLE import, it was left out from the free version because EAGLE is pretty much commercial (and fairly expensive) software at this point.Regarding cloud-based systems: I know it's a popular sentiment to hate anything that is web-based. But web-based means I can offer two important things: first, software that runs on every OS out there (and PartsBox has users on Mac OS, Linux and Windows), and second, real-time updates which are not appreciated by single hobbyists, but are a crucial feature for teams and companies working with their CMs. You always see an up-to-date version of your data, and if somebody else removes stock, you see it immediately.As for the website going down, while I have no intention of taking it down, it's a valid concern. This is why there is an easily accessible button in Settings, that lets you download a JSON dump of everything you ever entered into PartsBox, in a machine-readable format, with a single click. Just back up your data every once in a while and you'll be fine.The comment about using software from companies that are "well established and profitable", hmm, I can only smile (sadly). The reality is that, in general, the bigger the company looks, the sooner the software will disappear. For VC-funded companies it's because either they run out of funding, or because they get acquired (or acqui-hired) and the new owners shut the product down (google for "incredible journey startup" to see what I mean). Even giants like Google shuts things down left and right with little warning. I actually believe that small companies running a profitable business are the most stable ones, and that is exactly what I'm aiming for.That said, I know that PartsBox isn't necessarily for everyone, fortunately there are other options, too!

author: kuclad
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 19, 2018, 06:16:28 am
content: The pricing for partsbox is rather bonkers. It's either free or $480+/yr. Either slash the free plan to ~50 distinct parts or ditch it entirely and offer a free trial. Change the current free plan to something in the $30/yr ballpark.I can't figure out if it is possible to track cost of goods sold for assemblies based on bom purchase history, even in the business plans. I'm guessing no.If I were to use this I would be looking for an api call for database export functionality so I can add it to my backup automation without having to script a website login.

author: jwr
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2018, 06:10:21 pm
content: Well, pricing a product like PartsBox is not easy and it's possible I haven't gotten it right. But that's not for lack of trying: the goal is to have a free hobbyist/maker offering which should have everything a hobbyist/maker needs.The business plans are (I think) priced quite reasonably compared to any other MRP/ERP software, and seriously, in any kind of electronics-related business spending $39/month on a tool that gets used everyday should not be a problem. That's just slightly more than $1/day.And I am open to suggestions: if there is something in the commercial plans that is genuinely useful for hobbyists, I'd like to hear about it. There is only one feature I know of: file uploads (so that you can upload your own datasheets and images/photos), and I do intend to find a solution for that, perhaps a $5/month hobbyist plan.

author: jgalak
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 19, 2018, 09:37:17 pm
content: Uploading, or even just linking, my own datasheets would be great - both for custom parts and "standard" parts - not every item found by Octoparts has a datasheet. Maybe linking could be made available as part of the free package, since it doesn't require more storage space on your part?In general, I'd really like more ability to edit pre-populated parts of an item.The other one is the ability to upload BOMs from other software - at least Eagle (since it's available for free and thus popular with hobbyists).I don't disagree that $39 per month is totally reasonable for a pro. But many of us are hobbyists. Which makes that price just too steep. Something more along the lines of $30-60 per year would be far more palatable. That's my opinion, anyway.

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 20, 2018, 07:10:38 pm
content: Quote from: jwr on March 19, 2018, 06:10:21 pmI signed up for a Partsbox account when it was still in beta. I thought it was a great idea. I don’t have a problem with the cloud storage aspect.I suppose I fall into a crack in your business model. I’m not a hobbyist — I’m a do-it-for-a-living electronics engineer, working for an employer. But I do side projects and I try to follow best practices for them. That includes a database for the parts I use. And my database (actually a spreadsheet) matches my CAD parts library and uses “house” part numbers. And house part numbers are the one feature that I find useful that’s not in the free version. (I recall requesting that feature when Partsbox was still in beta.)If I was a full-time single-person shop, the $39/month plan would be a no-brainer. But the side thing is intermittent. There are times when I would use the tool every evening for a month. And then there are times where it won’t be used at all in a month, or more.If it was $10/month then it would be fine for what I do.

author: jwr
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2018, 06:31:47 pm
content: Thanks for the thoughtful comments. I do understand the need, but introducing an "intermediate" plan needs to be done carefully, otherwise all businesses will end up using it, and I will end up being broke :-) That said, I think I'll be able to work something out in the upcoming months.Also, you can link datasheets (or anything else, for that matter) right now, just use the "Notes" field. It will find links and highlight them, it will also parse and display Markdown. Many people use this to link external data.As for Autodesk EAGLE, from what I understand, the days of the free version are over and right now it is only free for educators and students?I know there is a need to correct/expand specs, this is something I'm working on — there will definitely be a way to edit those.

author: mrpackethead
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2018, 07:10:50 am
content: I built my own from stratch. Was a massive job. But has turned out to be awesome.

author: palpurul
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2018, 07:32:21 am
content: I use excel spread sheet. It's OK. Never tried anything actually. It works well for personel use, but I don't know how it performs in a business environment.

author: VEGETA
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 12, 2018, 07:46:26 am
content: Excel is and always will be #1. I use it for such purposes if I need to, just make one spreadsheet for this and keep updating it. In my company we use Oracle ERP but we have thousands of components.