Does anyone have/recommend free inventory software - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: alank2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 02:29:07 pm
content: I've been using a spreadsheet for awhile with a couple of macros, but it is unwieldy.I have three needs:One: keep track of parts on hand.Two: kit ability so I can make one new part by consuming other parts in various quantities. In other words you build a populated circuit board and at the same time reduce the 14 parts it takes to built it.Three: free or near free.

author: enz
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 04:14:24 pm
content: May be this one:https://partkeepr.org/They have an online demo to play with.But as far as I know you have to install it on a server.Martin

author: ruffy91
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 07:11:07 pm
content: I use partsbox.io for my components and I really like it.

author: IconicPCB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 09:29:26 pm
content: is partsbox.io runing on the cloud or is it a stand alone application?

author: kripton2035
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 09:42:41 pm
content: seems on the cloud only.

author: ar__systems
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2016, 07:48:56 pm
content: partkeepr is crap

author: pelule
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2016, 08:21:15 pm
content: In the company I worked for as design engineer we used "biblio", which is in priciple a German librarian software (designed to organise books & information) with a special Electronic Part add-on.It was great also to organise and find any kind of electronic information (very powerful search functions). Unfortunatley the price was >30kEUR for single user license plus an annual fee.I have tested many "low cost" tools, worst was Elektor ECD (never again Sam). Any time, I get aware on something new, I test it, as I still have hope.My conclusion:if low cost = it is crap normally.So I am still working with Excel. (I also tried Access, but it is to heavy for my needs).I also use it to hyperlink the data sheets to the parts (it's also electronic document organisation SW)

author: l0wside
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2016, 11:05:06 am
content: You might want to give ELeLa a try,http://mmvisual.de/elela/.It is actively being developed and maintained, has its peculiarities (as any software), but is standalone, Windows/Linux and with a documented database format, which you can access with some other program if the need arises. AFAIK it even has a PHP interface.The only thing I am not sure about is support in English.

author: ar__systems
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2016, 03:03:51 pm
content: I'm using partsinplace. Not perfect but better than nothing. Not free.

author: alank2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 25, 2016, 09:07:12 pm
content: All of the ones I tried are more complicated than I want.I went ahead and went back to the drawing board and rewrote my Excel sheet with some macros.I'll attach it if it is any use to others.It has the following tabs:ITEMS - for items you order.KITS - for items you built from the items you order.ORDER - where it can tell you what to order based on minimum quantities.The KITS tab also supports kits within kits, so you can support having something half built for example. Parts go into a circuitboard "kit". Then that circuitboard along with other parts go into a product "kit".I've created some simple items to demonstrate how it works.It has the following macros:CTRL-K : Build Kit : Builds kits on the Kits tab.You can specify a positive or negative value to build or unbuild a kit.Any kits that go below 0 unit quantity will be automatically built back to 0. This allows you to build aa parent kit that has multiple child kits automatically.CTRL-L : Update Kit Costs : Updates the unit cost for kits based on their parts.You will need to update kit costs if any item costs change or the item list of a kit changes.CTRL-O : Build Order : Builds an order using the minimum quantity for each item and kit.This will build all the items you need to order on the order tab to bring the items and kits up to theirminimum quantities.CTRL-U : Update Cost : Updates the cost on the Items tab for newly purchased parts.This allows you to add new inventory to previous inventory while maintaining an accurate cost.CTRL-W : Weighed Count : Allows setting the unit quantity based on weight if the unit weight column is present.This allows you to specify a on hand quantity based on the weight of an item. To use it, simply calculatethe per unit weight in a specific weight measurement. If you use grams for the unit weight column, thenyou must use grams when using the CTRL-W macro. It is often more accurate to weight a quantity of partssuch as 20 parts. If 20 parts are 12.3 grams, then you would enter =12.3/20 into the unit weight columnand it would show 0.615 grams for each item.

author: Felicitus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2016, 05:18:30 pm
content: Quote from: ar__systems on October 24, 2016, 07:48:56 pmAny particular reason why?

author: rob77
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2016, 09:47:34 pm
content: Quote from: Felicitus on November 05, 2016, 05:18:30 pmi would like to hear the answer toofirst time i heard about partkeepr from this very thread... so i installed it on one of my servers (very easy install) and so far the only thing i'm missing are custom searchable parameters for parts (e.g. R = 1200 , Uce = 60 ....etc.), otherwise looks good and i think i'll start using it.

author: Felicitus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2016, 11:56:08 pm
content: Quote from: rob77 on November 05, 2016, 09:47:34 pmThat feature will most likely be implemented very soon

author: ElektroQuark
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 06, 2016, 08:05:42 am
content: ELELAwww.mmvisual.de/elelaInfinite possibilities.Free.Windows 32.Windows 64.Linux 32.Linux 64.

author: rob77
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2016, 11:12:04 am
content: Quote from: EdoNork on November 06, 2016, 08:05:42 amactually quite limited possibilities... not everyone is speaking German.

author: ElektroQuark
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 06, 2016, 11:13:30 am
content: Quote from: rob77 on November 06, 2016, 11:12:04 amThere is an English versión.

author: rob77
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2016, 12:25:13 pm
content: Quote from: EdoNork on November 06, 2016, 11:13:30 amwhere ? on that link readme.txt is in German only... downloaded the linux binary and it's German too.

author: IconicPCB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2016, 09:10:50 pm
content: Rob77,try followinggoogle elelafrom the list of hits selecthttp://www.mmvisual.de/but make sure you click on the translate link one line beneath the url lineit should take you to english translationThis should take you to the documentation page in englishhttps://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com.au&sl=de&u=http://www.mmvisual.de/Hilfe/EleLa/Index.htm&usg=ALkJrhh6KnnrxdlzuAGWT44Tnc_j0jWR5g

author: Felicitus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2016, 11:10:32 pm
content: Quote from: IconicPCB on November 06, 2016, 09:10:50 pmHow does that help if the app is still in german?

author: IconicPCB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 08:26:39 am
content: Felicitus...it might help to explain entry descriptions...the rest is up to the user to decipher the german words...after all we all speak at least one natural language and probably two or three artificial languages ( anybody for C, basic.. remember fortran... )I guess a hand up not a hand out.

author: ElektroQuark
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 09:59:43 am
content: The Windows version installs in German or English, it's selectable.If the Linux version has no English text file, you can try using the Windows English file, edit in Linux the ini file (a simple text file too) and force there ELELA to use the English translation.

author: julianhigginson
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 10:40:08 am
content: Quote from: EdoNork on November 07, 2016, 09:59:43 amthe windows version has an installer???I just copied the two files out of the zip I downloaded, ran the exe and it just, well, ran... (spent a while building itself a database though) where does it ask me to set the language?

author: ElektroQuark
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 10:53:30 am
content: Download from here:http://www.mmvisual.de/The previous link is for the beta versions that must be copied over the standard version files.

author: DTJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 11:35:46 am
content: Quote from: julianhigginson on November 07, 2016, 10:40:08 amSame here, bit of a delay and away it went - no option to set language.There's a file called EleLa.iniI can't see a clear way to set the language from within that file although it looks like it may be an option;LanguageFile=<no File>LanguageFile2=<no File>EDIT: Thanks EdoNork.Ok, the file here gives a language install prompt:http://www.mmvisual.de/Windows-Setup-Paket: download Version V2.2.13C07 (8,2 MB)There's still a lot of German language despite the English option being applied.

author: ElektroQuark
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 11:49:29 am
content: As reference, my elela.ini file:_________________________________--Version=3.0.16A10Caption=Start-Datenbank SQLite3LogInFile=0LanguageFile=Lang_EN.txtLanguageFileLCL=TableFile=.\Temp\Tables.txtTableSaveSort=0StartCopy=StartRun=VorlageDir=.\VorlageTempDir=.\TempStartRO=0QueryCancel=1LanguageFile2=<no File>BildDir=VersionCheck=0ISO9001Konform=0Dll=COMPort=Protocol=sqlite-3HostName=Port=0Database=EleLa.sq3User=Password=DefHandbuchDir=.\HandbookDefHandbuchDir=.\ProjektGeraetDefHandbuchDir=.\GerätDokuDefHandbuchDir=.\DokuPort=ATStart=ATX3DialPrefix=Waehlart=0EXE=EXEParam=_____________________________________________________

author: richardlawson1489
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 09, 2017, 07:30:08 am
content: Check it out.http://blog.capterra.com/the-top-5-free-inventory-software-systems/

author: technotronix
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2017, 07:06:14 am
content: I think partbox.io would be better.