Operational outcome
Inventory control for job shops
Keep stock levels, locations and job usage visible so you know what you have, what is short and where it went.
Without it
Stock problems show up when someone needs the part.
The system says you have it. The shelf says you do not. Or there are five out the back and nobody knows which job already used them.
The stock count looks right until you need it.
Usage was never recorded, something was moved, or the last adjustment never made it back into the system.
Common items run out at the worst time.
Nobody noticed the level getting low until the job was already waiting for the part.
Stock gets used without hitting the job.
The material leaves the shelf, but the job cost never sees what it actually consumed.
The same item lives in more than one place.
Knowing the total is not enough when nobody knows which location actually has the stock.
Serial or batch details get lost later.
The part is gone and now somebody needs to work out which item was used, sold or installed.
Stocktakes become a big clean-up exercise.
Too many small differences have built up because the day-to-day movements never stayed current.
What good looks like
You know what you have, what needs buying and where stock went without relying on memory or a stocktake surprise.
With it
Know what is there before the job needs it.
Inventory control is about keeping the everyday movements useful: what came in, what went out, what a job used, where the stock is and which items need attention before the shortage becomes a workshop problem.
Do we actually have this part?
See the stock on hand before someone starts looking through shelves.
Where is the stock sitting?
Keep quantities visible across the locations you use.
What did this job consume?
Put stock usage back against the job that used it.
What is starting to run low?
See shortages and par levels before the shelf is empty.
Which item did we actually use?
Keep serial, batch or FIFO detail where that traceability matters.
How you get there
Keep everyday stock movements current.
Nothing here is a separate exercise. It is the same job record, kept current as the work moves.
01
Set up the products
02
Set stock locations
03
Receive the stock
04
Use stock on jobs
05
Record stock sales
06
Watch shortages
07
Adjust and stocktake
08
Review what moves
The parts doing the work
What delivers it
These are the features this leans on. Each has its own page if you want the detail.
Stock Control
Keep receipts, usage, movements and adjustments current so the number on screen is useful when the job needs the part.
Product Management
Use the same product information across quoting, purchasing, stock, projects and sales instead of rebuilding it each time.
Par Levels
Set sensible stock levels for the items you rely on and make shortages visible while there is still time to buy more.
Proof
What it looks like in a real workshop
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We didn’t wanna pay 100 grand upfront for a program – but then we found WorkGuru.
Nick Mazzella, Administrator, Frontline Trays & Trailers
Fit
Do we need full warehouse software for this?
Not every workshop needs a complicated warehouse system. You need the level of stock control that matches what you hold, what the jobs consume and what has to be traceable.
“We only carry a small amount of stock.”
That can make simple control easier. Track the items that matter without turning every consumable into a major process.
“Most material is bought straight for jobs.”
That is fine. Use project purchasing for direct buys and inventory control for the stock you actually keep on hand.
“Our stock moves too quickly to be exact.”
You need receipts, usage and adjustments recorded consistently enough that the stock picture stays useful.
“We already do regular stocktakes.”
Keep doing them. Better daily control should make the stocktake a check, not the first time the numbers become real.
Who feels this most
The trades that ask for this first
These are the industries where this comes up in almost every conversation. Pick the one closest to yours.
Next door
Usually asked for together
These lean on the same parts of WorkGuru, so businesses chasing one normally want the other.
Job Profitability
Know what the job actually made, not what the quote said it would.
Job Cost Control
Watch costs against the quote while the job is still running, not after it has been invoiced.
FAQs
Inventory Control questions
What does inventory control mean for a workshop?
It means keeping stock quantities, locations, receipts, usage and adjustments current enough to know what you have.
Can stock be allocated or used against individual jobs?
Yes. Recording stock against the job helps keep inventory levels current and makes the real material cost easier to see.
How do par levels help prevent stock shortages?
Par levels flag items getting low so replenishment can happen before the shelf is empty and a job has to wait.
Can inventory be tracked across multiple stock locations?
Yes. Location tracking helps show where stock is held rather than giving you only one total across the whole business.
When would serial or batch tracking be useful?
Use it when you need to know which specific item or batch was received, used, sold or installed for traceability.
Do stocktakes still matter with inventory software?
Yes. Stocktakes confirm the physical count and correct differences, while daily tracking keeps the gaps smaller.
See it on one of your own jobs.
Show us the stock your jobs rely on and we will show you how WorkGuru can keep quantities, usage and shortages clearer.