FUDMA Journal of Sciences (FJS)

DEVELOPMENT OF A WEB-BASED PLAT… ISSN Agboola et al.,

online: 2616-1370 FJS
ISSN print: 2645 - 2944
Vol. 6 No. 5, October, 2022, pp 57 - 65
8
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2022-0605-1064

DEVELOPMENT OF A WEB-BASED PLATFORM FOR AUTOMATING AN INVENTORY MANAGEMENT OF

A SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISE
*1Agboola, F. F., 1Malgwi, Y. M., 1Mahmud, M. A. and 2Oguntoye, J. P.
1Department of Computer Science, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria.
2Department of Computer Engineering, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Nigeria

*Corresponding authors’ email: ffagboola87@mautech.edu.ng

ABSTRACT
Nowadays, it has been noticed that the majority of businesses manually record and maintain their inventory
data in spreadsheets with little to no technological innovation. This has many drawbacks in our contemporary
society because it has been demonstrated that successfully monitoring inventories is difficult. This manual
method of record keeping was labor-intensive, expensive, and error-prone, and it was unable to guarantee that
the inventory remained current due to oversight and internal shrinkage. This study investigates the problems
with manual inventory management and creates computerised inventory management software to solve those
issues. By creating a computerised inventory management system to help storekeepers make decisions about
their stocks, it suggests solutions to the current problems by keeping the records, tracking employee salaries,
and updating sales and transactions. To be user-friendly, to accommodate all user requirements, and to adapt
to future changes, the system was divided into various modules. The key ideas of the analysis and design
methodology for the suggested system were outlined, and they were contrasted with those already in use. They
also described how the system was designed and put into use using the MySQL database. The implemented
methodology is illustrated with a case study. It is suggested that the computerised system developed in this
study replace the manual system of stock recording and processing to make life easier for people, increase
effectiveness, efficiency, and improve service delivery. Adopting this software will also reduce unnecessary
stress, keep the account current, and simplify their work.

Keywords: Computerized, Inventory Management, Account, Small and Medium Enterprise

INTRODUCTION physical inventory, available physical space for inventory,

An inventory control system is a process of managing quality management, replenishment, returns and defective
inventory to satisfy customer demand at the lowest cost and goods, and demand forecasting are all included in the scope
with the least amount of investment. One of the fundamental of inventory management, according to Abisoye et al. (2013).
issues facing small and medium-sized businesses is inventory A successful inventory control programme also takes seasonal
management (Erameha and Odoh, 2021). The process of variation, shifting usage patterns, monitoring theft, and
effectively managing the continuous flow of units into and out purchasing goods commensurate with demand into account.
of an existing stock of goods is known as inventory The estimation of the cost of managing inventory is a first step
management. To prevent the inventory from rising too high or in the inventory control process. According to Priniotakis and
falling too low and jeopardising the business's operations, this Argyropoulos (2018), the difficulty of effective inventory
process typically entails controlling the transfer of units management is to maintain an upward trend in sales while
(Abisoye et al., 2013). One of the most important keeping the investment at the lowest level necessary for
management functions in an organisations is inventory adequate customer service. Controlling inventory is necessary
control. This is because inventory control helps organisations to make sure that the company has the right products on hand
internally by facilitating continuous production, streamlining in order to avoid stockouts, prevent shrinkage (spoilage/theft),
operations, and improving customer service (Singh, 2013). and provide accurate accounting. At present, inventory costs
An inventory control system is a software program that typically range from 4% to 90% of total business expenses
supports companies in managing their inventory. As products (Nyabwanga and Ojera, 2012). The manual nature of the
move through manufacturing and sales, an inventory current inventory management system, however, makes it
management system keeps track of every aspect of a inefficient and inaccurate to keep track of the stock of goods
company's inventory (Erameha and Odoh, 2021). This system in the store. The sales staff must keep track of each item's
handles ordering, receiving, storing, tracking, and reordering. stock level as part of the inventory updating process. A
The process also involves monitoring customer orders, purchase order is created or stock status reports are written
shipping, costs, stock, and sales. Data will be maintained in whenever a stock level reaches an unacceptably high or low
databases using web-based inventory control systems, which point. Time wastage, difficulty calculating the total number of
help to organize entered data for fast recovery (Chassiakos items sold, an excessive amount of paperwork, disasters, and
and Sakellaropoulos, 2008). These web-based data difficulty updating each time a change is made are additional
management systems coordinate information over the internet issues with using this manual method. Consequently, it is
or company intranet using a web browser (Liu and Xu, 2001). necessary to automate the inventory system.
A trustworthy and efficient inventory control system is Typically, the web-based inventory management system is
essential for managers to cut costs and maintain their created for a small- to medium-sized business. Each
competitiveness (Oballah et al., 2015). The fine lines between organisation has had its own stock management strategy or
replenishment lead time, carrying costs of inventory, asset method for a very long time. Numerous researchers have also
management, inventory forecasting, inventory valuation, completed a number of case studies on small- and medium-
inventory visibility, future inventory price forecasting, sized businesses and come to the conclusion that a web-based

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DEVELOPMENT OF A WEB-BASED PLAT… Agboola et al., FJS

inventory management system should be implemented for a MATERIALS AND METHODS

business to be successful and profitable (Chin et al., 2009). Software Development Methodology
Previous literature has focused on developing inventory The Iterative Waterfall Model was applied to accomplish the
management systems using various strategies. Jayanth et al. study's objectives, as shown in Figure 1. This model was
(2016) created an inventory management system (IoT) using selected because it is simple to comprehend and apply. The
the Internet of Things. The system was created using an model also offers feedback pathways for error correction,
ultrasonic transducer and a web-connected processing device both now and when discovered at a later stage of a phase
(like a Raspberry Pi). The highly technical equipment used (Adetokunbo and Adenowo, 2013). Even though mistakes are
made it difficult for employees to perform their duties unavoidable, it is preferable to find them as soon as they
effectively. Additionally, Muyumba and Phiri (2017) happen. If so, fixing the bug might take less work. The model
developed a web-based inventory control system for the system also benefits from being in its very early stages of
Zambia Air Force using cloud architecture and barcode development, which makes it simpler to identify any
technology. This system uses barcoding to identify objects. functional or design flaws. Early problem detection allows for
This system's limitation is that it can only recognise things the implementation of cost-effective corrective actions. The
next to each other. They used a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet model's drawback is that it might take a long time for the
to record inventory-related data was reported in another study project to be finished. The work was done within a deadline
by John et al. (2015) on the inventory management practices to complete the task, so this has no impact on the system.
and operational performance of selected flour mills in The traditional waterfall model of software development
Nigeria. However, getting access to specific inventory data seems to make the most sense on the surface. The traditional
and demand information was challenging. Therefore, the waterfall model is elegant and intuitively clear, but it cannot
inventory management system will work effectively if some be used in real software development projects and does not
of these flaws are fixed. allow for error correction during development, making it an
As a result, the goal of this study is to create a web-based impractical model. The spiral model is appropriate for
platform that will automate inventory management for small creating technically difficult software products that are
and medium-sized businesses. All supply orders will be vulnerable to various types of risks. But compared to the other
handled by the software, which will also save time and energy models, this one is significantly more complicated. This is
by making complex processing and inventory sales reports likely a factor that discourages its use in typical projects.
accessible and accountable.

Figure 1: Iterative waterfall model

Data Gathering and Analysis than the manual system ensures some level of security. It
This entails defining the methods for gathering and analysing begins with an entry method that enables the user to access
the data required to define or address the issue for which the the different sections of the programme by selecting a menu
research is being conducted. The automated system was item. As a result, it offers quick access to the program's
created and put on display using the Sangkemi Global Nigeria various data areas. The system structure diagram for the
Limited inventory management system in Adamawa State as created inventory management system is shown in Figure 2.
a case study. Below are the three branches of the home page's (main
module) chart:
System Design 1. Sales: this consists of manage sales add new sales.
The automation of the inventory management system for 2. Product: this consists of manage products add new
efficient management is a key consideration in the design of products.
the new system. The daily transaction report was recorded 3. Category: the different categories of the products.
during the design process, and databases were created to track 4. User Management: this deals with adding users and
customer orders. The newly created, more efficient system managing their login credentials.

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DEVELOPMENT OF A WEB-BASED PLAT… Agboola et al., FJS

Figure 2: System Structure Chart

Database Design widespread use (Database-System, 2019). As a result,

A database management system is an effective tool for MySQL is frequently used as a back-end data repository by
efficiently creating and managing large amounts of data and websites. Based on this justifications, the design of this study
enabling its safe persistence over extended periods (Delisle, made use of a MySQL database. The study's files were
2006; Molina et al., 2009; Adamu, 2020). The most well- composed of a variety of data types. A few of the files have
known open-source database management system is MySQL, been created and are connected to the database. Table 1 shows
which was introduced in 1995. These programmes are among the fields and their data types that were specified for the
the most intricate ones currently available. The success of database. The database's relationship diagram is shown in
phpMyAdmin (www.phpmyadmin.net), a well-known Figure 3.
MySQL web-based interface, has contributed to MySQL's

Table 1: Fields and their data types

Fields Data types
Table that store information about sales Such as "product," "qty," "price," and date
Table that store the location of inventory items Such as product location and product name
Table that store media file information for a specific product Such as media file name and type
Table that save user information Such as "User Name," "User Status," and "User Level"
Table that saves user group information Such as "Group Name," "Group Status"
Table that saves product details Such as "Name," "Quantity," "Buying Price," "Selling
Price," etc.

Figure 3: Relationship diagram of the database

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DEVELOPMENT OF A WEB-BASED PLAT… Agboola et al., FJS

Design process b. Output that the system will generate.

There are two levels to the design process, which are, c. It goes through a process before the output is
1. Logical design, which is the process of writing the made.
specific requirements for the new system. d. The design or layout of the database.
2. The physical design, or the processes necessary to
translate a logical design into reality, the characteristic Input specification
that would be taken into account in the Sangkemi The data inputs into the Sangkemi Global Nigeria Limited
Global Nigeria Limited inventory management system's Inventory Management System are from the database, i.e.,
logical design is: sales and inventory. The input specification is shown in
a. Input of data into the system. Tables 2 to 6 below.

Table 2: Input specification for manage users

Description Field Name Data Type
Serial number S/N Number
Name Name Text
Username Username Text
User Role Role Text
Last Login Last Login Date
Action Action Binary

Table 3: Input specification for adding new user

Description Field Name Data Type
Name Name Text
Username Username Text
Password Password Alphanumeric
User Role Role Text

Table 4: Input specification for adding new category

Description Field Name Data Type
Serial number Id number
Category name Category Name Text

Table 5: Input specification for managing products

Description Field Name Data Type
Serial number Id number
Product name Product Title Text
Product Category Product Category Text
Quantity in Stock In Stock number
Buying price Buying Price Number
Selling price Selling Price Number

Table 6: Input specification for the sale

Description Field Name Data Type
Serial number ID Number
Product name Category Text
Quantity Quantity Number
Sale Total Total Number
Purchase date Date Number

Output specification
Specification here means the arrangement of headings and RESULT AND DISCUSSION
details of the output document. That is, whatever the medium Login Page
used in both paper documents and transaction output, the This is the first page where the user must enter the login
purpose is to ensure the clarity of the output to the user. The details (such as the username and password) required to
product sales report shows the total products sold, their unit access the software. When a user enters their username and
prices, and their amounts. The entire inventory report shows password and clicks the login button, the form automatically
the types of products in stock without counting the items on redirects them to the main menu. However, a warning alert
the shelf one after the other to know the type and quantity of appears on the screen when the incorrect user name and
products in stock. It also deals with the unit’s prices and costs password are entered.
of goods or items in stock.

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Figure 1: Login page

Home Page (Administrator)

This is the form that appears after entering or providing the username and password (Figure 2). Now it is possible to access
the software features and choose the kinds of operations to carry out.

Figure 2: Home page (Admin)

Home Page (Sales Personnel)

This is the form seen after clicking on the home of the salesperson (Figure 3). Now, the software's features will be limited to
those of the system administrator. That is, features peculiar to the salesperson will only be displayed.

Figure 3: Home page (Sales Personnel home page)

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Sales Page
The sales page is used to sell available products, and customers can only view this page to know the number of goods.

Figure 4: Sales page

Sales Report Page

This page enables the report of the purchase to be printed and gives an update on the profits generated on each product. This
page can only be viewed by the accounting officer to generate the sales report.

Figure 5: Sales Report

Add New Product Page

The admin can update the selected stock balance and add new stock that has been sold on this page.

Figure 6: Add New Product form

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DEVELOPMENT OF A WEB-BASED PLAT… Agboola et al., FJS

Dashboard
This interface shows the list of users, categories, products, and sales. It also provides the records of recent transactions
conducted as well as interfaces with other functionalities.

Figure 7: Dashboard

Add New User Page

This allows the system administrator to add a new user to the system.

Figure 8: Add new user form

Add New Category Page

This interface allows the system administrator to add the new categories of products as well as view other categories.

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DEVELOPMENT OF A WEB-BASED PLAT… Agboola et al., FJS

Figure 9: Add new category page

Edit My Account
This interface allows the management or system admin to edit the login credentials of the system and other system users.

Figure 10: Edit my account form

System Testing explanation of the operation carried out by the system on the
The output was displayed on the monitor after running the test job that it is required to do. It is the passing of control in the
using different sets of data, or after executing the programme. system and the performing of the task required to do. All these
The output was then printed on paper. are expected to be done within a second to show the system's
efficiency.
Integration The system's operation enables the entire inventory control
System integration is the process of successfully assembling calculation or stocktaking to be done with greater accuracy
a system's various parts, assemblies, and subsystems and and in a shorter period. It processes data keyed in a
getting them to function as a unit to accomplish the system's remarkable moment of time, far less than the manual process.
objectives. The Login form, Main form, Transaction History The central processing ensures the program instructions are
form, New Transaction form, Manage Stock form, and carried out in the proper sequence, and the interpretation is in
Change Password form were all successfully designed, and accordance with the expected output. Also, the company's
they were all integrated to create the entire system. information will be much safer and easier to access once this
prototype is used.
Operating the new system
This section of the project explains the job performed by the CONCLUSION
program developed. First, the various inputs listed above were This research has created a computerised inventory
entered, and then the program processed that data and gave management system for Sangkemi Global Nigeria Limited, to
out the required output as the transaction output. It gives track the quantity of mobile phones and their accessories in
results based on what is entered as the input. For this reason, stock, when to place additional orders, the status and updates
all inputs must be correct and valid. This is a detailed of transactions, and the number of employees, all of which

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will aid in managerial decisions, level of progress, and stock Journal of Science and Technology Research, 3(3), 211-219.
taking. The system was adaptable enough to accommodate https://doi.org/10.37933/nipes/3.3.2021.21
changes in the future. In order to make the system more
adaptable to future changes, it has been incorporated into Jayanth, S., Poorvi, M. B., and Sunil, M. P. (2016). Inventory
various inventory management system modules. It is management system using iot. Proceedings of the First
recommended that the computerised system created in this International Conference on Computational Intelligence and
study take the place of the manual stock recording and Informatics, Singapore, held on January, 2017.
processing system to make life easier for people.
John, N. E., Etimb, J. J., and Ime, T. U. (2015). Inventory
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