See what inventory management changes at your institution
Before vs. after adding inventory management to iVake
Where you are today
Holding you back
Each department its own stock sheet
One lab has boxes of slides on the shelf while another orders more, because nobody can see stock across stores.
Pain point
Issues signed in a register, or not at all
When the annual stock verification finds gaps, nobody can tell whether items were lost, broken, issued or miscounted.
Pain point
Expiry dates in a sheet nobody updates
Reagents and consumables pass their dates unnoticed and are thrown away at the next shelf check.
Pain point
Shortages found at an empty shelf
By the time stock runs out, the only option left is an urgent local purchase at a higher price.
Pain point
- 3+Stock registers kept separately
- 2+Times each issue is written down
- WeeksFor the annual stock verification
Your institution, transformed
Everything connected
Every store in one view
Stock at each campus, store, lab and shelf is visible to the people allowed to see it, before anyone orders more.
Solved
Every movement scanned
Receipts, issues, transfers and returns are recorded with the item, quantity, department and staff member.
Solved
Expiry flagged in advance
Batches carry their expiry dates, and the lab is warned before they lapse.
Solved
Indents raised at the reorder level
When stock falls to the level you set, an indent goes to purchasing in time for normal delivery.
Solved
- 1Stock record across every store
- 0Separate department stock sheets
- Same dayStock position after each movement
Ready to make the switch? See how it works for your institution.
Stock visible across every building and campus
When supplies sit in many stores and nobody has one view of what is where, duplicate buying and expired stock follow.
- Campuses, buildings, stores, rooms, racks and bins set up as a hierarchy, so each item has a place
- Quantities update as receipts, issues, transfers and adjustments are scanned
- Storage areas tagged for conditions such as cold storage, hazardous materials or restricted access
Reordering that prevents shortages and urgent purchases
Urgent local purchases cost more and are usually avoidable. When falling stock is noticed while there is still time for normal delivery, the order goes through the usual route at the usual price.
- Each item carries a reorder level and a safety margin, and an indent is raised when available stock reaches it
- Supplier lead times set so the indent goes early enough for normal delivery
- Suggested order quantities from past use, rather than repeating the last order
Traceability from receipt to use to disposal
Without a history of every movement, a gap found at verification has no explanation. With one, it can be traced to the day, the store and the person.
- Barcode or QR scans for every receipt, issue, transfer, return and adjustment, with time, department and staff member
- Batch tracking for chemicals and consumables, so a recalled batch is found across stores in one search
- Serial numbers for laptops, projectors and lab instruments, with the user, purchase date, warranty and location
Inventory management features
Everything you need to manage stock effectively
Item catalogue
Items with descriptions, specifications, suppliers and storage needs.
Categories
Items grouped by type, from lab consumables to uniforms and IT equipment.
Units of measure
Bought by the carton and issued by the piece, with the conversion kept.
Barcodes & QR codes
Labels printed, and scanned from a phone for every movement.
Stock reports
Stock value, consumption by department and slow-moving items.
Stock requests & approvals
Departments request from the central store, with the approvals you set.
Audit trail
Every receipt, issue, transfer and adjustment logged with who made it and the previous value.
Rollout support
Stores, items and opening balances set up, with a written rollout plan.
Frequently asked questions
Get answers to common questions about inventory management
How are lab chemicals with storage and disposal rules handled?
Each item can record its storage needs and hazard category, and each storage area records what it is suited for. A transfer to an unsuitable area is stopped, with the reason shown. Batches link to their safety data sheets and expiry dates, and disposal is recorded with the batch, quantity, method and date, so the chain from receipt to disposal can be followed.
Can staff at one campus see stock held at another?
Yes, if their role allows it. A search shows quantities at every store, and a transfer can be requested from the results. The sending store confirms dispatch and the receiving store confirms receipt, so both counts stay right without phone calls.
Does this replace the annual stock verification?
It changes what the verification involves. Cycle counts can be scheduled through the year by value, movement or location, with high-value items counted more often. Staff scan and enter what they find, and differences are flagged while they are recent enough to trace, so the annual verification becomes a check on figures already kept up to date.
How does stock connect to purchasing and accounts?
Stock, purchasing and accounts share one platform. An indent raised at a reorder level goes straight into the purchase approval route, goods received update stock at the receiving store, and stock issued is charged to the department that took it. The day book and ledgers export to Tally or Zoho Books.
Can heads of department see only their own stock and spending?
Yes. Access is set by campus, department and role. A head of department sees their department’s stock, requests, consumption and spending against budget, not other departments’. A lab in-charge can also see batches, expiry dates and safety data sheets for their lab.
Can hostel mess and uniform stores run on the same system?
Yes. Any store can be set up with its own items and staff, whether it holds mess provisions, uniforms and books, sports equipment or IT spares. Each keeps its own counts, and management sees them together.
How long does it take to set up?
Stock goes live with the rest of iVake: roughly four weeks for a school, six to eight for a university or a group with several campuses. Stores and items are imported from your registers or spreadsheets, reorder levels are set, barcode labels are printed, and an opening count at each store sets the starting balances.
Cloud, hosted in your region
REST API & webhooks- SSO: Google, Microsoft & SAML
- Encrypted, backed up daily
Built for the DPDP Act- Full security details
Built for your institution type
See how this feature works for your specific institution
CBSE, ICSE & state-board schoolsBooks, uniforms and stationery stores on one record
UniversitiesStores across campuses, with transfers between them
Degree collegesLab consumables with batches and expiry dates
ITIs, polytechnics & skill centresWorkshop tools and consumables tracked per batch
Residential & international schoolsMess provisions and hostel supplies with reorder levels
Professional collegesHazardous and cold-storage chemicals tracked by batch
Integrations, comparisons & tools
Extend inventory management with integrations, see how iVake compares, and run the numbers
Related features
Purchase Management
Indents checked against budget, approved and turned into purchase orders.
Accounting
Ledgers and journals, with the day book exported to Tally or Zoho Books.
Asset Management
Equipment requests and assets tracked from purchase to disposal.
Expense Management
Staff claims from a phone, checked against policy and budget head.
Canteen Management
Campus dining, from menus and counters to the stock behind them.
Campus Facilities
Hostel rooms, halls and facilities managed on the student record.
More in finance & administration
Explore other features in this category
Ready to transform your inventory management?
See how iVake keeps every store, lab and campus on one stock record, so shortages are seen before the shelf is empty.
Try it free for 30 days. No credit card required.