Improving Inventory Control Through a Web-Based System in a Retail Company

1. Introduction

Commercial companies in the retail sector now manage their product inventory through data analysis and visualization tools in the logistics field. Web-based systems have become a priority for organizations seeking valuable information about product characteristics, including quantity, name, brand, and supplier.^1,2 The selected web-based system facilitates the management of data acquired during the execution of inventory control activities in the logistics field.^3,4

The web system can efficiently manage data as it is stored on a web server, making it easily accessible rather than relying on local resources.^5,6 The platform offers a versatile and adaptable framework that allows establishments to securely store significant quantities of data and access it from any point.^7,8 The advantages of cloud technology include reduced costs, scalable resources that can be quickly accessed as required, and improved data accessibility, which facilitates the analysis and processing of large amounts of information.^9,10

In this context, the web-based tool presents a compelling proposal for enhancing inventory management.^11,12 The process involves visually depicting functions, data, statistical graphs, and tables, and presenting inventory precision and stock turnover rate indicators in a clear and understandable manner through user actions on web system interfaces that generate reports.^13,14

The findings of Ref. 15 demonstrate that the laboratory company faced challenges in managing the inputs utilized in their activities, requiring implementation of an application to enhance data collection for logistical control of chemicals used in their operations. Furthermore, according to Ref. 16, proposes efficient techniques for storing pharmaceutical inventory control records in an internet-based platform to facilitate queries on the quantity of medication stocked at the logistics department. According to research conducted by Ref. 17, employees working in the logistics department of the medical consortium are responsible for managing the data related to their collected supplies from various suppliers. As a solution, they suggest implementing a web-based system to organize and improve accessibility of the data for the employees. Finally, a web-based system was developed by Ref. 18, and deployed on a web server to streamline communication of relevant material and merchandise data amongst departments of the construction company.

The above studies demonstrate the positive effect of implementing this tool in inventory control on key performance indicators, specifically the stock turnover rate and inventory precision rate; this facilitates comprehension of the results and enables informed decision-making within the chain of command.^19,20

However, it is imperative that the scientific community conducts research to demonstrate the latest inventory control features. This will ascertain how retail companies in the city of Huaraz can enhance their inventory control through the incorporation of a web-based system. The research should address security concerns, overcome interoperability challenges, and overcome the limitations inherent in the current technological infrastructure. Further research is necessary to determine the efficacy of the internet-based system in managing incoming and outgoing goods, given the significant volume of data that must be effectively managed via a database, while also enabling easy access to said data.

The current research aims to bridge the knowledge gap by presenting the advantages of implementing and executing a web system for inventory control. It analyses how this web system enhances the outcomes of the inventory control indicators mentioned earlier in the field of logistics.

Thus, the aim of this investigation was to implement and launch a web-based platform within the logistics sector of ROBLEPLAST S.A.C. in Huaraz. The platform would enable visualisation of outcomes acquired through the inventory precision rate and the stock rotation rate for every product within the logistics area.

This study is beneficial for inventory control, offering timely and pertinent data on each product’s quantity, frequency of restock, and percentage deviation from the amount recorded in the online system. Moreover, it aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 9, which emphasises sustainable technological advancement and enhanced labour productivity.

2. Methods

This section outlines the components and use of the Extreme Programming approach incorporated in the creation of the inventory control system for the web.⁴⁴

2.2 Operation

The web-based inventory control system was created following the Extreme Programming methodology, which involves four main phases: planning, designing, coding, and testing.²⁴ In addition, the project utilised Hypertext Preprocessor as the programming language, HyperText Markup Language as the mark-up language, MySQL as the database manager, and cascading style sheets for visual development.

Figure 1 illustrates the sequence of procedures devised within the methodology.

Figure 1. Phases of the Extreme Programming methodology.

Phase 1. Planning

A set of criteria has been established.

• • Creation and identification of users. For each user to log in with their email and password to the web system to the respective interfaces according to their operational position.

• • Record and manage data about products and suppliers. Save data about products (name, brand, quantity) and suppliers (brand).

• • Calculate and represent in table and statistical graph the result of the inventory accuracy rate of each of the 50 products. Calculate by entering the start and end date to calculate the average of the results within the time interval; The percentage will then be plotted on a bar chart.

• • Calculate and represent in table the result of the stock turnover rate of each of the 50 products. Calculate by entering the start and end date to calculate the average of the results within the time interval; the percentage will then be plotted on a bar chart.

• • Enable the capability to retrieve data on a particular product through a query function.

• • Provide an instance to export the table into PDF format for report drafting. A button with its corresponding icon will be available to enable the screen table’s content’s exportation for report drafting.

Roles were assigned for the software development project of “Web system for inventory control”. Table 1 shows the roles and the name of the person in charge.

Table 1. Roles for web system development.

Roles	Assigned to
Developers	Aguedo León Cristhian Vladimir Espinoza Miranda José Smit
Customer	Maribel Nancy Villanueva Romero
Tester	Hellen Carranza Ocrospoma
Consultant	Eida Mabel Medina Ramos

User stories were developed as a fundamental basis for developing web system interfaces for inventory control.

The Table 2 provides a detailed user story for the development of an interface to calculate the inventory accuracy rate of each product.

Table 2. User Story - Inventory Precision Rate Calculation Addendum.

User story
Number: HU-5	User: Administrator and Client User
Story Name: Add Inventory Precision Rate Calculation
Priority: High	Risk: Medium
Estimated Points: 5	Task Assignment: First task
Responsible developers: Aguedo León Cristhian Vladimir Espinoza Miranda José Smit
Description: The interface includes fields for entering the product code and the start and end dates of the period, as well as buttons for calculating the average of the inventory accuracy results obtained by the product during the period entered, and for saving the result to the database.
Remarks: Only users who are defined in the system can perform this function.

Table 3 outlines the user story to create an interface for computing the stock turnover rate of each product.

Table 3. User Story - Stock Turnover Rate Calculation Addendum.

User story
Number: HU-6	User: Administrator and Client User
Story Name: Add Stock Turnover Rate Calculation
Priority: High	Riesgo: Medium
Estimated points: 5	Task Assigned: Second Task
Responsible developers: Aguedo León Cristhian Vladimir Espinoza Miranda José Smit
Description: The interface will feature input fields to describe the product, record its initial and final quantity alongside the start and end dates of the period. Additionally, there will be buttons to calculate the total output, the mean stock quantity, and the rate of stock turnover, followed by saving the resulting values in the database.
Remarks: Only users who are defined in the system can perform this role.

Figure 2 shows the entity-relationship diagram made up of tables representing the entities and their attributes that together are part of the database structure.

Figure 2. Entity-relationship diagram of the database connected to the web system.

Phase 2. Design

The interface design was created utilizing cascading style sheets syntax within the Bootstrap²⁵ framework. The development of the interface was further tested on the web browser, Brave.²⁶

Figure 3 shows the cascading style sheets syntax for the presentation of the dashboard interface.

Figure 3. Cascading style sheets code for Dashboard Interface.

Figure 4 depicts the dashboard interface of the online inventory management system in the Brave browser, which displays statistical graphs of the inventory control indicators.

Figure 4. Web-based system dashboard for inventory control.

Phase 3. Codification

We developed the Hypertext Preprocessor based coding in conjunction with JavaScript and structured query language syntax for inventory control operations, including stock turnover, inventory precision, product registration, supplier registration, and operator access data registration.

Figure 5 shows the JavaScript code to confirm that all data in the “product” form is entered.

Figure 5. Representation of the JavaScript code to validate that all the data in the product form is complete.

Figure 6 illustrates the Hypertext Preprocessor code containing a structured query language statement for efficient registration of product-related data.

Figure 6. Function code to register product in MySQL statement.

Phase 4. Testing

The acceptance test was developed for each interface to be analysed, such as the interface called “inventory precision rate” and the corresponding “stock rotation” interface, where the result is acceptable for the interface to become part of the final software product.

Table 4 gives details of the acceptance test to which the interface inventory precision rate was analysed.

Table 4. Acceptance test for precision rate interface.

Acceptance test
Item No: PA-5	User Story No.: HU-5
Story Name: Accuracy Rate Calculation Appendix.
Execution conditions: The system administrator or user belonging to the logistics area who wants to perform this function must be logged in to the web system.
Input/Execution Steps: Each system user must complete the “inventory precision rate” form by entering the product code, as well as the start and end dates of the evaluation period. They should then click on the calculate button to obtain the average inventory precision rate for the relevant product, before clicking on the save button to record the result in the database.
Expected result: Inventory accuracy rate on the product viewed and displayed correctly.
Evaluation: The test was successfully completed.

Table 5 gives details of the acceptance test to which the stock rotation rate interface was analysed.

Table 5. Acceptance testing for the stock turnover rate interface.

Acceptance test
Item No: PA-6	User Story No.: HU-6
Story Name: Add Stock Turnover Rate Calculation.
Execution conditions: The system administrator or user belonging to the logistics area who wants to perform this function must be logged in to the web system.
Input/Execution Steps: Any user with access to the system will fill in the form called “stock rotation rate” with the name of the product, then calculate the sum of the issues by entering the start and end date, then enter the start and end quantity of the product to calculate the average quantity, and finally click the calculate button to obtain the rotation rate for the product in question and click the save button to save the result.
Expected result: Stock turnover rate on the product consulted and displayed correctly.
Evaluation: The test was successfully completed.

Furthermore, every interface was executed on a local server utilizing the XAMPP²⁷ software, with each interface being programmed to provide an alert verifying the execution of actions.

The Figure 7 displays the interface of the XAMPP program operating on the Apache server, along with the MYSQL database manager.

Figure 7. Running XAMPP software.

The Figure 8 shows the interface where the result of the stock rotation rate on the product Ajicero is displayed within the period from 05/05/2023 to 07/07/2023. In section (a) you can see the notification confirming the successful filtering, so in each interface of the web system confirmation notifications have been implemented so that the user can see that his action was successful.

Figure 8. Stock Rotation Rate Interface.

3. Use case

In this section, we present the interfaces where you can see the scores that the products have obtained in terms of the inventory accuracy rate and inventory turnover rate indicators.

Use case 1: Inventory control web system dashboard

Figure 9 illustrates the dashboard interface comprising two sections, (a) and (b). The first section presents bar charts representing the inventory precision rate, while the second section displays the stock turnover rate.

Figure 9. Inventory control system dashboard.

Input: Accessing the Board view.

Output: Dashboard interface.

Use case 2: Product entry and ordering interface

Figure 10 displays the interface for registering the quantity of products entering the logistics region. The form requires the entry of the product name, quantity of entry, transaction code, and supplier details.

Figure 10. Product entry interface.

Input: Access the Income view.

Output: Product entry form.

Use case 3: Product ordering interface

Figure 11 displays the user interface of the form utilized to record the amount of merchandise exiting the logistics section and entering commercial premises. It entails input of the product name, order quantity, carrier name, and purpose of product withdrawal from the logistics area.

Figure 11. Stock turnover rate results.

Input: Access to the “Order” view.

Output: Order entry form.

Use case 4: Inventory accuracy rate results search interface

Figure 12 depicts the form interface which requires entry of the product description and the start and end dates, providing a display of the inventory precision rate achieved by the product.

Figure 12. Inventory precision rate results interface.

Input: Access to the view “Inventory Accuracy Rate - Consolidated”.

Output: Inventory Precision Rate Results Form.

Use case 5: Stock Turnover Index results search interface

Figure 13 presents the interface of the form for inputting the product description alongside the start and end date of the specified period. This will subsequently filter and display the achieved stock rotation rate of the respective product.

Figure 13. Stock Turnover Rate Results Interface.

Input: Access to the “Stock Rotation Index” view.

Output: Stock Turnover Rate Results Form.

5. Discussions

Figure 9 presents the dashboard which displays essential data regarding the product quantity and its performance concerning all indicators in both sections (a and b); these indicators are depicted via bar graphs. Moreover, the dashboard provides a concise and up-to-date overview of processed data, facilitating the analysis of results for report generation and communication within the logistics department’s chain of command. This advantage is reinforced by Ref. 28 because considers that the dashboard gives a summary view, and you don’t need to be looking inside the system to get what is already in sight. Similarly, the dashboard data as per Ref. 29 provides a means to make informed decisions quickly based on the data presented. And finally Ref. 30, states that the dashboard is a source of strategic communication for employees to aim for the same goal to improve the outcome of the indicators.

Figure 10 illustrates the digital system’s format to register product entries into the logistics zone, allowing for efficient data entry and minimizing errors on the completion of the form. This is reinforced by Ref. 31, as the digital tool is accessible from any internet-connected device and enables efficient time management when carrying out the activity. Furthermore Ref. 32, states that submitting the form digitally can result in savings on office supplies. Finally Ref. 33, believed that the digital form accelerates the registration process, enhancing the administrative relationship with suppliers who will then experience better quality services in receiving their products.

Figure 11 displays the webpage form for recording product exits from the logistics area for onward transfer to the shopping centre. This facilitates the registration of the product quantity to enable tracking, which is critical for managing stock levels and placing appropriate orders with suppliers. This is corroborated by the statement from Ref. 34 says that the order process in a form involves data security as well as control over the quantity of products that are ordered. Furthermore, according to Ref. 35, the clarity of communication is heightened as all operators involved in product output are aware of the exact products being handled in real-time. Finally, according to Ref. 36, saving information in the web system form assigns responsibility to the operators for carrying out actions and tracking products to identify losses or thefts and take appropriate measures.

Figure 12 displays an interface that enables users to filter the precision rate of inventory findings by product name and date. This functionality allows users to observe the product’s trend over time. In this regard, Ref. 37 asserts that implementing a filtering feature with date and product name options would facilitate result retrieval, allowing for clear insight into inventory management. Furthermore, as pointed out by Ref. 38, it is imperative to resolve any issues identified during the analysis of results to enhance the scheduling of product sourcing. Finally, according to Ref. 39, the results consistently indicate the need to take action to enhance the interoperability of employees for improved outcomes.

Figure 13 displays an interface that permits the filtering of stock rotation rate outcomes by product name. In addition, one can enter dates as another filter option, thereby permitting an observation of trends in the frequency of product ordering and replenishing within the logistics domain. According to Ref. 40, the results presented enable the assessment of the efficacy of product ordering. Furthermore, according to Ref. 41, analysing trends enables the assessment of product demand. Conclusively, according to Ref. 42, the interface’s results enhance the market strategy for products exhibiting high and low performance within a particular duration.

6. Conclusions

The study resulted in the creation of a web-based inventory management system with a focus on stock control, comprising both inbound and outbound movements of goods. The inventory of products within the logistics sector was closely examined, with special attention given to the indicators of precision and stock turnover rates. Data was collected on each product to determine its efficacy. In brief, the developed software application is aligned with inventory control optimisation as it allows for comparison of results on the same product and demonstrates improvement.

For future research, it is advisable to investigate alternative tools and methods for presenting and handling data related to additional indicators included in inventory control. This would enhance the web system’s functionality and augment its performance.