Inventory Tracking: Making The Most Out Of Your Inventory With AI Automation

Transform your supply chain with real-time inventory insights powered by AI. See how smarter tracking cuts costs, increases accuracy, and keeps your business moving forward.

Warehouse management system with innovative internet of things technology for inventory tracking

Inventory tracking is the heartbeat of efficient business operations, bridging the gap between supply and demand with pinpoint accuracy. According to a 2023 Deloitte study, companies with advanced inventory monitoring practices lowered overall holding costs by 25% while also reducing costly stockouts.

Imagine this: For an e-commerce retailer juggling thousands of SKUs, real-time visibility can mean the difference between losing a customer and keeping them for life. Similarly, manufacturers who track every component as it enters and leaves the assembly line can pivot swiftly when a supplier delay or sudden surge in orders strikes.

After all, if you don’t know where your products are at any given moment, you might as well be searching for that last donut in the office break room—it’s probably gone just when you need it most.

Whether you’re in retail, logistics, or production, having up-to-date insights into what’s on your shelves is vital for staying agile, profitable, and one step ahead of the competition. That’s what our article is about! You will find out:

Speed up order fulfillment with automated order processing

Speed up order fulfillment with automated order processing

Accelerate order handling using OrderAction’s robust sales order automation to reduce manual workload. By syncing orders in real time, you’ll keep inventory counts accurate and prevent delays or errors that can frustrate customers and sap resources.

What is Inventory Tracking and Why Should You Care?

Inventory control is the systematic management of stock levels, ensuring the right amount of goods is available at the right time. It involves tracking products from the point they enter a warehouse or store until they are sold or used in production.

By keeping a close watch on how items move and when they need replenishing, businesses can prevent costly stockouts, reduce excess inventory, and respond more effectively to customer demand. According to a 2023 Deloitte study, companies with strong inventory control practices can lower holding costs by up to 25 percent.

In essence, good inventory control safeguards cash flow, maintains customer satisfaction, and supports smoother day-to-day operations.

LEARN MORE: Inventory Turnover: Ratio, Formula, Best Practices

What Are the Signs Your Inventory Tracking System Is Failing You?

Is your warehouse team always scrambling to locate items, or do you find yourself apologizing to customers for stockouts? If so, your inventory tracking system might be on the fritz. In this quick overview, we’ll pinpoint the most telling signs that it’s time to upgrade your approach.

  1. Frequent stock outs or overstocking
     If you’re routinely running out of popular items or storing piles of unsold goods, it’s a clear sign that your system isn’t reflecting real-world stock levels. Both extremes cut into profits—one leads to missed sales, the other ties up capital in dead inventory.
  2. Lack of real-time visibility
     When staff constantly scramble to check physical shelves or wait on email updates before confirming orders, your tracking process is too manual. This not only delays decision-making but also increases the chance of human errors creeping in.
  3. Disconnected data sources
     A failing system often has inventory information scattered across multiple spreadsheets, apps, or departments. Without a single source of truth—like an integrated dashboard—you risk duplicating orders, losing track of shipments, and generally operating in the dark.

Looking for proof that an inventory tracking system can pay for itself? In the following examples, you’ll see how sectors like retail, pharmaceuticals, and even auto parts distribution managed to streamline processes, cut costs, and enhance compliance—all while driving up profitability with inventory management.

Streamline shipping and receiving with docAlpha
docAlpha’s intelligent automation extracts, validates, and syncs data from shipping and receiving documents in real time. Automate stock updates as goods arrive or depart, enhancing inventory accuracy and
operational efficiency.
Book a demo now

Real-Life ROI Proof: How Businesses Succeed with Inventory Tracking

Discover how real companies have translated improved stock visibility into substantial financial gains. From fast-fashion giants to mid-sized electronics retailers, these real-life cases show how effective inventory tracking can deliver a powerful boost to margins and customer satisfaction.

Zara: Faster Turnaround with Inventory Tracking

Zara, a major fast-fashion retailer, is known for leveraging advanced inventory tracking to get new styles from design to storefront in as little as two weeks. According to Forbes, this streamlined approach helped Zara maintain a higher stock turnover rate and reduced costly markdowns. As a result, the brand consistently reports profit margins above the industry average, indicating a strong return on investment for its inventory systems.

Amazon’s Fulfillment Efficiency with Inventory Tracking

Amazon famously invests in robotics and real-time tracking across its warehouses. A 2022 study by the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics found that these automated inventory control measures reduced labor costs by about 20% while accelerating pick-and-pack speeds. In turn, that boosted Amazon’s fulfillment throughput and helped keep shipping promises like same-day or next-day delivery, a direct contributor to revenue growth.

Mid-Sized Electronics Retailer Saves Money with Inventory Tracking

A mid-sized electronics retailer in Germany integrated a real-time inventory tracking system that connected its online platform to physical stores. After one year, the retailer reported a 15% reduction in surplus stock, resulting in lower storage costs and fewer outdated items. Customer satisfaction scores also rose because the system provided reliable product availability information, driving repeat purchases and customer loyalty.

Pharmaceutical Distributor’s Compliance Boost with Integrated Inventory Tracking

A pharmaceutical distributor operating in multiple EU countries implemented an automated inventory tracking system to meet stringent regulations on drug traceability. Within six months, the company noted a 30% drop in compliance-related errors, which previously led to fines and product recalls. By swiftly pinpointing and isolating any batch issues, the distributor saved an estimated six-figure sum in potential penalties, showcasing a clear ROI tied directly to risk mitigation.

FIND OUT MORE: Business Inventory Management: Definition, Methods, Software

Auto Parts Supplier Ups Visibility with docAlpha Integration

An auto parts supplier with a complex catalog of items rolled out a barcoding system integrated with its ERP and docAlpha. The move cut annual inventory write-offs by 25%, thanks to more accurate tracking of parts’ shelf life and locations. That reduction in waste and improved order accuracy had a direct impact on the bottom line, justifying the cost of the tracking system upgrade.

Stay in sync with your ERP — stop chasing spreadsheets
Integrate OrderAction with your ERP so that all order data and inventory levels update in unison. Having a single, unified platform lets you make fast, well-informed decisions based on real-time information.
Book a demo now

Streamlining Inventory Tracking with Artsyl Intelligent Automation

Imagine you’re running a busy distribution center. Trucks roll in and out daily, loaded with goods your customers need—whether they’re retail stores or end consumers. One afternoon, you check your system and notice a sudden mismatch: your ERP says you have a full pallet of products, but the warehouse floor is empty. Cue the frantic emails, phone calls, and a scramble to find inventory that seems to have vanished into thin air.

It’s in moments like these that automated document workflows and real-time ERP updates can feel like lifesavers. According to a 2022 Deloitte survey, nearly 70% of supply chain managers point to inaccurate data as a key contributor to operational bottlenecks, often resulting in inventory miscounts, delayed shipments, or lost revenue.

That’s where Artsyl products, specifically OrderAction and docAlpha, come in—bridging the gap between on-paper (or on-screen) numbers and what’s actually in your warehouse.

How OrderAction Keeps Your Inventory in Line

At its core, OrderAction automates sales order processing so each order is instantly reflected in your ERP system. No more waiting on someone to manually enter updates after lunch or at the end of the day. This real-time precision means fewer surprises when you’re trying to fill rush orders or manage sudden spikes in demand.

Demand-Driven Inventory Updates

Because OrderAction handles large volumes of orders, it quickly identifies purchasing trends. If, for example, there’s a sudden surge in orders for a particular product, you’ll see that data almost immediately. According to a 2023 Supply Chain Management Review, companies that track demand in real time slash their overstock rate by up to 15%.

Seamless Integration

OrderAction integrates with major ERP systems, allowing you to avoid the dreaded “two sets of books” problem. When your order processing and inventory records speak the same language, discrepancies decline dramatically. It’s like having a translator that’s always on standby, making sure your warehouse workers and back-office teams stay in sync.

Where docAlpha Steps In

Think of docAlpha as the eagle-eyed, AI-powered document scanner you’ve always wanted (but of course it’s much more than that!) Purchase orders, shipping documents, and goods receipts all get digitized automatically. This means no more sticky notes or scribbled margins, just accurate data flowing straight into your system.

Inventory Visibility

By automating the capture of receipts and shipping notices, docAlpha maintains a real-time picture of what’s coming in and going out. Ever have a container of goods arrive without proper paperwork? With docAlpha, you can confirm and record shipments on the spot, ensuring your inventory record is truly up to date.

Errors Be Gone

Manual data entry is notorious for typos and lost paperwork. Even a single misplaced digit can throw your stock count off by a mile. docAlpha cuts down on these risks by pulling the key details from your documents and feeding them directly into your inventory system with minimal human intervention.

InvoiceAction for Smarter Inventory Management
Leverage InvoiceAction to connect your AP and inventory workflows. Automate processes, ensure accurate stock levels, and enhance your financial operations.
Transform your AP and inventory workflows today—Request a demo!
Book a demo now

The Big Picture

Together, OrderAction and docAlpha address the core challenges in maintaining reliable inventory records. With fewer data-entry errors, real-time order visibility, and automated document capture, you’re far less likely to end up hunting for “missing” stock or overstocking items nobody wants.

Companies that adopt automated workflows often see a 20% drop in inventory discrepancies in the first quarter alone, according to a 2022 IDC report.

First Steps: An Action Plan

  1. Audit your current process
    Identify where miscounts or slow updates usually occur. Is it during receipt of goods, or when orders are placed? Knowing the bottlenecks helps you plan your automation roadmap.
  2. Set integration priorities
    Pinpoint which ERP modules or data points you need to connect first. Start with the high-traffic areas—like sales orders or incoming deliveries—where mistakes are most frequent.
  3. Configure pilot workflows
    Implement OrderAction and docAlpha on a small scale (e.g., one product line or a single warehouse) to test how real-time visibility and automated document capture work for your operation.
  4. Train your team
    Provide brief but focused training on how to use the automated system. Clarity on what’s changing—and why—can significantly boost adoption and prevent pushback from staff.
  5. Monitor and refine
    Track performance metrics such as order fulfillment accuracy and inventory variance. Use the insights to fine-tune your automations and scale up to other departments or locations.
Sage Contact

Contact Us for an in-depth
product tour!

By following these steps, you can transform inventory headaches into a streamlined, data-driven process. Whether you’re shipping thousands of packages a day or balancing seasonal spikes in demand, the combination of OrderAction and docAlpha gives you the real-time accuracy and document control you need to stay competitive—and keep your stress levels in check.

The result is a smoother flow of goods, fewer discrepancies, and the confidence that your inventory management practices are both scalable and reliable.

READ NEXT: Optimizing Inventory in Manufacturing ERP Systems

Final Thoughts: Transform Your Inventory Tracking, Transform Your Business

Automation in inventory tracking can transform how businesses manage stock levels, streamline order fulfillment, and maintain compliance. By reducing the need for manual data entry, automated systems lower error rates, speed up essential processes, and create a transparent record of every product movement. For companies that want to stay competitive and operationally lean, it’s increasingly clear that automated workflows are no longer a nice-to-have but a strategic necessity.

Practical recommendations for getting started include:

  • Auditing your current data flows to identify the most time-intensive steps
  • Investing in real-time data capture tools that sync with your existing systems
  • Focusing on clear metrics and reporting so you can measure gains and address issues quickly

If you’re ready to explore how automation can make a positive impact on your organization, take a closer look at Artsyl intelligent process automation platform powered by machine learning. You cannot afford to miss on tools designed to boost inventory accuracy and efficiency, making it easier to keep operations on track and your team focused on higher-value tasks.

Simplify Inventory Audits with Automated Record-Keeping
docAlpha’s automated record creation logs shipment origins, stock movements, and updates in real time. Ensure compliance and access inventory records instantly when needed.
Book a demo now

Artsyl

Prevent stockouts and overstocks!

Stop tying up capital in unwanted stock or losing sales to empty shelves. OrderAction’s streamlined order processing feeds clear data into your forecast models. Confidently keep the right amount of inventory on hand.

Gain a crystal-clear record of your goods!
Looking for
Document Capture demo?
Request Demo