METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAINTAINING A COMPUTER-BASED INVENTORY SYSTEM

摘要

A method and system for tracking inventories of items and for purchasing an item for one or more offices is disclosed. In various embodiments, inventory data is received at a central accounting server from each the offices. The central server may maintain an aggregate accounting of the total inventory of the item at each of the offices. Purchases for re-stocking the item may be made by comparing the aggregate accounting to a threshold level and generating a purchase request to a supplier the item when the aggregate accounting falls below a threshold level. In various embodiments, items are scanned in with a hand scanner when the items are received at an office and scanned out when used by the office. The central server may be located on the Internet or another data network to allow businesses to form collectives for purchasing items as a group, or to allow easy access to reports and other data.