The Best RFID Software
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The next generation of information and warehouse management has arrived. Thanks to Radio Frequency ID (RFID), it’s now possible to accurately track inventory in real time with fully automated tools that offer greater efficiency, accountability, and management capabilities. No matter the amount of inventory or the size of the warehouse, RFID helps streamline operations while saving money.
This guide will provide you with information on the following topics:
What Is RFID Software?
RFID software enables the tracking of an items physical attributes, such as its location, value, and service history. Unlike a traditional inventory system that only tracks movements, locations, and stock counts, RFID software captures additional data points for better insights and tracking capabilities.
RFID software handles the two physical components of an RFID system:
- RFID tags are physical tracking devices that contain data and a wireless antenna. Depending on their application, an RFID tag can vary in its size, internal components, and particular usage. RFID tags are often optimized for particular products, like labels for consumer goods, smaller tags for jewelry, and large tags for machinery.
- RFID readers detect radio frequencies to track and analyze an RFID tag’s data. Like RFID tags, RFID readers come in a variety of different formats. Retail environments commonly use handheld RFID scanners to track inventory, for example, whereas warehouses often install RFID readers at entry and exit points. RFID readers can operate at different frequencies that read data at different distances, which can inform the type of RFID reader is the best application for an organization.
Features of RFID Software
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Read-Write Data | RF tags store plenty of rich information about the product it’s attached to. This data can anything the owner wants, such as identifying information, it’s history, inspections done, and more. This data can also be edited rather easily. |
| Automatic Identification | Scanners can read the held data electronically with no human action needed. Readers can be set up at fixed points or scanned via portable readers that employees can scan wherever they may be. |
| Multiple tag readers | Compared to barcode readers, which can only scan one item at a time, RF scanning points can collect data from a large number of tags at once, which allows passing multiple items through checkpoints much more efficient. |
Benefits of RFID Software
When integrated with a CRM or ERP system, RFID software goes beyond basic inventory management to offer a comprehensive range of tracking, monitoring, and asset management solutions, including the following:
| Benefit | Definition |
|---|---|
| Continuous inventory and asset tracking | RFID tracking is a passive system that doesnt require active inventory scanning. Because RFID tracking happens continuously, RFID software can carry out queries immediately to determine item information. |
| Automated location monitoring | RFID tags and scanners make it possible to automatically know the location of inventory items. An automated process to keep track of inventory frees up valuable resources to focus on production, fulfillment, and customer service. |
| Real-time material insights | Because RFID software reports status in real time, inventory managers and warehouses can take advantage of an accurate view of inventory status in real time. RFID software also makes it possible to run a just-in-time (JIT) inventory management system to help streamline fulfillment. |
| Procurement forecasting | In tandem with a sales management system, RFID software can determine exactly how many items a location has on hand, as well as supplies that need to be ordered to fulfill existing orders. |
| Improved order status monitoring | RFID software provides time-to-completion updates that provide accurate fulfillment times. When incorporated into a manufacturing environment, RFID software can also track the status and amount of work completed on an item throughout the manufacturing process. |
| Enhanced inventory accountability | Detailed and complete history of inventory location enables RFID software to track how inventory moves throughout the business. This enables manufacturers, retailers, and warehouses to gain more insights into their flow of materials and products and ultimately identify bottlenecks in the fulfillment process. |
| Shrink reduction | RFID tags have been adopted by retail environments to help reduce shrink, or assist in loss prevention. RFID scanners can identify precise items that triggered an alarm. In manufacturing and distribution environments, RFID software also makes it possible to prevent the theft or loss of equipment, inventory, or tools. |
| Better asset management | While RFID software is frequently associated with inventory tracking, its also a powerful and comprehensive tool for asset tracking. In an office environment, for example, RFID chips or tags can be embedded in ID badges, employee vehicles, or office equipment. |
What Does Your Business Need?
While it may seem like RFID software is made for large-scale inventory management or manufacturing environments, its applications can be extended to businesses of any size:
- Small businesses might not need RFID software to track each and every asset on hand. Instead, RFID tags can be applied to a small business’s most valuable assets, with additional RFID tags incorporated over time.
- Medium-sized businesses can use RFID software to track the inventory status of any item equipped with an RFID tag. This enables greater transparency throughout the inventory management process and can help speed up product fulfillment.
- Large businesses can apply RFID tags to manufacturing equipment, vehicles, and tools, enabling the operation to gain greater transparency into every tracked item’s status and location. RFID tags can also be used to monitor an asset’s acquisition date, end-of-life date, or repair and maintenance history.
Not every small, medium, or large business has the same software needs, which is why it’s important to choose the right piece of RFID software for an organization.
Examples of Popular Software
Depending on the size or scope of your business, determining the right software solution can be difficult. If you’re just beginning your search for RFID software, here are two popular solutions:
- BSI RFID Inventory offers a complete inventory control solution built using RFID from the ground up. Spreadsheets of RFID tags can be imported to account for inventory, allowing the RFID tags to be tracked and reported. BSI RFID Inventory can be fully integrated with the financial transition capabilities of an ERP system.
- Fishbowl Inventory meets the needs of companies that have outgrown the capabilities of QuickBooks Inventory. When integrated with QuickBooks, Fishbowl Inventory takes over inventory control to enable RFID tracking across multiple locations.
Common Pain Points
Warehouses and inventory managers adopt RFID software in order to streamline the inventory tracking process.
- The slowness of traditional barcode scanning. When relying on barcode scanners, each item must be scanned and checked out in order to account for its location and status. This process is incredibly slow, requiring an employee to physically coordinate the checking in and out of items.
- Less accountability, security, and traceability. Barcode scanning cannot account for an item’s status after it’s checked out; if an object simply containing a barcode goes missing, there’s no way to automatically track down its location. When using barcode scanners, inventory management processes have less accountability, security, and traceability.
Trends in RFID Software
Advances in technology and new comprehensive features are driving the adoption of RFID software:
- RFID has many surprising uses. The technology is not only found in a supply chain warehouse distribution situation. Amusement parks can offer no-swipe ticket passes, and retail stores can operate as a cashierless, checkout-free processes which offers a futuristic view into how we may handle our retail shopping moving forward. RFID is also leading to a 100% inventory coverage scenario in the retail industry, and can even help increase worker safety on the construction site.
- Advanced inventory management capabilities. Many users choose RFID software to replace older inventory management solutions like barcode scanning. As such, most RFID software solutions not only replicate the basic functionality of barcode scanning, but also full integration with RFID tags, scanners, and other Internet-of-things (IoT) devices makes inventory management a seamless experience.
- Migration to cloud software. RFID software enables manufacturers to add cloud capabilities to their inventory management process. Whether it’s part of a complete ERP replacement or a standalone solution, cloud-based RFID software enables users to manage inventory and track assets easily over the internet.
- QuickBooks integration. Users who outgrow QuickBooks’s basic inventory management capabilities choose RFID software integrations for an improved inventory management experience.
Software Integration
While an RFID system is great for tracking basic item information and the location of your inventory/assets, the true scope of the system is amplified when integrated with your ERP and CRM systems. Integration propagates data necessary for a variety of business uses including order tracking and financial asset reporting.
Integration with your CRM software can be a game changer in your business. Imagine your company sells a serviceable product. When your technician goes to service that product, the RFID system will allow him to read the service history and quickly determine the right course of action. Maintaining detailed service histories presents a wealth of business information that can be applied to customer up- and cross-selling.
Taking the Next Steps
RFID systems are complex, however, finding the right vendor and right solution does not need to be complex. Whether you are looking for an add on to your current system or a complete ERP system with RFID functionality, we can help. Through a brief phone call, our software specialists will look to better understand your business and software needs to help you locate the most relevant solutions for your requirements. Get started today!