Inventory Management software

[hans]

I've been using PartKeepr in the last few years for parts inventory management, but I'm getting more frustrated with all the odd bugs, the horrors of an overengineered PHP application, and odd issues with the GUI. In addition, since it looks like it's basically unmaintained at this point (last release is almost 4yrs old), I decided I need an alternative instead of fixing the server everytime my docker host reboots.

My demands aren't very high. I basically want to search/index the parts that I've and where they are stored. I don't really need CAD tool integration, but if it supports KiCad/Altium that's nice. Importing parts from BOM or invoices could be a nice to have. My most important requirement is self hosted though, because I don't like dependencies on the cloud (I fear that will inevitably push towards subscriptions at some point).

So what do you guys use, apart from perhaps an Excel sheet?
I've been thinking about coding some tool myself, but honestly that will only lead to the same maintenance problems down the line.

[nctnico]

I have been using MS Access for over 2 decades. You can create all kinds of forms with it as well.

[brichards42]

I also used Partkeepr until it stopped being supported.  I switched to using Tryton, https://www.tryton.org/. WAY overkill and took a lot of time to get set up but it works well for me.  Very handy feature for parts tracking is the attributes feature.

Big downside is the documentation is really lacking.

[hans]

MS access.. I guess that could work, but I tend not to use Windows that much.. and it's nice to have access from Linux/Mac when I'm doing assembly/tinkering/coding work.

Tryton looks interesting but also looks very overkill indeed. I'll give it a spin to see how quick it converges to (in)sanity.

[serveln]

I've been using InvenTree for some time, and is pretty good (https://inventree.readthedocs.io/en/latest/). Is free and OpenSource, they also provide a Android APP, which is pretty cool when your are looking for a component. It is meant for hobbyist or small companies. The android app is paid though.

[Avelino Sampaio]

hans

I recently offered here on the forum an application made in MS Access, intended for DIY folks. One of the participants (German) also offered an application, called EpartStocker, which seemed to be free and very complete.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/a-small-(open-source)-inventory-control-application-using-ms-access/25/

[HendriXML]

My demands aren't very high. I basically want to search/index the parts that I've and where they are stored. I don't really need CAD tool integration, but if it supports KiCad/Altium that's nice. Importing parts from BOM or invoices could be a nice to have. My most important requirement is self hosted though, because I don't like dependencies on the cloud (I fear that will inevitably push towards subscriptions at some point).

I made https://github.com/HendriXML/KiCad-BOM-reporter which with a bit of setup makes good use of PartKeepr data.
Internally it kind of restructures PartKeepr data so it can do specification matching of KiCad schematic components.
This is partly done by placing parameters in an ini-file format by (mis)using category descriptions. And let that data be inherited by components.

The reason I still stay with PartKeepr is that it runs on a Nas, and is accessible on al my devices and because I invested in them BOM scripts. However I find PartKeepr very unbalanced. It seems more like a showcase what can be done with a certain framework, than a project that was feature/usability driven. Better a lousy UI and a solid datamodel, than the other way around.

[HendriXML]

In my view the basis of an inventory management system should mostly be specification management. Those should be created with ease and with inheritance of data and without unneeded redundancy. Those should searchable using different parameters. On those entities (designed) components could then be added. On designed components physical components could be added, those have an amount, price, location.

[hans]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I still have to try Inventree.. I don't need the paid phone app, because I've a lab PC right next to storage.

I won't be using a MS access application. Personally I don't even have the MS Office suite anymore, and since I don't run Windows as main OS, don't intend to do so neither.

@HendriXML
The KiCad BOM export tool sounds interesting. I do agree with your comments about Partkeepr. For me the app feels like an overbuilt tech demo that never received enough attention to mature into a stable and dependable application. I really want to rid it out of my toolbox because it has been so unreliable. I've got faulty server starts once a month when I update and reboot my Docker VM, and on other occassions I have been unable to logon the web interface even though I was using the correct user credentials (the GUI also rarely triggers the credentials remember prompt in FF - something for an intranet tool that IMO doesn't even need a login page, would be quite handy if it worked...).

In my view the basis of an inventory management system should mostly be specification management. Those should be created with ease and with inheritance of data and without unneeded redundancy. Those should searchable using different parameters. On those entities (designed) components could then be added. On designed components physical components could be added, those have an amount, price, location.

Well that's what I run for Altium (and possibly other CAD tools if I switch) right now. It's a program I wrote 8+ years ago when I had a lot more of my younger energy flowing and just did things, even though time invest/return ratio would be a bit off. This application basically indexes my own Altium library symbols/footprints, tracks info from Octopart and organizes supplier pricing, datasheet and CAD information. I could add project/BOM/inventory stock management, but I'm afraid that will require a lot of maintenance and time to do so.
Also the application is written in C#.NET. Since I design PCBs with Altium in a Win VM, it's fine to use that C# application alongside it. But in the mindset of side-grading to KiCad, and therefore enabling a Linux-only experience, I don't really feel that inclined to invest a lot more devtime in a C# application..

I'll see if I have some time later this week to try out Inventree. This week has been kind of hectic so hadn't been able to get around to it.