INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Project Description and User Experience

1. WHAT THIS SYSTEM IS

Inventory Management is a web application designed for businesses that need to track stock, sales, purchases, and related data in one centralized system.

After logging in, users are presented with a dashboard and a sidebar navigation menu.

What each user can see and access depends on permissions assigned by the administrator.

• Some users may only see a few sections.
• Administrators can access all sections and manage users.

This ensures secure access control and role-based functionality.

2. DUMMY LOGIN FOR TESTING

Username: [email protected]
Password: password

3. FEATURES AND USER FUNCTIONALITY

DASHBOARD

When users open the application, the Dashboard provides a quick overview of system data.

It displays:

• Total number of products
• Low-stock alert count
• Total purchases
• Total sales
• Revenue chart for the last 12 months

The dashboard also shows:

• Products that are running low on stock
• Quick shortcuts to important sections such as:
  • Products
  • Categories
  • Warehouses
  • Suppliers
  • Customers

Only users with dashboard permission can access this page.

CATALOG

Product Types

Users can create product types such as:

• CPU
• Laptop
• Monitor

Each product type can have its own custom attributes, making the product catalog well organized.

Attributes

Attributes can be added to product types.

Examples include:

• RAM
• Processor
• Color

Attribute types include:

• Text
• Number
• Select (dropdown)
• Yes / No

When creating a product, users fill in the values for these attributes.

Multiple attributes can be added at once on the create page.

Categories

Users can create categories and subcategories to organize products.

Categories help with:

• Filtering
• Product organization
• Easier navigation in the catalog

Products

Users can:

• Add products
• Edit products
• View product details
• Delete products

Each product includes:

• Product type
• Category (optional)
• Name
• Price
• Quantity
• Product image (optional)

Users can also define a minimum stock level.

If stock falls to or below this level, the system automatically marks the product as low stock.

Product list features include:

• Search
• Sorting
• Filtering by product type
• Low-stock filter

Products can also be imported using a CSV file.

Only users with product permissions can access this section.

OPERATIONS

Purchases

Purchases represent orders made from suppliers.

Each purchase includes:

• Supplier
• Purchase date
• Product line items
• Quantity
• Unit price

Users can:

• Create purchases
• Edit purchases
• View purchase records
• Print purchase PDF

When a purchase is recorded, stock quantity automatically increases.

Only users with purchase permissions can access this section.

Sales

Users can create sales invoices.

Each sale includes:

• Customer (optional walk-in customer)
• Warehouse
• Date
• Products
• Quantity
• Sale price

During sale creation, the system displays in real time:

• Purchase price
• Current stock
• Remaining quantity
• Profit

Once the sale is saved:

• Stock is automatically reduced

Users can also view sales and print invoices.

Only users with sales permissions can access this section.

Stock Movements

Stock movements provide a complete history of inventory changes, including:

• Purchases
• Sales
• Manual adjustments

Users can also create manual stock adjustments to:

• Increase quantity
• Decrease quantity

These adjustments can optionally be linked to a specific warehouse.

Only users with stock movement permissions can access this section.

Returns

Users can mark products as returned.

Returned products appear in a dedicated Returns section.

Administrators can:

• Add products to returns
• Remove products from returns

Products remain in the returns list until manually removed.

Only users with returns permissions can access this section.

PARTIES

Suppliers

Suppliers represent companies or individuals from whom products are purchased.

Users can:

• Add suppliers
• Edit supplier information
• View supplier details

Suppliers are linked to purchase records.

Only users with supplier permissions can manage suppliers.

Customers

Customers represent individuals or companies who purchase products.

Users can:

• Add customers
• Edit customers
• View customer information

Customers are linked to sales records.

Only users with customer permissions can manage customers.

Warehouses

Warehouses represent storage locations for inventory.

Users can:

• Add warehouses
• Edit warehouses
• View warehouse details

Warehouses are used in:

• Sales
• Stock movements

Only users with warehouse permissions can manage warehouses.

REPORTS

The system provides several business reports, including:

• Sales report (date range filter)
• Purchases report (date range filter)
• Profit and loss report
• Product profit report
• Customer sales summary
• Supplier report

The system also maintains Activity Logs, which record actions performed in the system.

Only users with report and activity log permissions can access these sections.

ADMIN: USERS AND PERMISSIONS

Users with Manage Users permission can access the Users and Permissions section.

Administrators can:

• Create new users
• Assign permissions
• Control system access

New users require:

• Name
• Email
• Password

Administrators can specify which sections each user can access.

Example:

Staff User

• Products
• Sales

Admin User

• Full system access
• Users & Permissions management

When a user logs in, they are automatically redirected to the first section they have permission to access.

Only users with Manage Users permission can access this area.

PROFILE

Every logged-in user can access their profile page.

Users can:

• Update name
• Update email
• Change password

Users can also log out using the sidebar.

User registration can be disabled, allowing only administrators to create new accounts.

USER EXPERIENCE

Users experience the following when using the system:

• Single login access
• Sidebar showing only allowed sections
• Clean layout
  • Sidebar navigation
  • Main content area
  • Card and table-based design

The system provides real-time feedback where needed.

Example:

On the sales page, profit and remaining stock update automatically as users enter:

• Sale price
• Quantity

Additional usability features include:

• Search functionality
• Filters on product lists
• Low-stock indicators
• Product type filters

Product images are:

• Stored securely
• Displayed correctly on detail and edit pages
• Served in a way that works even when servers block direct storage access

When administrators assign permissions to users:

• Unauthorized sections do not appear in the menu
• Direct access to restricted pages is blocked

SUMMARY

The Inventory Management System enables businesses to efficiently manage:

• Product types
• Product attributes
• Categories
• Products
• Purchases
• Sales
• Inventory stock

The system also helps manage:

• Suppliers
• Customers
• Warehouses
• Product returns

Additionally, it provides powerful reports and activity logs for business insights.

Administrators can create users and fully control system access through permissions.

The application is designed for daily business use, focusing on:

• Simplicity
• Security
• Clear user permissions
• Reliable performance on both local and live hosting environments.