In this article, we will explore the steps involved in setting up Google Forms for inventory management, including how to create a form, integrate it with a spreadsheet, automate data entry, share the form, and monitor inventory levels.
Inventory management is a crucial aspect of any business, as it helps to ensure that there is enough stock to meet customer demand and avoid stockouts. In today’s digital age, many companies are turning to online tools to streamline their inventory management processes.
One such tool is Google Forms, a user-friendly and versatile platform for creating online forms and surveys. Google Forms can be used to track stock levels and product information, making it an ideal tool for inventory management. By the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of how to use Google Forms for effective inventory management.
Steps to Manage Store Inventory with Google Forms & Sheets
Here’s how you can use Google Forms for inventory management:
- Create a form: Start by creating a new Google Form and adding fields to collect information about your inventory items, such as product name, SKU (stock keeping unit) number, quantity, location, and supplier. You can also include fields for tracking the date of purchase and the cost.
For instance, if your business is of stationery products, create a google form, and add questions in google forms for inventory management of stationery products.
Add questions like product name (in short para question type) or the question can be added as MCQ type in which add items like paper, pens, drawing sheets, etc that you sell & want to manage store inventory with Google Forms.
Then, add a description question (if necessary) that allows employees or anyone to explain the product a bit like A4 size color papers, and highlighter pens. Further, add item quantity questions – check-in total & check-out total. And so on, depending upon your business you can add certain questions for inventory management. But above mentioned fields are necessary for every inventory sheet.
You can add logic branching in the form and create sections for every query or item. For example, keep the first field question as a branching question with different options that leads to different sections like add an item, add suppliers, add customers, etc.
- Integrate with a spreadsheet: Once you have created your form, connect it with Google Sheets. Go to the ‘Response’ tab click on the ‘link with sheets’ option and Google will automatically create a spreadsheet to store the responses.
You can use the spreadsheet to manage and analyze your inventory data.
Note* – You can also start the google inventory management process by first creating a spreadsheet and then linking the form with the Sheets. Go to Tools > Create a new form. A new spreadsheet tab with the name ‘Form responses’ will be created, go to the Forms & add fields that’ll be automatically added to the spreadsheet as columns.
- Share the form: Share the form with your team members or anyone who will be responsible for entering inventory information. You can also set up email notifications to receive alerts when a form is submitted.
- Automate data entry: Use the “Formulas” or “Scripts” feature in Google Sheets to automate certain tasks, such as updating stock levels when a new form is submitted or calculating the total value of your inventory.
To update the form with the latest data from the sheet that you’ve added, use ‘Google Scripts’ to update items, status, suppliers, or any field. In the Sheet, you’ll find the scripts under the Extensions option. You’ll have to work through the codes to update the form.
- Monitor inventory levels: Use the data in the spreadsheet to monitor inventory levels and make informed decisions about ordering new products, restocking existing items, or discontinuing slow-moving items.
This is how we can use Google Forms for inventory management. It is easy to use and manage the inventory data in the sheet. If you are a coder then it is also easier to update the form with whatever latest data you’ve entered in the Sheet.
Here’s the way to advance Google Forms
The Extended Forms add-on is a powerful tool that provides additional features and functionalities to Google Forms. Some of the key features include the ability to add a countdown timer, add forms accessibility deadline, online proctor, restore responses’ progress, enhance the team with branding, and more.
The add-on is meant to help users create more sophisticated and dynamic forms beyond the native capabilities of Google Forms. Furthermore, it is also a great add-on that provides users to avail of custom invitation messages, welcome messages, customer support emails, and so forth.
It aims to make it easier for users to create custom and professional-looking forms, and to automate certain tasks related to form submissions.
