INTRODUCTION

The range of items and materials – stocks – which might be held in Stores is huge. The variety and quantity of items and materials held in the Store of a particular enterprise will depend on its size and on its range of activities [1]. What we refer to as stock control comprises mainly the clerical and administrative functions of stock control involves the following: Ensuring that the right types and qualities of items needed for production, sale and distribution, are always available when required, ensuring that stock is issued in the correct sequence, that is, “first in first out”, so that “older” stock is not allowed to deteriorate by being kept too long in the Store, for instance because it has been hidden from view by more recently received stock, maintaining records showing the “movement” of items into and out of the Store, controlling and monitoring those movements and maintaining full records of the items in the Store, ensuring that the correct “stock levels” of the various items are set and are maintained, that orders and reorders are made (or requested to be made) in good time, and that what is ordered is received, checking, counting or otherwise measuring stock to ensure that records are accurate and that no losses are occurring due to pilfering, theft, damage or poor storage, pricing and valuing the items in the Store.

For optimal sales and inventory management process, robust functionality is needed for managing stocks. Warehouse management functions for inventory control cover internal warehouse movements and storage and its support helps in the recording and tracking of materials on basis of both quantity and value [1].

1.1 Theoretical Background

The technology used for the development of the system is database management technology.. Visual Basic 6.0 programming language was used for the interface. Below is an example of source code and rendering:

Private Sub Command1_Click()

‘Add new record code

Adodc1.Recordset.AddNew

Text1.Text = Date$

End Sub

Private Sub Command2_Click()

‘save record

Adodc1.Recordset.Update

MsgBox “SAVED”

Adodc1.Recordset.MoveFirst

End Sub

Private Sub Command3_Click()

‘delete record

On Error GoTo AB

Adodc1.Recordset.Delete

AB:

End Sub

Private Sub Command4_Click()

‘move to next record

On Error GoTo AB

Adodc1.Recordset.MoveNext

AB:

End Sub

Private Sub Command5_Click()

‘Move to previous record

On Error GoTo AB

Adodc1.Recordset.MovePrevious

AB:

End Sub

Private Sub Command6_Click()

‘close form

Unload Me

End Sub

Fig 1.1: Stock Registration form

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Beverly Hill supermarket in Ikot Ekpene does not have an automated system to manage stock and this raises a number of problems such as:

1. The recording of sales and cash received are done manually on a book that appears rough.
2. It is difficult to know when certain items need to be re-stocked. Thus, the books are exposed to physical damage, information can be lost.
3. There is a long list of stock orders waiting to be attended to on daily basis.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of the study is to design and implement a stock management system that will aid track inventory level as stocks are being sold.

The following are the objectives of the study:

1. To track stocks as they are being sold so as to know when to re-order or re-stock
2. To update stock level on a daily basis
3. To generate daily report of inventory when needed.

1.4 Significance of the Study

The significance of the study are:

1. It will help in monitoring stock level so that the firm does not run out of stock.
2. It will aid easy updating of inventory.
3. It will serve as a useful reference material to other scholars.

1.5 Scope of the Study

This research work covers design and implementation of stock management system for supermarket using Beverly Hills super market Ikot Ekpene as a case study.

1.6 Organization of the Research

This research work is organized into five chapters. Chapter one is concerned with the introduction of the research study and it presents the preliminaries, theoretical background, statement of the problem, aim and objectives of the study, significance of the study, scope of the study, organization of the research and definition of terms.

Chapter two focuses on the literature review, the contributions of other scholars on the subject matter is discussed.

Chapter three is concerned with the system analysis and design. It presents the research methodology used in the development of the system, it analyzes the present system to identify the problems and provides information on the advantages and disadvantages of the proposed system. The system design is also presented in this chapter.

Chapter four presents the system implementation and documentation, the choice of programming language, analysis of modules, choice of programming language and system requirements for implementation.

Chapter five focuses on the summary, constraints of the study, conclusion and recommendations are provided in this chapter based on the study carried out