Member Avatar for Zahid_6

Hi there,

I am running a small business and want to build a database in Access. To keep record or my stock, invoice and payments (inward/outwards).

Can you guys help me with it.

I am not expert wih access but know a little of it.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by zahidmehmood

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For a small confectionery distributor that receives stock from a supplier, takes orders through a sales team, issues invoices (cash and short weekly credit) and needs inventory plus sales reports, there are two sensible routes: buy a purpose-built package (less work, mature reporting) or build a tailored Access solution (flexible, lower licence cost). This echoes points made by and and the template suggestion from . A custom Access app can work well, but only with a clear data model, transaction-based stock tracking, and careful multi-user planning.

Minimum data model to cover inventory, invoicing and payments:

  • Products: SKU, description, pack/size, cost, price, expiry/batch info.
  • Suppliers: contact, lead times.
  • Customers: billing/delivery addresses, credit terms.
  • PurchaseReceipts (stock in): supplier, date, qty, cost, batch.
  • SalesOrders / Shipments: order header + OrderLines (product, qty, price).
  • Invoices: link to shipments/orders, invoice total, status.
  • Payments: invoice_id, date, amount, method.
  • StockAdjustments / AuditLog: adjustments, returns, reason, user.

Design notes and cautions: record every stock movement (receipts, sales, returns, adjustments) and calculate on-hand from those transactions rather than relying on a single stored field that can drift. Keep payments in a dedicated table linked to invoices so aging reports are accurate. Avoid trying to re-create full double-entry accounting inside Access unless experienced—export summarized data to accounting software if formal books are required.

Access-specific and rollout tips: split the database (back-end tables on a server, front-end forms/queries per workstation), add transaction logging and regular backups, prototype the key reports (stock levels, AR aging, top-10 products, sales by rep) before building forms, and test with a month of real transactions to reconcile results. When ordering a custom build (see ), supply a process map, sample product list and example invoices so the developer can scope transactions and reports correctly.

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Member Avatar for hericles

You'd be better off finding a free/cheap inventory management system or accounting package. Then all of the creation work has already been done for you by people in the business. Plus you'll gain access to all of the features, reporting and the like, that you're database won't have.

Member Avatar for JorgeM

I'd agree with hericles' suggestion and based on your description, it sounds like something like QuickBooks would solve your problem.

Even if you use Access, you are going to have to build forms and you dont have reporting built-in. you'd have to create the necessary SQL queries and if you want to display the results graphically using charts, you'd have to build that as well.

Member Avatar for rch1231

Another option is the free downloads available from Microsoft for Access. They are templates for databases and systems created by other users that you can download for free. You just need to make sure you get one compatible with the version of access you are running (i.e. 2003, 2007, 2010, etc.)

Here is a link to templates for Access 2007 databases and the one at the top is for Inventory Control:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/desktop-inventory-TC010206882.aspx

Member Avatar for zahidmehmood

thanks a lot guys.... much appreciated for your helping words....

Member Avatar for Alicera Nz

I can build it for you, just send the concept and the format of the inventory

Member Avatar for zahidmehmood

thanks Alicera Nz,
We are distributor for a confectionary company, received goods from company, then our sales team market it, receive orders, create invoices and transport it to customers address. some of invoices are paid in cash and some are credited for agreed period mostly weekly basis.

I want to make a database to keep eye on inventory, paid invoices and our standing invoices, and some other features which mostly database have like account reports, product list, sales perfrmance, top 10 selling products etc....

if you can help me wit this, I will be grateful.

zahid

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