Item-Level Inventory Tracking: How RFID Comes Into Play
RFID has been successful in different fields, including item-level inventory tracking. The chip located in the RFID can carry about 2000 or more bytes of data.
If you are still confused about the way RFID works; try putting a debit or credit card into perspective. It works almost in the same way as the magnetic strip or barcode located at the back of the card. The same way you need to scan a magnetic strip or barcode to acquire information is similar to what you need to do for an RFID tag.
That said, how exactly do you use RFID for item-level inventory tracking?
Why RFID technology is used
Using RFID inventory management is a modern technological trend, which is slowly gaining strides for most business owners and companies.
RFID is incorporated into businesses to help identify specific products and components. The technology helps business owners and staff to track products from the point of production to the point where they go for sale. This means that you can trace the entire supply chain for your products seamlessly using this technology from the production stage to the actual sale at retail level.
How RFID is used
To harness the full potential of RFID technology in inventory control – you will need to encode the tags with data at the individual products or items.
After creating the labels with the tags, you will need to attach them to the product either through paper, plastic, or any other appropriate material. If necessary, you may even have to fix the tag onto the entire package, van, or delivery vehicle. A handheld RFID reader can be used to monitor the movement of the label and product(s). The mode of transmission is through radio signals at certain frequency. The reader then collects this information, and, using specialised software, processes the data.
You can place the readers in different positions within your company, warehouse, or factory – it will help you to track your products as they move from one place to the next within the supply chain. This gives you full and seamless inventory control and management.
The importance of using RFID for inventory management
Well, there are several reasons why you need to use RFID for inventory management. Here are some of the primary reasons:
Quality control – this is especially true when it comes to checking the shelf life of products. With RFID, you can review products that are set to expire and those that have already expired.
Overstocking prevention – maybe one product is not getting enough sales, and you want to avoid overstocking. RFID helps you deal with such a situation by enabling notifications or reminders that’ll inform you of its low sales.
Stock security – this is where you place the RFID tag readers around high-risk areas such as the store exit to prevent theft. They sound an alarm in case of any movement out of the store or facility.
Be it RFID asset tracking or inventory management; this technology offers massive benefits to wholesalers, retailers, distributors, and manufacturers. See how it helps to enhance your business performance!
