What are the roles of inventory controller?

Verification of Stock.

Maintenance of Stock.

The following discussion briefly and lucidly covers all the above-mentioned objectives, benefits or importance of inventory control.

Many a times, the demand forecast of a product is not accurate. There is always a small difference between the demand forecast and actual demand. However, sometimes, there is a big difference between the demand forecast and actual-demand.

So, there are always chances of fluctuations in the demand of a material. These fluctuations can be adjusted if there are sufficient items in the stock of inventory. Therefore, proper inventory control protects the company from fluctuations in demand.

If the company maintains a proper inventory of raw-materials, then it can complete its production in time. So, it can deliver the finished goods to the customers in time.

Similarly, if the company has a proper inventory of finished goods, then it can satisfy the additional demand of the customers. So, inventory control helps the company to deliver goods at the right time as demanded by the customers.

After making timely delivery, the company can concentrate on giving other services to the customers.

Proper inventory control helps to maintain continuity of production operations. This is because it maintains a smooth flow of raw materials. So, there are no shortages of raw-materials required for production process.

Proper inventory control helps to reduce the risk of loss due to obsolescence (outdated) or deterioration of items. This is because it checks all the items regularly.

Furthermore, it sells all the slow-moving items, in time, at the market prices. It only maintains the right stock at all times. So, the chances of any item getting outdated is reduced.

Proper inventory control helps to minimize the administrative work load of purchasing, inspection, warehousing, etc. This will reduce the manpower requirement and will minimize the labour cost too.

Inventory control tries to reduce the gap between planned production and actual production. There are cases where the production schedule cannot be followed because of:

1. Sudden breakdown of machines,
2. Problems in supply of materials,
3. Sudden labour strikes,
4. Loss due to failure of power supply, etc.

In such cases, the difference between planned production and actual production can be bridged by inventories held in stock.

Proper inventory control helps to make effective use of working capital. Inventory control helps in maintaining the right amount of stocks of materials, components, etc. Over stocking is avoided. Therefore, the working capital will not be blocked in excess inventory.

Inventory control helps to maintain a check on the loss of materials due to carelessness or pilferage (stealing).

If there is no proper inventory control, then there are more chances of carelessness and pilferage by the employees, especially in the store-keeping department.

Inventory control facilitates cost accounting activities. This is because, inventory control provides a means of allocating materials cost of products, departments or other operating accounts.

Inventory control avoids duplication in ordering of stock. This is done by maintaining a separate purchase department. This department will do all the purchasing for the full organisation. No other department is allowed to do purchasing. So there will not be any duplication in ordering of stock.