Slab and remnant inventory: what a dependable software record must contain
A useful inventory system connects physical identity, location, availability and job allocation. Test receiving, reservation changes and remnant creation before relying on a digital stock count.
A useful inventory system connects physical identity, location, availability and job allocation. Test receiving, reservation changes and remnant creation before relying on a digital stock count.
Establish the physical identity
Give each received slab an identity that employees can connect to the physical material and its record. Capture the supplier reference, material identification, relevant lot information and storage location using the shop’s approved receiving process. Determine who resolves a missing or conflicting identity before the slab becomes available for allocation.
A photograph is useful context, but it does not by itself establish an accurate dimension, condition assessment or reservation. Keep those fields distinct and identify their source. When a supplier changes a designation, preserve the original reference so purchasing can trace the transaction.
Define what available means
Available can mean physically present, not reserved, released from inspection, or ready to move into production. Those are different states. Agree on the shop’s definitions and use them consistently in the proposed software. A salesperson should not promise material merely because a record exists.
Separate the job’s interest in a slab from a confirmed reservation if the business needs both. Assign authority to release or override a reservation and keep a history of that decision. The demonstration should include two jobs competing for the same material and a job that changes after allocation.
Follow the material through a job
| Transaction | Record to inspect |
|---|---|
| Receiving | Identity, quantity, location and unresolved discrepancies |
| Reservation | Job, owner, status and release conditions |
| Movement | Previous and current location with responsible person |
| Consumption | Material used against the correct production work |
| Remnant creation | New identity linked to the source slab and available geometry |
Moraware Inventory and the broader platforms in the register describe inventory capabilities. Horus coverage includes slab tracking and layout tools. The useful purchasing question is how the proposed configuration represents these transactions, not whether a feature list contains the word inventory.
Keep remnant quality visible
Record how the remnant’s usable area was established and when that record was last checked. A bounding rectangle can be convenient for searching but may not describe a usable cutting area. Have qualified staff validate suitability before committing a remnant to a job.
Decide who creates the new record and removes the consumed slab from availability. If that step waits until the end of a busy shift, the digital stock picture can lag behind the floor. Make the responsibility part of the production handoff and review missing transactions as process issues.
Audit a small sample regularly
Choose a repeatable sample and reconcile the digital record with the approved physical check. Track the types of discrepancies: location, reservation, quantity or missing history. Fix the underlying transaction process rather than repeatedly correcting the same records.
For multiple locations, include stock in transit and identify who acknowledges receipt. An inter-branch transfer should not look simultaneously available at both sites. Test this exception in the proposed system, including interrupted work and corrections. The result is a more reliable promise to the customer and a clearer material record for the shop.
Sources and product records
- Moraware: Product overview
- SlabOS: Fabrication platform overview
- SlabWise: Feature documentation
- D2 Technology: Horus software division
Working references
Browse the product comparison register · How we evaluate evidence · Interview and demonstration worksheets
Software options to evaluate
Use the same practice job and acceptance criteria for each proposed configuration. These brief descriptions reflect vendor documentation, not independent test results.
- ActionFlow — fabrication workflow packages.
- Horus — slab tracking and layout tools.
- Moraware — quoting, scheduling and inventory products.
- SlabOS — a platform spanning drawing, quoting, inventory, nesting, scheduling and field work. Platform documentation.
- SlabWise — quoting, DXF and fabrication workflows.
- StoneAPP — fabrication business management.
- Stone Profit Systems — fabrication ERP and material records.
Confirm current modules, versions, data exports and implementation scope directly. Open the software comparison register.
Product records for this article
- Inventory — sources, check date and demonstration questions
- SlabOS — sources, check date and demonstration questions
- SlabWise — sources, check date and demonstration questions
- Horus software suite — sources, check date and demonstration questions
Original editorial evaluation framework. Product-specific descriptions are attributed to vendor documentation; no independent test, interview or survey result is claimed. Examples and proposed exercises are illustrative.
Editorial approach & corrections →