How do I set up inventory management for a Mary Kay business?

[tnysgrl]

I am a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant, and I want to set up an
inventory database in my computer. I want to set something up that will keep
track of my inventory as I add new products and enter a customers' orders
(i.e.: when I enter a customer order for 1 product, I want my inventory to
automatically adjust to reflect that item being sold). I want to be able to
set up something showing the money that I spend on products, and, based on
how many I've sold, show my profit/loss. For instance, I would like my
inventory database to look something like this (each name in a different
field): Product Name, Quantity, Price/Each, Total Cost, Profit/Loss. Then,
I need to set up a customer order database or form, and when a customer
orders an item, I would like my inventory database to reflect that item being
sold, and adjust my Quantity, Total Cost and Profit/Loss accordingly. Should
I use Access or Excel to do this? Or both? Or another program? Thank you.

 

[Chris Schatte]

tnysgrl,
As a suggestion, for a 1 product / software application we have been using
Quick Books since the floppy disk install days. See here for further resarch:
http://quickbooks.intuit.com/?priorityCode=1764906329
Very intuitive and easy to use accounting application. All the spec's you
mentioned are there (depending on version) in one program. Currently, any
Office version is not "built" to perform Small Business accounting functions.
You can track inventory thru access or excel, but can do all your inventory
and accounting functions in Quick Books.
There are alternatives PeachTree, etc...

Chris Schatte

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