Zoho Inventory vs SAP Inventory Manager

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Our analysts compared Zoho Inventory vs SAP Inventory Manager based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Inventory Management Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

SAP Inventory Manager Software Tool

Product Basics

Zoho Inventory, an inventory management software, empowers businesses to centralize and streamline stock tracking across locations, warehouses, and sales channels. This cloud-based solution caters primarily to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in retail, distribution, and manufacturing. Zoho Inventory shines in its core functionalities: real-time stock level monitoring, automated workflows for orders and invoices, insightful inventory performance reports, and multi-channel selling support. Popular features include barcode scanning, serial number tracking, and low-stock alerts, praised by users for their ease of use and affordability. Standing out from competitors, Zoho Inventory offers a free plan, ideal for businesses starting their inventory management journey. Paid plans, priced per user per month, cater to businesses with more complex needs, offering additional features and scalability. In conclusion, Zoho Inventory presents a compelling solution for SMBs seeking a user-friendly and cost-effective platform to gain control of their inventory operations and make data-driven decisions.

Pros
  • Free plan available
  • User-friendly interface
  • Scalable for growing businesses
  • Multi-channel selling support
  • Integrations with other Zoho apps
Cons
  • Limited reporting features in free plan
  • Lacks advanced features for complex needs
  • Customer support can be slow at times
  • Mobile app not as feature-rich as desktop version
  • May not be suitable for very large businesses
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SAP Inventory Manager helps businesses of all sizes manage and streamline fulfillment and product storage. It can boost customer satisfaction by linking service goals with stock investments throughout the supply chain. The platform offers on-premise or cloud-based deployment strategy depending on unique requirements.

It provides real-time visibility into stock levels, helping optimize inventory planning and reduce costs. Key features include automated stock replenishment, cycle counting and integration with other SAP modules.

The mobile app connects you to SAP Enterprise Asset Management, making it easier for technicians and warehouse workers to manage stockroom tasks. It's user-friendly, so you can easily keep track of important parts and supplies, ensuring they’re ready when needed.

Its management capabilities let you create an organized warehousing space while uncovering valuable operational data. This information helps managers boost labor productivity and increase operational efficiency.

It doesn’t offer a free trial. However, you can request a free demo to explore the platform. The cost of SAP Inventory Manager starts around $1,000 or more.

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Product Assistance

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Product Insights

  • Item Kitting Support: Bundle a group of items together to sell as a single unit. Update individual items and components as products are put together and sold. 
  • Barcode Scanning: Scan item barcodes to auto-populate fields every time an invoice, sales or purchase order is created. This streamlines and optimizes inventory management processes with quick access to vital product data. 
  • Enhanced Tracking: Identify each item in stock with a code and track its movement from the point of purchase to sale. Track different batches of items and monitor their expiry dates. 
  • Improved Packaging and Shipping: Create packages, print package slips and find real-time shipping rates for 30 different shipping services. Monitor the movement of packages post-shipment and keep customers updated with the item’s location. 
  • Helpful Dashboards: Get quick, central access to details like orders pending, invoiced, packaged and shipped. Provides an overview of all sales orders as well. 
  • Drop Shipping: Create a drop shipment when there is no stock left to fulfill the next order and ship packages directly to clients. 
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  • Gain Supply Chain Insights: Inventory and warehouse managers can use analytics and deeper insights into operational data to reduce inventory levels, increasing working capital.
  • Leverage Cloud-based Advantages: Use a cloud-based deployment strategy to update and backup documents and perform important operations anywhere.
  • Improve Customer Satisfaction: It streamlines product organization and tracking to help customers access real-time information on their packages.
  • Cut Costs: Your business can reduce costs and prevent stockout situations with improved inventory control and material planning.
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  • Inventory Control:  
    •  Offers centralized inventory that automatically updates inventory quantities across all selling channels whenever a sale is made. 
    •  Features include product listing, item kitting, re-ordering, stock adjustments and more. 
    •  Verify and approve transactions created before they’re reflected in accounts and reports. 
    •  Set an approval workflow for transfer orders, sales transactions and purchase transactions. 
  • Order Management:  
    •  Helps manage sales and purchase orders. Shares delivery updates from a single-source order management system. 
    •  Supports online order management and movement of packages post-shipment through a single platform. 
    •  Integrates with Amazon, eBay, Etsy and Shopify. 
    • Safety Stock and Reorder: Calculate reorder points and maintain safety stock in the business to prevent running out of stock. Set reorder points and get updates on vital stock-level information. Also optimizes holding costs and reduces the probability of overstocking. 
    • Reports:  
      •  Helps monitor purchases, study sales trends and identify top performing items using inventory reporting options. 
      •  Includes inventory reports, sales and customer reports, purchase and payment reports, and activity logs. 
      •  Enables finding the item volumes shipped in and out from each warehouse. 
    • Warehouse Management: Supports multiple warehouse environments and the transfer of stock between them. Leverage actionable insights provided by warehousing reports. Set the closest warehouse for customers when preparing sales orders to get products to their destinations as quickly as possible. 
    • Multichannel Selling: Manages, controls, measures and fulfills multi-channel selling with the help of a single inventory management application. Supports multiple currencies and uses multiple payment gateways to ensure quick and correct payments. Also shares insights for performance of multiple sales channels. 
    • Order Fulfillment: Manages workflows and fulfills orders. Offers a common dashboard, an overview of orders, automatic packing slips, over 40 integrated shipping carriers and more. Create shipping labels and find real-time shipping expenses for each order before dispatch. Make drop shipments and let vendors ship directly to the client. 
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  • Warehouse Management: The solution helps businesses monitor data to gain inventory knowledge on different levels, maintain item master data and generate action reports based on the given data. Manage inventory and execute action items using various cost models and units of measurement.
  • Delivery Signature: It allows users to capture digital signatures directly in the mobile app during pickup or delivery.
  • Bin Location Management: You can efficiently manage inventory processes by implementing allocation rules and dividing different warehouses into several locations. Optimize stock movement, reduce picking time and automate incoming allocations to the desired bin locations.
  • Goods Receipt: Inventory managers can receive and validate goods acquired from vendors to increase warehouse stock. From inbound delivery to purchase orders, issue goods receipts against multiple documents.
  • Issue Control: Decrease stock levels by discarding damaged and unusable materials. Record data, track goods transfers and enable consignments.
  • Production Planning: It manufactures to capacity, generates demand and manages the supply chain from sales to production. Create multilevel bills of materials and issue production orders.
  • Reporting: Analyze goods movement, evaluate overall supply chain performance, and monitor stocks and KPIs to generate reports in different formats.
  • Material Transfer: It lets you assign bin numbers to existing materials, transfer them or change the material type. You can also transfer this material to other sites or departments or label them “in transit.”
  • Serial Number Tracking: Use automation to create and assign serial number profiles to effectively manage and track stocks.
  • Batch and Lot Management: You can streamline the lot and batch management process with end-to-end stock traceability. Achieve lower customer risks and reduce total cost of ownership.
  • Pick and Pack: Conduct the goods picking process within three queues — individually, at defined intervals or by using automation. Similarly, pack manually or via automation.
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Product Ranking

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Inventory Management Software

#14

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Inventory Management Software

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Analyst Rating Summary

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Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Zoho Inventory
SAP Inventory Manager
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Dashboards And Reports Inventory Control Inventory Valuation, Counts And Alerts Mobile Order Fulfillment Platform Capabilities Purchasing Returns Management 73 88 59 60 84 71 87 81 0 25 50 75 100
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Analyst Ratings for Technical Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

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User Sentiment Summary

Excellent User Sentiment 387 reviews
Great User Sentiment 10 reviews
90%
of users recommend this product

Zoho Inventory has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 90% when considering 387 user reviews from 4 recognized software review sites.

82%
of users recommend this product

SAP Inventory Manager has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 82% when considering 10 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

5.0 (15)
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4.4 (48)
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4.5 (321)
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4.4 (5)
4.0 (3)
3.8 (5)

Awards

SelectHub research analysts have evaluated Zoho Inventory and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Integration and Extensibility. Zoho Inventory stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award
Integration and Extensibility Award

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Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

User-friendly interface: Intuitive design and easy navigation make it simple to learn and use, even for those without extensive inventory management experience.
Real-time inventory visibility: Track stock levels across multiple locations and channels in real-time, ensuring accurate data for informed decision-making.
Automated workflows: Streamline tasks like purchase orders, sales orders, and invoicing to save time and reduce manual errors.
Customizable reporting: Generate detailed reports on inventory levels, sales performance, and other key metrics to gain insights and make data-driven decisions.
Multi-channel selling support: Manage inventory seamlessly across online stores, marketplaces, and physical outlets, preventing overselling and ensuring accurate stock levels.
Mobile app for on-the-go access: Manage inventory, track orders, and fulfill shipments from anywhere using the Zoho Inventory mobile app.
Integration with other Zoho apps: Connect with Zoho Books, Zoho CRM, and other Zoho apps for a unified business ecosystem and streamlined workflows.
Affordable pricing: Free plan for small businesses and affordable paid plans for growing businesses, making it a cost-effective solution.
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Real-Time Visibility: Inventory management solutions provide a clear picture of stock levels across all locations, helping businesses avoid stockouts and overstocking. For example, a retailer can see exactly how many pairs of size 10 blue jeans are in their warehouse and each store, preventing them from ordering more than they need.
Streamlined Processes: It automates many manual tasks, such as order fulfillment and stock transfers, freeing up employees to focus on more strategic tasks. For example, a manufacturer can automatically trigger a purchase order when inventory levels fall below a certain threshold, eliminating the need for manual intervention.
Improved Accuracy: Users can maintain accurate inventory records, reducing the risk of errors and discrepancies. For instance, a distributor can track the movement of each product from the warehouse to the customer, ensuring that their inventory data is always up-to-date.
Enhanced Forecasting: Inventory tools can forecast future demand, helping businesses optimize their inventory levels and avoid stockouts. For example, a clothing retailer can use historical sales data to predict demand for specific items during the holiday season, ensuring they have enough inventory on hand to meet customer needs.
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Limited features in free plan: The free plan lacks advanced features like batch tracking, demand forecasting, and integration with third-party platforms.
Customization challenges: Some users find it challenging to customize certain aspects of the software, such as reports and workflows, to fit their specific needs.
Mobile app limitations: The mobile app lacks some features available in the desktop version, and some users report occasional glitches and slow performance.
Customer support variability: While Zoho Inventory offers various support options, response times and quality can vary, with some users reporting slow or unhelpful support experiences.
Scalability concerns: Very large businesses with complex inventory needs might find Zoho Inventory's features and scalability limited, requiring a more robust solution.
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Initial cost and implementation: Implementing an inventory management system can require a significant upfront investment, including software licensing, hardware and professional services for installation and configuration. This can be a barrier for smaller businesses or those with limited IT resources.
Complexity and learning curve: The platform offers a wide range of features and functionalities, making it difficult for users to learn and adapt, especially without technical expertise. It may also require ongoing training and support to ensure effective utilization.
Technology Dependency: These systems rely heavily on technology, including hardware, software and internet connectivity. Technical issues like system failures, hardware malfunctions or network outages can disrupt operations and lead to data loss or inaccuracies. This can be particularly problematic in industries where real-time inventory visibility is critical.
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Zoho Inventory garners positive reviews for its user-friendly interface, real-time inventory tracking, and affordability, particularly for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Many appreciate its intuitive design, even for those new to inventory management, and its free plan, which caters to businesses starting out. Streamlined workflows and multi-channel selling support are frequently lauded, helping users automate tasks and manage inventory across various sales channels efficiently. However, some users find the free plan's feature set limiting, lacking advanced functionalities like demand forecasting and integrations with popular third-party platforms. Customization also presents challenges for some, desiring more flexibility in tailoring reports and workflows. While a mobile app exists, it occasionally encounters glitches and lacks the full feature range of the desktop version. Zoho Inventory stands out compared to competitors for its free plan and cost-effectiveness, attracting budget-conscious businesses. Users often praise its ease of use and intuitive interface, making it a suitable choice for those less tech-savvy. However, if extensive features, high customization, and robust mobile functionality are crucial, competitors like Square Online Store Inventory or Xero Inventory might be better suited for complex needs. Ultimately, Zoho Inventory shines for its user-friendliness, affordability, and core inventory management functionalities. While it may not cater to every business need, its strengths resonate with budget-conscious SMBs seeking a user-friendly platform to streamline their inventory operations.

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SAP Inventory Manager is a robust and scalable solution designed to streamline inventory management processes across various industries. It offers a comprehensive suite of features, including advanced inventory tracking, demand forecasting and supply chain visibility.One of the key strengths of SAP Inventory Manager is its seamless integration with other SAP solutions, such as Sales, Production Planning and Finance. This integration eliminates the need for manual data entry and reduces the risk of errors, ensuring accurate and up-to-date inventory information.The system's real-time capabilities provide businesses with valuable insights into inventory levels, stock movements and demand patterns. You can use this data to optimize inventory planning, reduce stockouts and improve supply chain efficiency.While the initial implementation may involve a learning curve, the long-term benefits like improved efficiency, cost savings and enhanced customer satisfaction make it a worthwhile investment for businesses of all sizes.

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