The basic rule of inventory control is ingeniously simple-concentrate on fast movers and reduce or eliminate slow ones. Stocking only the items that will be used or sold is an achievable goal and a solid business principal.

Inventory control software is the major investment, the most important profit source, and the chief problem of everyday control for a trade firm. Nowadays, businesses that buy and sell face tougher competition that presses their margin of profit. Therefore, in order to provide normal rate of growth it is necessary to use scientific methods of inventory management.

In past years this calculating of inventory was done by hand. For example a furniture store in the mid 1960's employed a "stock girl." This person sat in front of rows of pull out overlapping card files. Each furniture item had a card. When a couch, chair or refrigerator was sold, the employee deducted it on the card. When a shipment arrived the items were added to each appropriate card. When a salesman sold an item they checked with the stock girl to see if the item was in the warehouse and when the customer could expect delivery.

Inventory control can be a hassle and takes up a lot of time. The old ways are being replaced with inventory control software for the computer which tracks a business' inventory of goods or products for sale or used in manufacturing of products for sale.