Most UK businesses outgrow their stock control setup at predictable moments: a spreadsheet that was fine for 50 products stops working at 500, a second location opens, a new sales channel goes live, or an audit turns up gaps in the records. Or the SaaS tool that handled one warehouse falls apart when you add a tenth user whose licence costs more than the software is worth.
I build stock control software around how your business runs. You own the code, you pay no per-user fees, and the system covers the jobs your team does every day.
Why off-the-shelf stock control falls short
SaaS inventory tools work well enough for simple setups. The problems start when your business isn’t simple.
Per-user pricing that punishes growth. Platforms like Unleashed and Fishbowl charge for each additional user. So businesses either limit who gets access or push people back to spreadsheets.
Channel sync on a timer. Many SaaS platforms sync stock to Shopify, Amazon and eBay on a schedule rather than the moment it changes. On a busy day the gap is long enough to oversell, then spend the afternoon apologising to customers and processing refunds.
Fixed approval and reorder rules. Purchase approvals can’t be set by order value, supplier or product category, and reorder points are static. Your buyers end up overriding the suggestions in a spreadsheet anyway.
Custom reports cost extra. If the standard reports don’t show the numbers you check, you’re either paying the vendor for each new report or exporting to Excel and building it yourself.
Integration gaps with UK accounting. Many stock tools integrate well with QuickBooks Online but struggle with Sage 50, QuickBooks Desktop, or legacy accounting systems. Cost-of-goods-sold calculations can differ between platforms (FIFO vs weighted average), creating reconciliation headaches every month.
Compliance is bolted on, not built in. Batch tracking, expiry date management, and full audit trails are often locked behind premium tiers. If you’re in food manufacturing, pharma, or healthcare, the compliance features you need might cost more than the base subscription.
Add-on costs that compound. Warehouse management modules, production planning, CRM integration and B2B portals are each priced separately, so the monthly bill drifts well past the plan you signed up for.
What I build instead
Software shaped around your workflows. I watch how your team handles receiving, picking, stock counts, and reorders, then build software that speeds those processes up. Your approval chains and reorder logic go in as they are. Nobody relearns their job to suit the software.
No per-user licensing. Your system costs the same whether three people use it or thirty. Add warehouse staff, give your finance team read access, let your suppliers check delivery schedules. No extra charge.
Tight integration with your existing stack. I build direct connections to Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, Shopify, Amazon, WooCommerce, and UK carriers. They carry cost and COGS data, so your accountant gets the figures they need from the same sync. For legacy systems or proprietary hardware, I write custom integrations rather than relying on generic connectors that half-work.
UK compliance from day one. VAT and Making Tax Digital compliance through your accounting integration. GDPR-compliant data handling with UK data residency. Sector-specific requirements like MHRA batch tracking, HACCP traceability, or CQC audit trails built into the core, not bolted on as premium add-ons.
Architecture that grows with you. Adding a warehouse, a sales channel, or a product line doesn’t mean rebuilding. The system is designed so new locations, new integrations, and new features slot in without breaking what already works.
You own everything. The code, the data, the hosting. No vendor lock-in. No surprise price increases. If you want changes in year three, you pay for the development work, not for permission to keep using what you already paid for.
Features I typically build
Core inventory
- Real-time stock levels by warehouse, zone, and bin location, split into on-hand, reserved and available
- Stock movements with full audit trail: receives, issues, transfers, adjustments
- Purchase order creation, approval workflows, and supplier tracking
- Sales order management and fulfilment
- Barcode scanning via mobile devices for receiving, picking, and stock counts
- Multi-location support with inter-warehouse transfers
Receiving and stock takes
- PO matching on receipt, with quantity inspected recorded against quantity accepted
- Lot and expiry numbers assigned as goods come in
- Cycle counts on a schedule, so you don’t close the warehouse for a full stock take
- Variance reports that send each discrepancy to someone to investigate before it’s written off
Ordering and supply chain
- Automated reorder points based on sales velocity and supplier lead times, not just static minimums
- Supplier performance tracking: on-time delivery rates, quality metrics, lead times
- Purchase order automation with approval chains
- Landed cost calculation including freight, duty, and handling
- Supplier collaboration: PO sharing, delivery date confirmation
Reporting and analytics
- Stock valuation reports using FIFO, weighted average, or your preferred method
- Inventory ageing, ABC analysis and obsolescence reports
- Turnover rates and dead stock identification
- Margin analysis by product, category, channel, or customer
- Custom dashboards showing the KPIs your team checks daily
- Scheduled reports delivered by email, formatted how you want them
Channel and system integration
- Two-way sync with Shopify, Amazon, eBay, and WooCommerce
- Accounting sync with Xero, QuickBooks, or Sage for COGS and stock valuation
- Shipping carrier integration for label printing and tracking
- Webhook-driven real-time updates rather than periodic polling
- CSV and EDI support for B2B supply chain partners
Compliance and traceability
- Batch and lot tracking with full forward and backward traceability
- Expiry date management with configurable alerts
- Serial number tracking for warranty and recall management
- Role-based access control with granular permissions
- Complete audit trail: every action logged with user, timestamp, and before/after values
- UK GDPR compliance including data encryption and right-to-erasure support
Warehouse operations
- Zone and bin management for warehouse layout
- Pick, pack, and ship workflows with barcode verification
- Mobile-first interface for warehouse floor staff
- Returns processing and reverse logistics
How the project works
First Gear (5 days) I map your current processes and integration points, then build a working prototype of one core workflow using a sample of your own data. That includes a hard look at the data itself: how many SKUs, how many locations, and how many duplicates and stock discrepancies are hiding in it. Messy data sinks more stock system projects than code does, so it gets dealt with first. You keep the prototype and a one-page build plan with a fixed price.
Phase 1 build I build the core system: stock tracking, purchase orders, barcode scanning, your primary eCommerce channel integration, accounting sync, and essential reporting. You get a working system you can test and give feedback on throughout development.
Data migration and parallel run I clean and import your existing data, then run old and new systems side by side. Stock counts are validated against physical counts before cutover, and cutover is timed away from peak trading. It only goes live when the numbers match.
Training and go-live Training follows the job each person does: warehouse staff practise scanning, receiving and cycle counts; buyers work through reorder points and purchase orders; finance covers reconciliation and reports. You get written guides for each role, and I can train one or two people on your side to support the rest.
Later phases, after the core is stable Advanced forecasting, secondary channel integrations, supplier portals, and any manufacturing modules. Each phase is about a month and priced separately. Adding features once the core is stable is less risky and less disruptive than trying to build everything at once.
What it costs
Custom stock control software costs more upfront than signing up for a SaaS subscription. The comparison that matters is the total over three to five years: SaaS adds per-user fees, add-on modules, implementation charges and support contracts on top of the headline plan, and you’re still renting at the end.
With a custom build, you pay for development once. There are no monthly licence fees, no per-user charges, and no premium add-ons. Ongoing costs are limited to hosting and any changes you choose to make.
Most builds cost £2k-£10k and go live within a month. The price is fixed at the end of First Gear, before you commit to the build:
- A fixed-price Phase 1 covering core features and go-live
- A clear scope for later phases, each priced separately
- A 30-day fix guarantee after launch, then optional hosting and support plans or self-hosting
Industries I build for
Retail. Real-time stock sync across high street shops and online channels. POS integration. Automated restocking triggered by sales data, with replenishment that copes with Black Friday and Christmas peaks.
eCommerce. Multi-channel inventory sync across Shopify, Amazon, eBay, and WooCommerce with near-instant updates. Channel profitability reporting. Returns and refund workflows.
Manufacturing. Bills of Materials with multi-level sub-assemblies. Work order management. Raw material forecasting based on production schedules. Batch and serial tracking for compliance. Scrap and yield reporting.
Food and beverage. HACCP-compliant batch traceability. Expiry date management with automated alerts. Allergen segregation. Recipe costing with variable ingredient prices. Waste tracking and reporting.
Pharmaceutical. MHRA and GDP compliance. Full lot traceability: forward to customer, backward to supplier. Cold-chain monitoring integration. Controlled substance tracking where needed.
Healthcare. CQC-compliant audit trails. Expiry and lot tracking for medical supplies. Integration with NHS systems where applicable. Multi-site stock visibility across hospital networks.
Fashion and apparel. Size, colour, and style variant management, where one style can mean 50+ SKUs. Seasonal collection planning. Markdown and clearance tracking. B2B wholesale order management.
Wholesale and distribution. Bulk inventory management. Picking and packing workflows optimised for high-volume order fulfilment. EDI integration with retail partners. Landed cost tracking across suppliers.
Construction, trades and equipment hire. Tools, plant, parts and materials tracked across job sites and vans. Stock allocated to a job or project, and serial numbers tied to warranty and service history.
Logistics and 3PL. Multi-client warehousing with segregated stock. Advanced warehouse management with zones and wave picking. SLA tracking and performance reporting by client.
Not every sector needs a custom build. But if your business has workflows, compliance requirements, or integration needs that SaaS tools can’t handle without expensive workarounds, that’s where bespoke software earns its cost back.
Common Questions About Custom Stock Control Software
How does custom development cost compare to SaaS stock control? ›
SaaS stock control is priced per user per month, and the bill grows again with add-on modules for warehouse management, manufacturing or extra channels. A custom build is a one-off cost: most of mine are £2k-£10k, with the price fixed before you commit. After that you pay nothing per user, per location or per module, so the gap widens as your team grows.
What's the typical development timeline? ›
A core stock tracking system with accounting integration and one eCommerce channel typically goes live within a month. That covers receiving, issuing, transfers, purchase orders, barcode scanning, and essential reporting. More complex builds with manufacturing BOMs, multi-channel sync, or advanced warehouse management are split into phases of about a month, each at a fixed price. You get working software early and add the advanced features once the core is stable.
How do you handle data migration from our current system? ›
I handle the full migration, whether you're coming from spreadsheets, another stock system, or a mix of both. I clean and deduplicate your SKU data, validate stock levels against a physical count, and time the cutover away from your peak trading weeks so you're never long without trustworthy stock figures. Old and new systems run side by side until the numbers match.
Can you integrate with our existing systems? ›
Yes. Common integrations include Xero, QuickBooks, and Sage for accounting; Shopify, Amazon, eBay, and WooCommerce for eCommerce; and Royal Mail, DPD, Parcelforce, DHL or UPS for shipping. I also connect to legacy systems, barcode scanners and ERPs. Each connection syncs cost and COGS as well as stock counts, and it pushes changes as they happen instead of polling on a timer.
What about compliance and audit trails? ›
Every stock movement, adjustment, and approval is logged with a timestamp and user ID as standard. For regulated sectors, I build in batch and lot traceability, expiry date management, and sector-specific reporting. That includes MHRA and GDP compliance for pharma, HACCP traceability for food and beverage, CQC requirements for healthcare, and HMRC excise tracking for alcohol. All systems are UK GDPR compliant with role-based access controls and data encrypted at rest and in transit.
When does SaaS stock control make more sense than custom? ›
If you run one location with a few hundred SKUs, sell on one channel, have no compliance requirements, and your team is under five people, a SaaS tool like Zoho Inventory or inFlow will probably do the job. Custom makes sense when several things are true at once: multiple locations or channels, approval or reorder rules the SaaS can't express, assembly or BOMs, compliance the SaaS doesn't cover, or per-user pricing that starts hurting as your team grows.