Development of a Cloud-Based Inventory Planning and Forecasting System for Seasonal Floral Businesses

The client relies on complex spreadsheets to predict, manage, and update seasonal inventory levels for floral projects, leading to maintenance difficulties and outdated real-time data. This hampers effective forecasting, on-the-go project planning, and timely inventory adjustments during client site visits.

A mid-sized floral design and landscaping company specializing in exterior floral installations and client landscaping projects, seeking real-time inventory management and forecasting capabilities.

• Implement a cloud-based web application for real-time inventory tracking and updates.
• Enable easy filtering and reporting by client, season, and project to facilitate seasonal planning.
• Allow users to add, adjust, or remove inventory quantities directly within the system.
• Support duplication of client records and projects to streamline seasonal repeat planning.
• Provide comprehensive browsing of inventory and vendor catalogs for client consultations.
• Ensure mobile accessibility for on-site updates and client interactions.
• Facilitate automatic project cost calculations based on inventory changes.
• Lay groundwork for future enhancements such as advanced forecasting, scheduling, and user assignment features.

• User authentication and role-based access control.
• Filtering options by client, season, and project for detailed reports.
• Management interface to add, adjust, or remove inventory entries with notes.
• Duplication feature for client and project templates to facilitate seasonal reuse.
• Comprehensive inventory browsing with vendor details, product pricing, and sizes.
• Real-time inventory update capabilities accessible via mobile devices.
• Automatic calculation of project totals reflecting inventory changes.
• Historical data toggling across different seasons and years.
• Reporting dashboards for inventory forecasts and project summaries.

• Database systems for inventory, vendor, and client data management.
• Cloud hosting and deployment platforms.
• Potential integration with existing procurement or supply chain systems in future phases.

• System scalability to support increasing inventory and user base.
• High availability with minimal downtime, ensuring real-time data accuracy.
• Data security protocols to protect client and inventory information.
• Fast response times for filtering and report generation, aiming for sub-second load times.
• Mobile responsiveness for seamless on-site access.

The new system aims to significantly improve inventory accuracy and forecasting capabilities, reducing manual workload and errors. Estimated benefits include enhanced seasonal planning efficiency, quicker client consultations with real-time data access, and streamlined project management, ultimately supporting increased project throughput and client satisfaction.