A Mechanical Method for Maintaining Stock Room Inventory A punch card system designed for use with a computer simplifies maintaining an inventory and reordering stock room supplies. Cards are punched for each reagent or expendable hardware item. The card is coded for the approximate quantity used each year, the supplier, catalog number, and other useful informtion. When an item is removed from the main stock room or only a. designated minimum quantity remains, the inventory card for the item is transferred from the main deck to a subordinate deck. When a. sufficient numher of cards have accumulated in the subordinate deck they are processed a~rtnrnat,irallv. 'l'llc rwnrputer u r t i 1l.e canls I,J. mpplier uud t y p v our the l t r m i to hr ordered on R pure ha^^ wder forr~r,wnlplcte with the supplier's name 111111 uddn.3~imd current &I*. At ~ h SXme r I ~ RE duplkate invent iry card with the vurrent dale is priutcJ 'l'llrre doplir.rrri m;ry then 1," p r o c t ~ r d as desired to obtain a summary of purchases for any time period. A flow diagram of the computer program and additional detailed information may he obtained upon request from the senior author (J. 8.). ~
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EDITOR'SNOTE: This method has been adapted to IBM equipment by William A. Nevill of Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa. He will supply detailed information about the procedure upon request.
Volume 42, Number 8, August 1965
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