Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Tool Stack
- Backend
- Frontend
- Feature Implementation
- Supplier Management
- Item Creation & Management
- Inventory Management Enhancements
- Add Inventory Flow
- View Inventory Enhancements
- Role-Based Login System
- Store Keeper: Movement Request Workflow
- Costing Page
- Item Categories & Units of Measure
- Move Request Flexibility
- Deployment
- Conclusion
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Introduction
PressERP was developed to streamline inventory operations for a fast-scaling organization requiring granular control over stock movement, supplier relationships, and costing transparency. This project focused on building a lean, role-driven inventory management system tailored to real-world warehouse operations.
The objective was to modernize inventory and procurement workflows through an intuitive interface, role-based access, and key features such as supplier management, costing breakdowns, and item categorization—all while enabling fast and scalable deployment.
Tool Stack
Backend
- Python 3.9+
- FastAPI – for lightweight and scalable API development
- Pydantic – data validation
Frontend
- Node.js v18+
- npm v9+
- React
Feature Implementation
Supplier Management
- Developed a UI and backend for creating suppliers.
- Supplier ID is auto-generated and unique.
- Captures: Supplier Name, Location, Mobile and a free-text Description.
Item Creation & Management
- Create Item:
The item creation form was enhanced to capture additional inventory metadata:
- Item Name
- Item Code
- Supplier – Selected from a dynamic dropdown list
- Low Inventory Threshold – Trigger point for restocking alerts
- Unit of Measure – Linked to item units (e.g., Kg, Liters)
- Item Category – Organizational grouping
- View Items Page:
- Shows associated Supplier.
- Truncates Description to 10 characters for readability.
- Removed created_at field.
- On click, items show detailed info in a card-style UI.
- Added pagination.
- Displayed all historical items—not just current-day records.
Inventory Management Enhancements
Add Inventory Flow
- Select Item from a searchable dropdown
- Set default movement: Warehouse → Floor
- Input:
- Item Cost (ETB)
- Exchange Rate (ETB to USD)
- System auto-calculates:
- Item Cost (USD)
- Total Cost (ETB) based on quantity × cost
View Inventory Enhancements
- Displays all items currently in Warehouse and Floor
- Includes quantities per location
- Updates in real time whenever inventory is added or moved
Role-Based Login System
- Implemented authentication system differentiating:
- Lead/Admin
- Store Keepers
- Post-login routing ensures users land on role-specific dashboards.
Store Keeper: Movement Request Workflow
- Defined a new Store Keeper persona with scoped permissions:
- Can create/edit/cancel Movement Requests only in Pending state.
- Can view their own pending requests.
- Cannot access admin inventory actions or settings.
- Introduced a dedicated Movement Requests page.
Costing Page
A dedicated module to track financials:
- Shows Item Name, Item Code, and original USD Cost.
- Calculates ETB values based on historical and current exchange rates.
- Computes Total Cost dynamically.
- Ensures accurate and auditable cost tracking in both currencies.
Item Categories & Units of Measure
- Access restricted to Lead or Admin roles.
- Admin interface allows:
- Adding new Item Categories
- Adding new Units of Measure
- Displayed lists of each, in separate table
Move Request Flexibility
- Admins/Leads can:
- Move inventory from Floor to Warehouse (reverse flow).
- Edit existing move requests via new UI options.
- Default direction remains Warehouse → Floor.
Deployment
- Deployed to AWS EC2 instance for scalable and secure hosting.
- Publicly accessible at: https://presserp.ai
Conclusion
The development of PressERP transformed a fragmented inventory process into a centralized, role-based ERP system. With features focused on supplier control, costing visibility, inventory accuracy, and strict user permissions, the platform provides operational clarity and efficiency.
In future iterations of PressERP, support will be added to track both damaged and lost inventory items, enabling more accurate stock audits and accountability. When items are reported as damaged or lost, the system will automatically adjust inventory levels and maintain an audit trail. Additionally, a cost attribution mechanism will be introduced to allocate the financial impact of these losses across departments or inventory categories. This will ensure that both operational and financial records remain consistent and transparent.