If you're searching for real-time inventory management software, you're probably past the point where spreadsheets work. You've experienced the stockout you didn't see coming, the stock count that didn't match, or the moment you realised your Lekki branch and your warehouse were showing different numbers for the same product.

The market is crowded and every platform claims to do everything. This checklist cuts through the noise. These are the features that actually matter for businesses managing physical products across multiple locations, teams, and channels — and the questions you should ask during evaluation.

The Non-Negotiable Features

1. Real-Time Stock Visibility Across All Locations

This is the feature that defines whether a tool is "real-time" or just calling itself that. Real-time means: when your warehouse manager scans in a delivery at 10:14am, you can see the updated stock level on your dashboard at 10:14am — not after a nightly sync, not after someone hits a "refresh" button, and not after a manual export-import cycle.

Test it during your evaluation. Make a stock adjustment at one location and check whether it appears immediately across the system. If there's a delay, the system is batch-processing, not real-time.

Why it matters: Delayed data leads to delayed decisions. If your dashboard shows 50 units but the real count is 12 (because 38 were sold or transferred since the last sync), you're making reorder decisions on fiction.

2. Reorder Alerts with Actionable Follow-Through

Alerts alone are insufficient. Every tool has alerts. The question is: what happens after the alert fires?

Look for a system that doesn't just tell you stock is low but helps you act on it. The best platforms generate a purchase requisition automatically when stock hits the reorder point — a document listing the product, quantity needed, and supplier, ready for your review and approval. Some allow you to share that requisition directly with your supplier via email from within the platform.

This turns a reorder alert from a notification you might ignore into a workflow you complete in two clicks.

3. Multi-Location Stock Transfers with Audit Trails

If you operate more than one location, you move stock between them. The system must track these transfers explicitly: what was moved, how much, from where, to where, by whom, and when. Both the sending and receiving locations should update simultaneously.

Without proper transfer tracking, stock "disappears" between locations. Your warehouse shows it was sent. The branch says they never received it. Nobody can prove either claim because the transfer was recorded via a WhatsApp message that's now buried in a chat history.

4. Location-Scoped Team Permissions

Role-based access (admin, editor, viewer) is table stakes. What separates good inventory software from adequate inventory software is location-scoped permissions: the ability to restrict a team member's access to specific locations.

Your Ikeja branch manager should see Ikeja's stock, not your entire operation. Your Abuja warehouse lead should have full access to the warehouse and read-only access to the retail locations they supply. This isn't about distrust — it's about reducing noise, preventing accidental edits, and creating clean accountability.

Ask during evaluation: Can I assign a user to Location A but not Location B? Can I give them edit access at one location and view-only at another?

5. Barcode Scanning Without Hardware

Physical barcode scanners are expensive, fragile, and single-purpose. Modern inventory software should support barcode scanning through your phone's camera, directly in the browser, with no app download required.

This matters for three workflows: receiving (scan products as they arrive to log them into inventory), stocktakes (scan products during a physical count for accuracy), and quick lookups (scan a barcode to instantly see the product's stock levels, location history, and reorder status).

If the platform requires a dedicated app or a physical scanner, that's friction you'll feel every day.

6. Complete Audit Trail

An audit trail is the feature most businesses don't know they need until the first time they can't explain a stock discrepancy. A proper audit trail logs every single event: stock adjustments, transfers, scans, reorders, team member actions, and system-generated changes — each with a timestamp, the person who performed the action, the reason (if provided), and the quantity impact.

This serves three purposes: accountability (you know who did what), dispute resolution (you can trace any discrepancy to its source), and compliance (auditors and investors want to see clean inventory records).

Non-negotiable question: Does the audit trail log the actor's name, the location, and the reason for every adjustment? If it only logs the change without the context, it's a changelog, not an audit trail.

The High-Value Features

These aren't deal-breakers, but they significantly increase the platform's value over time.

7. Bulk Upload and Auto-SKU Generation

If you have 200 or 2,000 products, entering them one at a time is not realistic. The platform should support CSV upload for your product catalogue and historical sales data. Bonus: if the system auto-generates SKU codes for products that don't have them, you remove a major friction point for businesses transitioning from informal systems.

8. AI-Powered Insights

Emerging inventory platforms are adding AI layers that let you ask questions in plain English: "What should I reorder this week?" "Show me dead stock." "Which location has the highest shrinkage?" This transforms the system from a database you have to query into an advisor you can consult.

Evaluate whether the AI works on your real data or just offers generic recommendations. The former is valuable. The latter is marketing.

9. E-Commerce Integration

If you sell online (WooCommerce, Shopify, or similar), the inventory platform should sync stock levels automatically. When a product sells online, inventory decreases. When you receive a shipment, available quantities update on your store. This prevents overselling and eliminates the need to manually update your website every time stock changes.

10. Multi-Currency Support

For businesses operating across borders or purchasing from international suppliers, the platform should handle multiple currencies without requiring manual conversion. This is particularly important in African and Middle Eastern markets where suppliers may invoice in USD, EUR, or local currency.

The Evaluation Checklist

Feature	Question to Ask	Pass / Fail
Real-time sync	Make a change at Location A. Does Location B see it instantly?	Pass: <5 seconds. Fail: requires refresh or nightly sync.
Reorder alerts	Set a reorder point. Deplete stock. What happens?	Pass: alert + purchase requisition. Fail: alert only or manual check.
Transfer tracking	Transfer stock between locations. Is it logged with actor and timestamp?	Pass: full audit entry. Fail: no transfer log or WhatsApp-based.
Location permissions	Invite a user and restrict them to one location. Can they see other locations?	Pass: can't see restricted locations. Fail: sees everything.
Barcode scanning	Scan a barcode using your phone browser. Does it work?	Pass: instant product lookup. Fail: requires app or hardware.
Audit trail	Make 3 adjustments. Can you see who, when, why, and how much for each?	Pass: full context per entry. Fail: only shows the change.
Bulk upload	Upload a 100-product CSV. How long does it take?	Pass: <2 minutes, auto-maps columns. Fail: manual entry required.
Setup speed	Time yourself from signup to first stock adjustment.	Pass: <15 minutes. Fail: requires demo, consultant, or multi-day setup.

Choose for Today, Build for Tomorrow

The best real-time inventory software does two things simultaneously: it solves the problems you have right now (stockouts, discrepancies, lack of visibility) and it grows with you as you add locations, team members, channels, and complexity. Evaluate on today's needs, but choose a platform with a clear upgrade path.

Ceazr covers every feature on this checklist. Start free, set up in 5 minutes → ceazr.com/features

What Features Should You Look for in Real-Time Inventory Management Software?