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From: glenn@welch.jhu.edu (Glenn M. Mason)
Newsgroups: comp.databases
Subject: Re: Databases to do inventory.
Message-ID: <1991Jun6.203543.21842@welch.jhu.edu>
Date: 6 Jun 91 20:35:43 GMT
References: <1991Jun6.191505.23166@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov>
Reply-To: glenn@welchlab.welch.jhu.edu (Glenn M. Mason)
Distribution: usa
Organization: Welch Medical Library, Baltimore
Lines: 37

In article <1991Jun6.191505.23166@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov> scandal@venus.lerc.nasa.gov writes:
>
>Does anyone have any suggestions on a database that would best
>provide inventory tracking?  
>
>Which is better:  Dbase IV, Clarion, or RBASE 3.1?


Far too general a question. These packages are not the only choices out
there also. The best suggestion I can give is to refer you to the May or
June issue of PC-World magazine, which has an article titled "Database
Clout". It gives comprehensive breakdowns covering price, performance,
functionality, support, etc. on most of the PC-based database packages
out there. There is enough detailed comparison data to make a decision
based on what is important for your particular needs. 

Some of the competitors evaluated where Paradox, FoxPro, R:base, dBASE IV,
PC-Ingres, DataEase, Clarion, and others. There were two best buys chosen,
and one was Paradox (I can't recall the other). I remember that overall,
FoxPro and Paradox looked really good, and DataEase and dBASE IV were
busted out and brought up the rear in the standings. 


BTW - there are some excellent accounting packages out there that handle
inventory (as well as invoicing, payroll, etc., etc.) really well such as
PeachTree, Pacioli, DAC-Easy and Computer Associates. Of these Pacioli is
only $49 and is really complete, including payroll module and video tutorial;
Computer Associates puts out several accounting packages and are probably
the most complete packages (and costly). If you go with a database package,
you will have to write your own custom application to handle your needs as
there isn't a database package out there that I know of that has any built-
in inventory-control functionality (although some packages have built-in
functions that will handle much of the complicated processing needs of your
app.)


Glenn