How to Fix the 7 Most Common Fishbowl Software Issues

Fishbowl Inventory is one of the best manufacturing and inventory management systems to integrate with QuickBooks. If you are not a current Fishbowl Inventory Software user but are considering making the leap, take a look at our list of some of the most common issues that come with Fishbowl Inventory Software…and the solutions to those problems.

Those of you who are current Fishbowl Inventory users, and have run into some of these frustrations, take a look at the solutions below.

These solutions might make all of the difference you need to turn Fishbowl Software into a system that fits all of your needs for years to come.
‌ ‌


 

1. Difficulty Setting Up Database

‌ ‌
Any new software that you incorporate into your business will have its own set of inherent challenges. In the case of a system that controls your inventory, it comes in the form of setting up your database as a prerequisite to daily use. Many people do not realize the difficulty of entering hundreds, or thousands, of items, customers, vendors, bills of materials, etc. And those who do know how difficult it is usually prefer not to do the work alone.

That’s where a team of specialists can come in handy.

A group of people who have experience with database setup can help streamline the process and overcome any hurdles that might arise. Having worked with Fishbowl for many years, we have seen our fair share of difficulties when setting up databases. We understand the headaches that come with database setup, and we are here to help you succeed.

To get in touch with our experts, and receive professional help, Contact Us today
‌ ‌
‌ ‌


 

2. Employee Training

‌ ‌
Once your database has been created, the last thing you want happening is for untrained employees to start using your Fishbowl Inventory database and making mistakes that can be time-consuming, or even impossible, to fix. We have worked with companies whose employees have caused such issues in the database that it had to be rebuilt, costing the company time and money.

The solution to this is simple:

Work with Fishbowl Inventory experts who know how the software functions, and who have experience training others how to use it.
The training can come in a number of formats, but the most important thing is to make sure your employees know their role, and how to perform their role within the software. A properly trained staff will be better equipped to help transition your company to using Fishbowl on a daily basis.

Need expert training? We’ve got your back. Get In Touch with our Training Coaches today.
‌ ‌



3. Mistyped Orders

Now that your employees have been trained, and understand how Fishbowl works, there are still times when an honest order-entry mistake can cost your company a lot of money, and can make your customers unhappy. This is especially prominent when the majority of your orders come from conversations on the phone, or from emails. Re-typing orders into Fishbowl can leave a lot of room for errors.

The answer to this problem is to offer your customers a way, or several ways, to enter their own orders, and have those orders submit directly to your Fishbowl database.

LilyPad Vortex is your one-stop solution to give your customers that capability.

However, this can be accomplished in a number of ways:
 Integrate Fishbowl to your online stores  Integrate Fishbowl to your online stores
 Integrate EDI orders into your Fishbowl  Integrate EDI orders into your Fishbowl
Use LilyPad Vortex (a B2B portal that is integrated with Fishbowl)
In short, using integrations to automate order entry will help eliminate mistakes, and will help keep your customers happy.
If you need a new way to solve mistyped orders and are looking for better solutions, get expert help from LilyPad and Get Started today
‌ ‌


4. Picking the Wrong Parts


Even if your order entry is streamlined and without error, an order can still fall victim to errors during the picking stage. When an order is picked, the person doing the picking is faced with the task of choosing the correct item from a warehouse that is potentially filled with other similar items.

Mistakes happen, but the implementation of a barcoding system can help reduce, or eliminate, these kinds of mistakes.

Your solution? LilyPad Mobile Warehouse.

LilyPad Mobile Warehouse allows you to scan barcodes when you are performing your warehousing functions, including during the picking process. By scanning the affixed barcodes, LMW for Fishbowl software gives you an immediate notification if you have scanned the wrong item, redirecting you to the correct item.

If you want to streamline your inventory management, and want to maximize your Fishbowl investment, LilyPad Mobile Warehouse is here to help. Contact Us for more information!
‌ ‌
‌ ‌
‌ ‌


5. Incorrect and Misplaced Inventory

‌ ‌
When moving inventory around in the warehouse, it can easily become misplaced. Or, even if the inventory has been put away in the correct location, a mistyped location in Fishbowl could cost time and money.
It is also important to keep an ongoing count of your inventory in order to ensure accuracy.

LilyPad Mobile Warehouse can help with both of these scenarios, because you are required to scan the location barcode as you put your inventory away, helping to keep your inventory straight. Additionally, you can perform cycle count activities with your scanners that keep your inventory quantities more precise.

If you’re looking for a Fishbowl software solution for incorrect or misplaced inventory, LilyPad for Fishbowl is sure to give you a budget-friendly solution.

If you want to know more, take a look at our website. Or, Contact Us for more information.
‌ ‌


6. Insufficient Reporting

There are many standard reports in Fishbowl. However, there are some instances where you may need greater clarity than what those reports have to offer. When that is the case, a simple modification to an existing report, or a new customized report can make all of the difference.

Custom Fishbowl Reports can make your life a whole lot easier.

Our knowledgeable report writers can take your requests and turn them into a reality, giving you the information you need to more effectively run your business.

Learn more about our custom fishbowl reports.

To get in touch with our team, Contact Us today!
‌ ‌
‌ ‌


7. No Customer Portal

‌ ‌
‌ ‌
One of the most important requirements in today’s world to run a successful business is accessibility. Your customers must be able to access your products.

The easiest way to do this is with an online B2B platform that allows your customers to place orders whenever it’s most convenient for them, but Fishbowl Inventory Software does not come with a built-in online presence.

The answer? LilyPad Vortex!

While Fishbowl doesn’t have that capability, our LilyPad Vortex platform facilitates the ability for your customers to log in and see your product lines and their available quantities.

With just a few clicks, they can place an order that transfers directly to your Fishbowl database, making their life, and yours, easier.

Contact us for more information, pricing, and other Fishbowl Software solutions!
‌ ‌
‌ ‌


Lilypad‌ ‌for‌ ‌Fishbowl:‌ ‌A‌ ‌Premier‌ ‌Fishbowl‌ ‌Solution

‌ ‌
‌ ‌
Our LilyPad products have been designed in such a way as to complement and improve the functionality of Fishbowl Inventory Software to make it an even better system.

You don’t need to worry about any shortcomings in Fishbowl, because with LilyPad, you can be confident that you will have the solution you need.

Get Started Today with Lilypad for Fishbowl!

Fishbowl Inventory Implementation: Go At It Alone? Or Get Help?

Collaboration
Implementing new software into your company can be challenging, to say the least.  Fishbowl Inventory implementation is no different.  Whether you are dealing with long lists of part numbers, or you’re trying to convince the warehouse team that the new system will work better than the old, you’re in for a challenge.  Here are some tips to help you navigate the rough waters of implementation.

  1. Use all of your resources.  You don’t have to do this alone.  There are people around who can help you.  This includes the excellent trainers in the Fishbowl Inventory support team, expert consultants who have implemented Fishbowl Inventory for many years, and even your co-workers.
  2. Make sure you understand the data manipulation.  Here are a few ways to enter information into your new Fishbowl database:

    Type it in Manually
    In other words, you can go straight into the user interface of Fishbowl Inventory, and type in every part number, every customer, and every vendor.  As you can surmise, this method can be tedious and time-consuming.

    Pull the Information From QuickBooks
    If your previous inventory management software was QuickBooks, you can   The advantage to this method is that it is incredibly fast to set up a Fishbowl database this way.  The disadvantage is that if your QuickBooks data is not accurate, neither will the information that comes into Fishbowl be accurate.Use .csv Import Files
    Fishbowl Inventory has the capability of bringing in large amounts of information through a .csv import.  This includes your parts, products, customers, vendors, bills of materials, etc.  Once you have mastered the art of using import files, the setup of your Fishbowl Inventory database can be completed quickly.  Or, better yet, find someone else who has mastered using import files and let them handle it for you.
  3. Stay the course.  Setting up a new database can be a daunting task, at best.  There are many things that need to be taken into consideration, and there are many moving pieces.  When at all possible, Fishbowl Inventory Consulting with an expert can save you a lot of time and headache.
  4. Don’t be afraid to start over.  There may be a time when you have to realize that the only way to move forward is to start over again.  Don’t despair!  You have already overcome much of the learning curve, and a fresh beginning may be just what you need to finalize your database.  Try to keep up your momentum and push through to the end.

If all else fails, remember that there are experts out there who can set up your database, train your employees, and make sure your company is on track for the transition to Fishbowl Inventory.

LilyPad for Fishbowl – Premier Fishbowl Consultant and Marketplace Solution

If you’ve had trouble in the past with Fishbowl, or if you’re looking for a better alternative software to integrate your Fishbowl inventory services, your search is finally over. LilyPad for Fishbowl offers a wide variety of up-to-date, easy-to-use software add-ons to help make your Fishbowl experience the best possible. LilyPad also offers on-site trainings, consultations, and other premier Fishbowl services.

Get Started Today with LilyPad for Fishbowl!