Bar Code Systems: Applicability to U.S. Army DEH Supply Function and Review of Software Packages.

摘要

This study investigated the feasibility of incorporating bar-coded data entry into the Facilities Engineering Supply System (FESS) used by U.S. Army Directorates of Engineering and Housing (DEH) supply operations. A survey and rating of commercial automated material management systems for application to the DEH was also done. Conclusions are that the incorporation of some form of bar-coded data entry into FE supply operations could: (1) allow the FESS data base to better represent actual material supply conditions; (2) make inventory accounting procedures more efficient; (3) make inventory accounting more accurate; (4) make the process of issuing stock material more efficient. The investigation revealed that the Motorola Four Phase computer, the mainframe computer used at most installations to run FESS, will not directly accept bar-coded input data. This precludes a direct interface of commercially available bar-coding systems with FESS as it is now configured. The survey of commercial systems revealed that the Spacesaver and the ASAP software packages ranked highest for suitability to DEH needs, and(assuming an indirect interface with the Motorola Four Phase computer) application to the DEH FESS. This finding was based on a survey of the performance and functional features of the packages.