When implementing Inventory, several guidelines are recommended:
List out all of the major categories(departments) of inventory items
Pick one category that is either difficult to maintain manually, or one where you feel shrinkage is the greatest, etc. OK, got one? Then lets proceed.
Input into the Inventory only those items for that one category. It is time now to tell you why. It is a difficult task to put in all items and to completely understand you new system before you have ever used it. Also, by selecting a category that is causing you problems, you will se some return on your investment, even before everything is completely finished!
Begin selling items within this category by scanning or manual # input. You are now building sales history on all these items. Also, at the same time you are verifying that all items have been input properly.
Now it is time to count and begin receiving these items into Inventory. Guess what? You now have a fully functioning Inventory, albeit on category. You know the EXACT movement (sales, receipts, quantity on hand, shortages, etc.) on EVERY item.
Once you are comfortable with this first category, continue now to focus on implementing the rest of your inventory.