Hey me too, I also have a DIY inventory system, maybe yours is more developed. But I also had the concept of items for n arbitrarily nested containers.
replyI also track historical movements to see which items are never used.
Recently I've moved towards everything being stored in numbered bags, which are hung in order on a line for O(N) retrieval. For storage it tells you which bag to put it in, for retrieval it tells you where it is.
I'm thinking more and more the optimal system will have a physical as well as digital component.
Also, I feel this system would be great for shared workshops at work places and maker spaces etc. I was just rummaging through our lab at work today, there's so many parts in the lab no one would know about, if it was inventorised with a good integrated (AI?) search function the equipment could be much more useful/available.
My system has a list mechanism as well. You can create a shopping list and add to it. Either scan barcode or AI Vision. You can add notes too, such as found at Target for $16.99 and Walmart for $19.99. If the items you add exist in the inventory, it will have the breadcrumb to the items and the quantity. If not, they're added as external.
You can also create a camping list, and add the things you need. When you pack and check things off, they are checked out from the system. When you're done, uncheck will check them back into the system.
Another use for list is for projects. You can have a list for your workshops and keep track what is being used and what need to be replenished.
One more feature I have that could be useful for your workshop is related items. For example, when you look up soldering iron, you'll also see related items such as solder, wick, flux. That way you don't forget.
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