Inventory Management System Documentation

Overview:

The Inventory Management System is a C++ application designed to efficiently manage and organize information about food items in a stock inventory. The system employs file handling techniques to read and write data to a CSV file, ensuring persistent storage and retrieval of inventory details.

Key Features:

1. Real-Time Data Handling:

• FileManagment Class: Manages the reading and writing of inventory data to a CSV file.
• CSV Format: Data is stored in a CSV format for easy human readability and manipulation.

2. Efficient Data Storage:

• FoodItem Class: Represents individual food items with attributes such as name, category, quantity, barcode, and expiry date.
• Time Handling: Utilizes the time_t data structure for storing and comparing date and time information.

3. User Interaction:

• Menu-Driven Interface: The main.cpp file provides a user-friendly menu-driven interface for interacting with the inventory system.
• Input Validation: Ensures valid input for critical operations like barcode entry.

4. CRUD Operations:

• Add Food Items: Enables the addition of new food items to the inventory.
• Edit Food Items: Allows for the modification of existing food item details based on barcode.
• Delete Food Items: Permits the removal of food items from the inventory using the barcode.
• Display Inventory: Shows a comprehensive list of all items in the inventory.

5. Date Handling:

• Date Conversion Functions: Includes functions to convert strings to time_t format and vice versa for efficient date handling.
• Expiry Warnings: Displays warnings for expired or soon-to-expire items.

6. Sorting:

• Prioritize Inventory: Utilizes the sort function to prioritize inventory items based on expiry dates.

Code Structure:

1. Inventory Class:

• Manages the overall inventory, including reading and writing data to the CSV file.
• Implements core operations such as adding, editing, and deleting food items.

2. FileManagment Class:

• Handles file-related operations, including reading data from and writing data to the CSV file.

3. FoodItem Class:

• Represents individual food items with attributes and includes methods for checking expiration and imminent expiry.

Usage:

1. Add Food Items:

   • Enter the name, category, barcode, quantity, and expiry date to add a new item to the inventory.

2. Edit Food Items:

   • Modify the details of an existing item using its barcode.

3. Delete Food Items:

   • Remove items from the inventory based on their barcode.

4. Display Warnings:

   • View a list of items that are either expired or nearing expiry.

5. Display Inventory:

   • See a comprehensive list of all items in the inventory.

6. Search Food Item:

   • Find and display specific items based on their barcode.

7. Prioritize Inventory:

   • Sort the inventory based on expiry dates.

8. Exit:

   • Safely exit the application, ensuring that the data is saved to the CSV file.

Conclusion:

The Inventory Management System provides a robust and user-friendly solution for businesses or individuals to keep track of their stock. With features like real-time data handling, efficient storage, and user interaction, it offers a reliable and practical tool for managing inventory effectively.