The Stratford Group Inc. (Tucson, Ariz,; www.inmass.com) has released Inventory Control, Job Cost and Work in Process (JC/WIP), and Purchasing/Receiving for the Palm Handheld devices from 3Com Corporation. The software is also designed for the version of the Palm Handheld from Symbol Technologies called the SPT 1500 which comes equipped with an built-in professional bar code scanner.

All manufacturing and inventory data can now be acquired directly from the floor and from each job with any of the Palm Handheld computers and uploaded directly into any manufacturing software program. The Stratford Group's own product, INMASS/MRP Microcomputer Software for Manufacturing program, downloads and uploads necessary manufacturing and project data through the Palm's HotSync interface provided with each Palm Handheld. The Symbol SPT 1500 Palm Handheld offers the user a built-in bar code scanner to automatically read bar codes and update all manufacturing data files through the same HotSync interface. Users also can attach a miniature, one-pound, Comtec Cameo2 Bar Code Printer and print bar code labels whenever and wherever needed directly from the Palm Handheld software.