Modernization of Regional Government Inventory Management: ACommunity Service Activity at the Regional Financial and AssetManagement Agency of Karo Regency

Figure Ilustration AI

FORMOSA NEWS - Karo – Online Inventory System for Modernizing Karo Regency Government Asset Management. Community service carried out by Elisabet Siahaan, Isnen Fitri, Jos Timanta Tarigan, and Niskarto Zendrato from  the University of North Sumatra in a service article published in the Asian Journal of Community Services edition Vol. 5 No. 2 of 2026. Public asset management is an important foundation for financial transparency, quality of public services, and long-term development planning. Without an integrated system, the inventory process is prone to data errors, reporting delays, and audit constraints. This condition is the background for the birth of online inventory system innovations in Karo Regency.

Geographical Challenges and Legacy Systems That Are Not Integrated

Karo Regency has a large geographical area with transportation access that is not always easy. Before this program runs, the inventory data collection process requires the Regional Apparatus Organization (OPD) to come directly to the BKAD office to submit data manually using external storage media.

The working model poses various problems:

• The administrative process becomes slow and expensive.
• The risk of human error increases.
• Data is difficult to update quickly.
• High potential for data corruption or loss.
• Pricing of assets is not integrated in the system.

The research team of the University of North Sumatra sees this condition as a real opportunity to encourage the digital transformation of local government through an e-government approach.

Program Approach: From Needs Analysis to Mentoring

Community service activities are carried out through four stages of visits to the Karo Regency BKAD in 2024. Each stage has a different focus:

1. Identify legacy system issues.
2. Designing an online inventory system.
3. System implementation and testing.
4. Training, mentoring, and initial evaluation.

The team conducted live interviews with system operators, workflow observations, and infrastructure readiness analysis. The results show that the hardware and internet connection in Karo Regency are adequate enough to support the web-based system.

This approach ensures that the solution built is truly tailored to the user's needs and can be used on an ongoing basis. 

Web-Based Inventory System with Real-Time Access

The main outcome of the program is the development of a web-based online inventory system that allows the recording, updating and reporting of assets to be done centrally and in real-time.

The system is designed with a number of important features:

• Client–server architecture for multi-user access.
• Role-based authentication and access control.
• Real-time inventory tracking.
• Simple and easy-to-use interface.
• Transaction logging and automated reporting.
• Scalability for long-term development.

Technically, the system is built using the Laravel framework, Apache servers, and MariaDB databases. Users can access the system through a browser without the installation of additional software.

Real Impact: Efficiency, Accuracy, and Transparency

The implementation of the online inventory system has a significant impact:

• Faster administration process.
• Reduced risk of data errors.
• Increased transparency.
• Easier decision-making.
• Asset monitoring is more effective in 46 OPDs.

The research team emphasized that community service programs can be a catalyst for the digital transformation of local governments. System modernization is not only a matter of technology, but also organizational readiness and human resource capacity building.

Author Profiles

Elisabet Siahaan – Lecturer at the University of North Sumatra,
in the field of information systems and community service

Isnen Fitri – Academician of the University of North Sumatra

Jos Timanta Tarigan – Academician of the University of North

Sumatra Niskarto Zendrato – Academician of the University of North Sumatra

Research Source
Elisabet Siahaan, Isnen Fitri, Jos Timanta Tarigan, Niskarto Zendrato. Modernization of Regional Government Inventory Management: A Community Service Activity at the Regional Financial and Asset Management Agency of Karo Regency. Asian Journal of Community Services, Vol. 5 No. 2, 2026, pages 91–102. 2026.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/ajcs.v5i2.4
URL: https://journalajcs.my.id/index.php/ajcs