The Inventory/Shipping package of the NCI Drug Information System (DIS) is designed to support all inventory and shipping operations associated with the testing by the NCI of large numbers of chemicals for anticancer activity. Two major databases, an Inventory database and a Shipping History database, contain all of the data associated with these operations. Software that supports the operations in an online interactive manner also provides for the accessing and updating of these databases as necessary. Special hardware in the form of barcode reader/printers and digital balances is also interfaced to the system to improve the efficiency of the operations.