An inventory count sheet is a document that physically records the inventory levels. By looking at this document, businesses can know the quantity of the products that are in stock.
Readers may encounter some confusion between an inventory count sheet and a stocklist. Even though they may seem similar, both documents serve different purposes and convey different information.
What are the Differences between a Stocklist and an Inventory Count Sheet?
The following are the main differences between a stocklist and an inventory count sheet:
- A stocklist is used as a comprehensive overview of the inventory whereas an inventory count sheet is used to compare the actual quantity of products with the records.
- A stocklist has to be updated as much as there are changes in inventory like sales, purchases, returns, or exchanges. On the other hand, the inventory count sheet is usually updated only during the inventory count.
- The content of the stocklist is broader, with information like product name, SKU, manufacturer/supplier detail, prices, reorder level, etc. On the other hand, inventory count sheets mainly focus on the number of available units of a product and its location in the warehouse.
Now that the difference between a stocklist and an inventory count sheet is clear, let’s move towards learning how to create an inventory count sheet.
How to Create an Inventory Count Sheet?
Businesses can take the following steps to create an inventory count sheet:
Identify the Products in the Inventory
In order to create an accurate inventory count sheet, it is crucial to know what products are there in the inventory. Remember that the count sheet is used to register the product count.
For this, a list of products in stock is required first. This list should be created carefully so that no product is missed. For example, if a business deals in beverages, all the names of these beverages should be on the list.
Create the Columns of Required Information
Once the company has a list of all the available products, the next step is to determine what information is required on the inventory count sheet. There is no hard-and-fast rule for what and how much information should be added in this sheet, except two .i.e., count information and material list.
The unit of measurement and the location of the products in the warehouse must be added to the sheet. For example, if a business deals in rice, the unit of measurement can be the number of sacks and the weight of each sack.
Other than this, how many sacks of what weight are located at which location of the warehouse should also be added. Other than this, companies can choose which information to add to the sheet according to their convenience.
Select the Format of the Sheet
After selecting the type of information to enter on the sheet, it’s time to select the format of the count sheet. This is the selection of how the sheet will look like.
The first and most simple format is to create the list manually by hand. This will require a pen and paper to write down the list of products. Then when the inventory count is being conducted, the required information can be added to the sheet by hand.
The other format is creating it in Excel or Google Sheets. In these, a staff member will have to enter information manually. But these programs allow many other features like easily editing any mistake, sorting the information in any way, and using filters to highlight the required information.
The most convenient format may be using an inventory management system to create the count sheet. In this, the count sheet can be updated automatically as the physical count is happening via handheld scanners.
Set Up the Sheet
Once all the points are decided, they should all be entered into the sheet. All the columns of the required information should be created manually or in whatever program is chosen.
Before the count, not only the sheet should be set up, but the inventory should be set up as well. All the products should be grouped separately so that things aren’t haphazard when the count takes place.
After all is set, businesses can continue with the inventory count.
Conduct Reviews
Creating an inventory count sheet once doesn’t mean that it is final. Businesses should keep reviewing the sheet so that changes can be made according to the current requirements.
For example, suppose a business created the count sheet when they had only one warehouse. In this setting, they may not have added the location in the warehouse information in the sheet because everything is visible in the small area.
If this business expands into two warehouses, the count sheet will now require a column that tells which product is located in which warehouse.
What is the Most Effective Way to Create an Inventory Count Sheet?
In the above section, we discussed three major formats to create an inventory count sheet, manual, Excel/Google Sheet, and Inventory Management System. From these, the last one can stand the test of time, by saving your time.
Creating an inventory count sheet may seem like an easy task but it is time-consuming. Businesses have to focus on what information is made part of the sheet.
This can be covered using the inventory management system. This is because it has all the required information for the sheet and more. So, when the time comes to create the count sheet, staff already knows what is required and what additional things can be added depending on the details the system has tracked.
Other than this, these programs may also come with pre-built inventory count sheet templates. This means that companies may find the right template in the software and don’t have to go through a tedious process altogether.
Conclusion
An inventory count sheet is used during the inventory count, to tally how much inventory is actually present. This sheet then presents the overview of the inventory level. By using an inventory management system, businesses can make this process easy and accurate.
