Ways to reconcile inventory with records

You cannot count everything in a warehouse piece by piece. There is no need to count the grains in a sack of flour or the centimetres on a reel of cable; such goods are measured differently. The accuracy of a revision depends on choosing the right method: "counting" the same goods in the wrong way produces a difference artificially. Below are four main methods and when to use them.

Counting

For goods sold by the piece this is the simplest method: phones, clothes, boxes of tiles, tins of food. But the simplicity is deceptive, and this is where most mistakes appear.

• Count large batches by packaging: the number of boxes in a layer on a pallet, the number of layers and the incomplete top layer. Example: 12 boxes × 5 layers + 7 boxes = 67 boxes.
• It is enough to check the number of pieces in a box once and then count only the boxes.
• Stick a label on, or mark with chalk, what has been counted so that nothing is counted twice.
• Have two different people count the important positions. If their results disagree, a third count is needed.

Weighing

Loose goods and goods sold by weight are weighed: flour, sugar, rice, grain, cement, oil. There are two hazards.

The first is faulty scales. Test the scales in advance and use the same ones throughout the count. The second is the weight of the packaging: a sack, box or container adds weight itself. So first find the average weight of the empty packaging and subtract it from every reading.

In a large batch of sacks you do not have to weigh them all. Pick several, weigh them, find the average weight and multiply by the number of sacks. Just remember that damp or sacks left in the open air can change in weight.

Measuring

For goods measured in metres, litres or cubic metres: fabric, cable, pipe, linoleum, timber, liquid products. The main danger is confusion of units: "metres" in the records, but reels or coils in reality. Before the revision, write down the unit and conversion factor for each position.

The remainder of cable or fabric on a reel is found with a tape measure or a counter. The level of a liquid in a container is read off a scale. The volume of timber and sand is calculated from its dimensions.

Code scanning

For goods with a barcode, QR code or serial number, the quickest and most accurate method is to scan with a scanner or a phone app. A scanner ties the goods directly to the list, eliminates manual entry errors and cuts the time several times over.

For medicines, cosmetics and electronics, where the series and expiry date matter, scanning also lets you check the batch number. There is one condition: the label must be properly attached and legible. Positions with damaged labels, or a code moved from another item, are checked separately.

Choosing a method and general rules

By type of goods the choice usually runs like this:

• clothes, appliances, crockery: counting, with codes if needed;
• flour, sugar, grain, cement: weighing;
• fabric, cable, pipe: measuring;
• medicines, cosmetics, electronics: code scanning and series;
• boxes on pallets: counting by packaging and a sample check.

Whatever method is chosen, a few rules do not change. The unit must be the same in the records and in the count: do not mix boxes and pieces. Each position is counted once and recounted if a difference appears. For goods outside your own warehouse (in transit, held by others), reconcile with documents and confirmations.

If a difference appears, check the method before the goods: are the scales working properly, is the unit the same, does the label belong to that item. The cause is often found right there and no recount is needed.

Conclusion

The right method does half the revision's work: the goods "speak" for themselves. One method for one kind of goods, the same units and the same rules, and a difference points to a real problem rather than to a method error. The Reviziya team can choose a suitable method for each type of goods and carry out the count.