3-Minute Overview

⏱️ Time: 3 minutes  
👤 Who: Store Manager / New staff (first exposure) / Anyone needing a high-level understanding

What is a Stocktake?

A stocktake ensures your system reflects the actual physical stock in your store. It directly impacts:

• Ordering accuracy
• Stock valuation
• Reporting reliability

The 5 Phases of a Successful Stocktake

1. Preparation (Critical)

Before counting anything:

• Clean up stock data
• Fix errors (negative stock, false zero stock)
• Ensure store layout (sections) is clear
• Do not re-zero stock on hand!

Most stocktake failures happen here—not during counting.

2. Setup

• Create ONE stocktake
• Set the correct date
• Ensure structure is clean and consistent

3. Counting (Execution)

• Use PDE devices to scan and count
• Each count is saved as an “input”
• Inputs must be clearly named and assigned to sections

4. Validation

• Run reports
• Identify unusual values
• Investigate discrepancies

5. Finalisation

• Close stocktake
• Set stock counts
• Update system

Biggest Risks to Avoid

• Multiple stocktakes → reporting becomes unusable
• Poor naming → investigations become impossible
• Skipping preparation → inaccurate results
• Not validating → major stock errors

Golden Rule

A smooth stocktake is built before the first item is counted