A template for conducting physical inventory counts. Record what you count, compare to expected quantities, and track variances. Works for cycle counts or full physical inventories.
PDF for printing, or Excel for digital recording.
The template captures all the information needed for accurate inventory counts.
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Where the count is being performed | Aisle 3, Shelf B |
| Item Name / SKU | The item being counted | Widget A (WGT-001) |
| Expected Quantity | What the system says should be there | 50 |
| Counted Quantity | What you actually count | 48 |
| Variance | Difference between expected and counted | -2 |
| Counter | Who performed the count | John D. |
| Date / Time | When the count was performed | 2026-01-02 14:30 |
| Notes | Reason for variance or other observations | 2 units damaged |
Choose a counting strategy that fits your operation. Cycle counting spreads the work over time instead of one big annual count.
Count A-items weekly, B-items monthly, C-items quarterly
Count one zone or aisle each day until all are covered
Randomly select items to count each period
Count fast-moving items more frequently
Decide which items or locations to count. Pre-fill the expected quantities from your inventory system.
Go to each location and physically count items. Record the counted quantity. For blind counts, hide the expected column until after counting.
Compare counted to expected. Note any discrepancies and document the likely cause.
Recount items with large variances. After verification, update your inventory system with the correct counts.
StockZip has a built-in cycle count workflow. Scan items to count, see expected vs. actual in real-time, and flag variances automatically. No paper sheets, no data entry.