Warehouse Stock Count and Valuation

Who this is for

A counting sheet built around the variance. Each line holds the quantity your system says you have, the quantity actually on the shelf, the difference between them, and the value of what was counted.

Stock controllers, warehouse supervisors and small distributors doing a full or rolling count, and anyone whose system figure and shelf figure have stopped agreeing.

What this helps you track

• What is in each bay or location, by stock code and description
• The book quantity beside the counted quantity, line by line
• The variance on every line, and the net variance across the count
• The value of the stock counted, at your own cost per unit
• A dated, signed count sheet to support the figure that goes into the accounts

How to use it

1. Fill the header with the site, the area or aisle being counted, the count reference and the date, then name the counter and the checker.
2. Print the book quantities from your system into the book column before you start, or leave the column blank for a blind count and fill it in afterwards.
3. Count bay by bay in a fixed order and write the counted quantity next to each line. Do not correct the book figure on the sheet — the gap is the point of the exercise.
4. The variance column, the line value, the totals and the summary are worked out in the browser and the workbook; on paper, subtract across each line.
5. Recount every line with a variance before anything is adjusted in the system, and note the reason found in the last column.
6. Have the checker sign the sheet, then post the adjustments and file the count as the evidence behind them.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

What is a blind count and should I do one?

A blind count means the counter does not see the system figure. It removes the temptation to write down what the system expects. Leave the book column empty, count, then fill the book figures in and compare.

How should I value the stock?

On whatever basis your accounts already use — purchase cost, landed cost or standard cost. The sheet multiplies by the figure you enter and totals it; it does not choose a basis for you.

What counts as an acceptable variance?

That is set by your own business and, where it matters, by your auditor. The sheet reports the variance per line and the net figure across the count and leaves the judgement to you.

Can this be used for a rolling count?

Yes. Count one area or one group of codes at a time, name it in the header, and keep the sheets in date order. The browser version saves in your own browser, so each count can be a separate copy.