Stock Take Sheet

What this sheet is for

Count stock area by area and see the variance beside the count, so a stock take produces a number you can act on rather than a vague reassurance.

Who it is for

Small shops, workshops, stores, bars, kitchens, hire firms and anyone counting their own stock rather than running a system that counts it for them.

How to use it

1. Use one sheet per area and number the sheets before you start.
2. Count what is physically on the shelf first, then fill in the expected figure.
3. Write the variance on every line, including the zeros.
4. Give damaged or unusable stock its own line and say so in the notes.
5. Have a second person check and sign the sheet before the figures are entered.

What is on the sheet

The layout is fixed at a size that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the A4 and Letter files are visually identical and print at full size on either. Rows are set at a height that an adult can actually write a date and a few words into with a pen — most printable tables are built in a word processor and never tested with one.

Questions

Why count before looking at the expected figure?

Because a figure you have already read is very hard to unsee. Counting blind first, then comparing, is what turns a stock take into a check rather than a confirmation.

What should I do with a large variance?

Recount that line before anything else — most large variances are counting errors, wrong units or stock sitting somewhere else. Only investigate further once the count has been repeated.