Inventory planning and control.
Prepare stocktake data, estimate team requirements, monitor progress by zone and identify stock variances. Import your CSV or explore the 4,800-line demonstration dataset.
File and assumptions
The example contains fictional records with intentional gaps and variances for validation.
File column definitions
- SKU · item_name
- Stock keeping unit identifier and optional item description.
- location · zone
- Exact storage location and the planning zone monitored separately.
- uom
- Unit of measure, such as pcs or kg. The counted quantity must use the same unit as the system balance.
- system_qty
- Book inventory used for post-count reconciliation. Do not disclose it to counting teams before the count.
- counted_qty
- Physical quantity counted. A blank cell means not yet counted; zero is a valid count result.
- unit_price
- Optional unit value used to estimate the financial value of a variance. Rows without a valid price are not valued.
Planning assumptions
The counting rate is the average number of lines counted by one team per hour. The plan assumes that work within zones can be divided between teams.
Readiness and count status
Data-quality control
Rows containing errors are excluded from variance analysis. Progress confirms only that a quantity has been entered; it does not approve the stocktake.
Result definitions
- Line
- One SKU in one storage location. The same SKU held in another location is treated as a separate line.
- Variance
- Counted quantity minus system quantity for a row without data errors. A positive value is a surplus; a negative value is a shortage.
- Team-hours
- Lines ÷ team counting rate. For example, two teams working for eight hours provide 16 team-hours.
- Teams required
- Rounded up: all lines ÷ (counting window × one-team counting rate).
- Warning
- For example, a negative system balance: it requires review but is retained in the comparison.
Workload and progress by zone
Assign a lead team and download the plan. Zone duration is expressed as estimated team-hours, not as a guaranteed completion time.
| Zone | Lines | Counted | Progress | Team-hours | Errors / variances | Lead team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Import data to display the zones. | ||||||
Lines requiring investigation
The table displays up to 20 variances with the highest absolute value. The control file contains all lines and all data-quality comments.
| SKU · location | Zone | System qty | Counted qty | Variance | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variances will appear here after import. | |||||
The control file contains system balances. The blind count sheet does not disclose them to the counting teams. After the count, transfer the entered quantities to the control file and import it again.
We can build a tool around your process.
Does your stocktake use a different zone structure, team plan or variance thresholds? We can build a tool that validates the file, plans workload, identifies variances requiring investigation and generates the required control sheets.
If every stocktake starts with rebuilding the plan, manually splitting the scope and combining results, the process is a strong candidate for one structured tool.
- CSV/XLSX import and analysis
- Data validation and business rules
- Calculators and prioritisation
- Dashboards and operational reports
- PDF/CSV exports
- Prototype or private browser version
Calculation scope
One row represents one SKU in one storage location. Workload calculations assume the same average counting rate for all lines. Variance value is calculated only when a valid unit price is available. The tool does not approve investigations, post inventory adjustments or control warehouse movements.