Free inventory count sheet

About this document

An inventory count sheet is the honest version of "what do we actually have?" — expected versus counted, row by row, with the variance computed only when both numbers exist. Blanks stay blank, because an uncounted item shouldn't look reconciled.

When to use it

• Scheduled counts — weekly, monthly, whatever your shelf churn demands.
• Spot-checking a section that keeps surprising you.
• Right before reordering, so the order reflects the shelf and not the memory.

Getting it right

• Count in one pass with the sheet in hand; going back "to double-check" is how numbers get negotiated.
• Keep units consistent per item — cases or eaches, not sometimes both.
• Investigate variances before adjusting records; the waste log and recent deliveries explain most of them.

It's a counting record, not stock-control software — it won't track movement between counts or put a dollar value on inventory.

Part of Keep the store stocked and Run an online shop — the whole situation, connected.

Common questions

What number goes in "expected"?

Whatever your records claim — the last count, or your system's figure. The sheet measures the gap between the claim and the shelf.

Variance shows +2 — did I gain stock?

You counted more than expected. Usually a receiving or record error rather than magic — worth the same look a shortage gets.

How often should we count?

Often enough that any variance is a story you can still reconstruct. If nobody remembers the period, the period is too long.