A stock count template is a sheet where you enter the book quantity of each item and the quantity your team counted on the shelf, so the variance appears in units and in riyals. The same figures build the stock count minutes and the variance report.
Variance = counted quantity − book quantity. A negative figure is a shortage, a positive one a surplus, and its value = variance × unit cost. In the sample the shortage is worth SAR 215.10 and the surplus SAR 15.60.
What a stock count is, and its types
A stock count (physical inventory count) is a physical count of goods compared with the balance in the books. A daily count covers only fast-moving or high-value items, a periodic or cycle count goes through the whole warehouse or one section each month or quarter, the annual count comes before the year-end close, and a surprise count runs unannounced to test controls. The annual and surprise counts, and any count that leads to an adjustment in the books, need signed minutes.
How to fill in a daily stock count sheet
- Take the book quantities from your system or ledger, and stop receiving and issuing the items you are counting until the count is finished.
- Count each item and enter the counted quantity in the unit used in the books; count an opened carton in pieces if the books are in pieces.
- Choose a reason for every row with a variance, then open the Count minutes tab and enter the committee names.
- Download the minutes as a PDF for those present to sign, or in Word if you want to change the wording.
Worked example: rice with a book quantity of 120 bags, 114 counted and a cost of SAR 18.50 has a variance of −6 worth −SAR 111.00. For a daily count, pick the Quick daily count example; if your team counts on paper, the Blank Excel file button gives you the stock count template with its columns and formulas to print.
What goes in each column
| Column | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Item | The name with size or pack, so "rice 5 kg" is not mixed up with "rice 10 kg". |
| Unit cost | Purchase cost or average cost, not the selling price. |
| Reason | Damaged, expired, theft or loss, entry error, counting error, or prep waste. |
| Code, unit and location | Advanced mode; useful when names are similar or an item sits on several shelves. |
Stock count minutes and what they must include
Stock count minutes record when and where the count took place and who sat on the committee, then the overall results, the list of items with a variance, the committee's recommendations (advanced mode) and the signatures of the committee head, the storekeeper and the accountant. They go to the finance manager right after the count, together with the variance report that groups differences by reason. In the sample, the SAR 111.00 shortage of damaged rice calls for a disposal decision and a look at storage, and the SAR 41.40 of missing tissues needs an investigation before any adjustment.
Counting stock in shops, restaurants and warehouses
In a shop, count shelf by shelf and mark each shelf once it is done so nothing is counted twice. In a restaurant, raw materials are counted in kilograms and litres, and prep waste is kept apart from damaged stock; the Restaurant kitchen count example accepts decimals such as 39.5 kg. A warehouse count relies on the location column in advanced mode, so the committee can split aisles between teams counting at the same time and finish sooner.
Common stock count mistakes
- Valuing the variance at selling price, which makes the shortage look larger than the real loss.
- Adjusting the balance in the system before the cause is known and the minutes approved.
Accounting notes
Once the minutes are approved, a shortage is booked with an adjusting entry that reduces inventory and is charged to a stock count variance account; a surplus takes the reverse entry. Damaged stock needs separate disposal minutes before it is written off.
When the same items keep coming up short
Microtec's ERP accounting system, built for businesses in Saudi Arabia, brings sales, purchasing, inventory and finance into one place, so the book quantity you count against is the same figure your sales and purchases produce, not a separate ledger that needs reconciling.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I count stock?
Count fast-moving or high-value items daily, the rest of the warehouse monthly or quarterly, and everything before the financial year-end close. If an item keeps coming up short, count it more often.
Should I stop selling during a stock count?
At least stop movement on the items being counted at that moment. A full count is best run outside working hours, and a daily count before opening or after closing.
How do I count a restaurant kitchen?
Choose the Restaurant kitchen count example and items appear in kilograms and litres; weigh opened ingredients rather than estimating them. The Prep waste reason separates what is lost during preparation from damaged stock.
What is the difference between book quantity and counted quantity?
Book quantity is what the records say after every stock in and stock out, and counted quantity is what is on the shelf. The gap is a shortage or surplus, valued at unit cost rather than selling price, because the real loss is what you paid for the goods.
Is there a printable stock count template in PDF?
Yes. Download the count sheet or the minutes as a PDF, or download a blank file to count on paper. What you type stays in your browser, and we ask for your name, email and mobile once before the first download.