Cycle counting

Cycle counting is the process of verifying the on-hand quantity of a specific number of stock products every day. In previous articles, I have described how to set up and maintain an effective cycle counting program and why this process is usually better than a full physical inventory for maintaining an accurate perpetual inventory in your computer system. But verifying on-hand quantities is only one of the advantages of cycle counting. The other benefit of a cycle counting program is to improve your business processes, including:
* Making sure that all material movement is properly recorded.
* Ensuring that stock receipts are put away in the proper location.
* Verifying that the right quantity of the right item is shipped on outgoing orders or is pulled from stock for an assembly.
* Preventing shrinkage from theft and the mishandling of stocked items.
Absolute Value of (Quantity Counted – Current Stock Level)] ÷ Current Stock Level
Process improvement results from carefully analyzing significant stock discrepancies.
Including the "absolute value" of "Quantity Counted – Current Stock Level" in this equation signifies that a discrepancy should be analyzed if significantly more or less inventory is found during the cycle counting process.
It is impossible to achieve effective inventory management without accurate stock levels in your computer system. A comprehensive cycle counting program is a valuable tool for ensuring that the quantities in your computer system agree with what is physically in the warehouse. But to be certain that stock levels remain accurate over time, you must investigate significant stock discrepancies and take corrective action to prevent similar problems from reoccurring in the future – that is, you must utilize cycle counting to improve the way you run your business!