Stocktake Tips & Tricks
Plan Ahead
Every Practice is unique in its inventory and layout, which makes planning ahead an important step in getting your Stocktake right Having a clear plan will ensure that staff have clear communication around what they are required to do, and you won’t spend unnecessary time fumbling through the stock count
Full Inventory vs Category vs Brand
Optomate and Sunix both support a Stocktake being run without having to stop general Practice operations (consulting, invoicing, receipting). Being able to run a Stock Count during business hours gives you the ability to individually process smaller categories such as solutions and sundry items, or you could apply this approach and run your stock count by brand, which also reduces the likelihood of errors
Map Out Inventory Location
Review the location of your inventory and number each area in order of first to last Make sure you have clear documentation for all staff so there is no confusion around the order of the stock count Don’t forget your hidden inventory – hidden draws, old job trays, uncollected jobs, laybys, holds etc.
Divide and Conquer
If you are dividing areas of inventory in the Practice, allocate staff members accordingly You might allocate a person to barcode scanning, a set of brands, or an entire category i.e. Accessories Before beginning the stock count, confirm all staff are following the same system to count stock and avoid duplicates.
Utilise Barcode Scanners
Both Optomate and Sunix support the use of barcode scanners. Confirming all stock is consistently labelled in the days leading up to stock take can reduce the count time significantly We recommend contacting your software provider for equipment recommendations.
Review Investigate and Resolve
It’s important to cross-reference the original inventory numbers against the counted inventory numbers before finalising the Stocktake The inventory reports can show any minor / major discrepancies and highlight any areas of your inventory management systems that may need further assessment and alterations. For any further assistance or guidance, please contact Tiarn Barrie-Moore - Systems Training & Onboarding Specialist on (03) 8544 3933 or tbarriemoore@provision com au
