Stock Take & Physical Count Variance Report

About the Stock Take & Physical Count Variance Report

Run a physical stock count and compare it with the books. Bring in the book stock — what your software says is at each location, with its cost — from a CSV or Excel file, or straight from the Stock Register in this browser. Print count sheets per location — they download at any time, also without a pass — blind if you want counters to write what they find without seeing the books, or count on a phone: scan each item with the camera or a USB scanner (every scan counts one) or type the quantity found.

The variance report puts each line's count beside its book quantity, with the difference in units, per cent and value; marks the lines within the tolerance you set; lists the lines to recount and, once recounted, uses the recount; shows the lines not counted and the items found that are not in the books; and writes the adjustment entries to post, as a file the Stock Register imports. A PDF report carries the counter's, the checker's and the approver's sign-off. It never changes your books by itself.

Without a pass the variance report stays a free preview: its counts and the first rows of each list are on screen with the variances hidden, and the report, workbook and adjustments files unlock with a Premium pass. The book stock, the counting, the count sheets and the backups always work in full.

Common uses

• A year-end stock take for the accounts and the auditor, with sheets, recounts and sign-off.
• Cycle counts of one store room, aisle or category each week.
• Checking a branch, van or godown against the books after a theft, a flood or a change of manager.
• Counting on several phones, each counter scanning one location, then joining the counts on one device.

How the variances are judged

• Variance = counted − book, in units, as a percentage of the book quantity, and in value at the book’s unit cost.
• A line is within tolerance when its variance is no more than every limit you set (units, per cent, value). With no limit set, every difference goes on the recount list.
• Recounts: choose “A recount” on Count and count the line again. The recount replaces the first count of that line, and the report says the line was recounted; both counts stay in the entries.
• Not counted lines keep their book quantity and no variance until someone counts them: a count that missed a shelf is not a loss.
• Items found that are not in the books at that location are listed with what was found, and become count gains if you post them.

Counting that an auditor can rely on

Where inventory is material, an auditor attends the physical count: they evaluate the count instructions, observe the count, inspect the stock and make test counts, then check that the final records reflect the count (SA 501, the Indian standard, and ISA 501 among the IAASB’s standards). The tool supports that work with sheets in counting order, blind counts, the name of the counter on every entry, a recount trail, a list of what was not counted, and a report with spaces for the counter, the checker and the approver to sign.

Goods received or issued while the count is running affect the cut-off: note them on the sheet and check the adjustments against them before posting.

Posting the adjustments

The adjustments file has the columns of the Stock Register’s moves import: a count gain or count loss for every counted line with a difference, dated the day of the count, at the line’s location, with the count’s name as the reference. Lines still on the recount list are left out until they are recounted, unless you tick the box to include them. Import the file into the Stock Register, or post the same entries in your accounting software.

Cycle counts and year-end counts

A cycle count checks part of the stock — one aisle, one category, the fast sellers — on a rota, so every item is counted several times a year without closing the shop. Bring in the book stock of that part only (or print sheets for one location and category), count it, and post the adjustments; then start the next count from Settings once you have downloaded a backup of this one.

Limitations

• Each device keeps its own register. To count on several phones, set up the book stock on one, restore its backup on the others, and import each counter’s “Everything (JSON)” export back on the first: that adds their count entries.
• The value of a variance uses the book’s unit cost; items found that are not in the books have no cost, so they show without a value.
• It does not post anything to your books: the adjustments are a file for you to import or enter.
• Batches, serial numbers and expiry dates are not counted separately.

Privacy

Your book stock and counts stay in this browser on this device; nothing you import or enter is uploaded. Scanning uses the camera on the device only.