Stock counts
Stock count app: blind counts that show what is really on the shelf
PointLit runs a stock count as a snapshot, a set of counted figures and one adjustment. Tick Blind count and the system quantity stays hidden while staff count, so nobody copies the expected number. Posting writes the differences to the stock ledger, compared with live stock at that moment, and the count stays in the register for later.
What a blind stock count is, and why it matters
A blind count hides what the system expects. The person counting sees the item and is asked one question: how many are on the shelf? That matters because people who see the expected figure first tend to confirm it. A count of 11 against an expected 12 looks close enough to write 12, and a count nudged to agree with the system is not a count at all.
Count openly when you only want to check the gaps you already suspect. Count blind when you want to know what is actually there. In PointLit it is one tick box, decided before you start. For the whole job, step by step, read our guide on how to do a stock count.
How it works in PointLit
- Open Stock counts and pick the branch. To count one season only, limit the count to its Collection.
- Tick Blind count if the system quantity should stay hidden, then press Start count. A snapshot of the current figures is taken.
- Print the Count sheet if staff prefer paper. A blind count's sheet carries no expected figure.
- Enter the Counted quantity for each item and press Save counts as you go. You do not have to finish in one pass.
- Review System, Counted and Delta for each line, then press Post adjustment.
Posting: one adjustment, nothing overwritten
Posting turns each difference into a Count adjustment in or Count adjustment out line in the stock ledger. The system figure is recomputed at the moment you post, not taken from the snapshot, so a sale rung during a long afternoon count is not quietly undone. Lines you never entered a figure for are left alone: an item you did not count is not an item you counted as zero. Nothing is typed over, so every correction stays on the item's stock card with the date and the person who posted it.
Counting a clothing shop by size and colour
Every size and colour is its own line, so a count of a shirt model is really a count of each size in each colour. The count sheet lists the Model, Colour, Size and Barcode for every line, which makes a rail of shirts quick to work through. Limiting a count to one Collection suits the end of a season, before unsold stock is carried over.
Reports after the count
- Stock count register: every count with its branch, status (Open, Posted or Cancelled) and whether it was blind
- Stock count variance: System, Counted and Difference for each line, with the Difference at cost
- Stock shrinkage: what went missing over time, so a shelf that is short every month stands out
Questions and answers
- What is a blind stock count?
- A blind stock count is a count where the person counting cannot see how many the system expects. They record only what they find. It produces more honest figures, because seeing the expected number first nudges people to confirm it. In PointLit you choose it with the Blind count tick box when you start a count.
- Do I have to close the shop to count stock?
- No. Posting compares your counts with live stock at the moment you post, so sales rung while you count are not undone. It is still easier to count when the shop is quiet, because goods moving on and off the shelf while you count make the figures harder to trust.
- Can I count part of the shop?
- Yes. Lines you do not enter a figure for are left alone when you post, so you can count one rail or one section and leave the rest. A count can also be limited to one Collection, which counts only that season's products at the branch.
- Can staff count on paper?
- Yes. Print the Count sheet for the branch: it lists each product with its model, colour, size and barcode and an empty Counted box. For a blind count the sheet carries no expected figure. Someone then enters the counted figures in Stock counts and posts the adjustment.
- What if a count was wrong?
- A posted count is never edited. If a figure turns out to be wrong, run another count of that item or record a stock adjustment with a reason. Each correction is a new line in the ledger, so the history shows the first count, the correction and who made each one.
Count what is really there
Registration is closed for now. Leave your details and we will tell you the moment it opens.
Request early access