In this section, you will learn how to prepare for an effective stocktaking.
Key points to remember
It is important to remember the points mentioned below when taking a stock count:
1. Schedule stock count
- Perform the stock count outside of opening hours.
- If you have started a stock count with your store open, then remember to scan the items in FrontZapp before they are sold in the POS and do not count any returned items.
2. What happens when you reconcile stock
- Stock count will be reconciled against what you had in stock at the exact time the stock count was created.
- This implies that all items you currently count must be in sync with your actual on-hand physical inventory at that given time.
3. Perform a stock count with multiple people or multiple devices
If there is more than one person or more than one device involved in taking the same stock count, remember to create only one stock count and ensure that everyone involved opens the same one instead of creating a new one.
4. Be structured
- Use 'Post-it' notes to write down the name of the person who has counted and at what time. Place these on the shelves as they finish counting.
- This is to avoid double counting and to remember what has already been counted.
5. Best practices to ensure that all counted products are uploaded to the server
- Make sure the device used has a stable WiFi / 4G connection.
- FrontZapp must be active.
- Leave FrontZapp open for 5 minutes before closing the app.
Prepare for stock count
1. Label all products
Make sure all products are labeled (unlabeled items can disrupt the flow of the stock count).
2. Remove products that are not to be counted
New product deliveries that have not been registered and received before the stock count was created must not be counted.
Products added to the system after the stock count was created, must not be counted.
Returns and complaints must not be included in the count if they were received after the stock count was created.
3. Install the latest version of FrontZapp
Go to App Store, search for FrontZapp and press Update. If it says Open, you already have the latest version.
4. Charge all the iPhones
FrontZapp prevents the phone from going into sleep mode and the camera remains on unless you lock the screen, thereby consuming a relatively large amount of energy.
It is thus important that everyone involved in stock count have their devices fully charged.
Use a power bank if your iPhone has a poor battery quality.