Free tool · print or copy
Inventory count sheet
A count sheet is not a list of items; it is a form that stops you from writing a number you did not count. This one page has the six fields that prevent the usual mistakes, and it is free to print.
Before you print
- Pick one location. One sheet per room or shelf. Mixing locations on a sheet makes the review impossible.
- Do not pre-fill the expected quantity. If the number is on the page, the count becomes a confirmation. Leave the Counted column blank.
- Write the unit at the top. Each, case, pack, litre. Mixed units are the most common cause of a large false variance.
- Number the sheets if the room takes more than one. A lost sheet is a lost count.
Stocktake sheet
Location: ____________________ Counted by: ____________________ Date: ____________ Unit: ____________
| Item | SKU / barcode | Counted | Unit | Note (damaged, display, backroom) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
A blank Counted cell means not counted, not zero. An item that is not there is written as0. Counted the same item twice? Strike the first line and initial it.
Sheet ____ of ____ Reviewed by: ____________________ Variance checked: ☐
Why these columns
Item and SKU. The name is for the person reading the sheet; the SKU is for the system. A row with only a name cannot be matched when two products share it.
Counted and unit. Kept separate on purpose. Writing "12" beside "cases" is unambiguous; writing "12 cases" in one cell invites a data-entry mistake later.
Note. The place for what the number does not explain: damaged, on display, in the window, in a colleague's car. A variance with a note is a lead; a variance without one is a mystery.
Counted by. Even in a one-person shop, write it. The count is a record, and the next count will want to know who to ask.
How to use the sheet with an app
Paper and a phone are not rivals. Use the sheet when the phone dies, when a helper without an account counts a shelf, or when a count needs a signature. Enter the numbers into Mobile Inventory afterwards as a normal count — the review will still show the variance, and the submit will still be one movement per counted line.
If the paper count and the app disagree, the paper is the evidence of what was on the shelf. Investigate the gap; do not overwrite the sheet.
What to do with the sheet afterwards
- Enter or submit the count the same day, while the notes still make sense.
- Check the review against the notes: a "damaged" note explains a negative variance.
- Keep the sheets for one cycle — long enough to compare with the next count.
- Shred sheets that contain supplier prices or personal notes once the cycle is closed.
Related guides
- How to run a stocktake on a phone — the full method, including the review.
- Cycle counting for small shops — count a little, often.
- Reorder-point calculator — turn the count into a buying list.