Cycle counting¶

Count the stock in a location, and correct it when the number on the shelf doesn't match the number on the screen.

Cycle counting vs. physical inventory¶

A cycle count checks a subset of inventory on a rotating schedule, without stopping the warehouse. A physical inventory counts everything at once and needs a shutdown.

Before you start¶

• Review your assigned count locations or products.
• Make sure the counting area is organized and accessible.
• Have your mobile device or barcode scanner ready.
• Know what products should be in the count area.
• Clear any active work from the count area.

Receiving a count assignment¶

Counts are usually assigned one of three ways:

Preparing the count area¶

1. Clear active work from the location — complete pending picks, finish putaways, and remove empty pallets or containers.
2. Organize the products: face them forward, stack neatly, and separate different SKUs.
3. Check the lighting, clear the pathways, and make sure you can safely reach every item.

Counting physical inventory¶

Count systematically — left to right, top to bottom — and count twice if you're unsure. Open boxes and check behind items for hidden stock, verify the SKU matches the physical product, and use a scale for bulk items where you have one.

Don't rush, estimate instead of counting, miss items behind the front stock, count the wrong SKU, or count a display sample as inventory.

For each product: scan or enter the SKU, count the physical quantity, enter the count, and note anything worth flagging — damage, a wrong location, expired stock, or anything questionable.

Serial-tracked products¶

Expected Serials: SN-001, SN-002, SN-003
Found Serials: SN-001, SN-004

Issues:
❌ SN-002 missing (expected but not found)
❌ SN-003 missing (expected but not found)
⚠️ SN-004 unexpected (found but not in system)

Missing serials. Check whether the item was recently picked, look in adjacent locations, and verify it wasn't mislabeled. Report it to your supervisor if it's genuinely missing.

Unexpected serials. Confirm the product SKU matches, check whether it belongs to a different location, and look it up in Serial number lookup.

graph TD
    A[Start Cycle Count] --> B{Serial Tracked?}
    B -->|No| C[Count Units]
    B -->|Yes| D[Count Physical Units]
    D --> E{Count Matches?}
    E -->|Yes| F[Skip Serial Scan]
    E -->|No| G[Scan All Serials]
    G --> H[System Identifies Discrepancies]
    H --> I[Resolve Issues]
    F --> J[Complete Count]
    I --> J
    C --> J

    style F fill:#e8f5e9
    style G fill:#fff3e0
    style H fill:#ffebee

Handling discrepancies¶

After you enter your counts, the platform compares them to the system quantity:

Product: Widget A (SKU: PROD-001)
Location: A-01-A

System Quantity: 50
Your Count: 48
Variance: -2 units

If you need to recount:

1. Stop and recount.
2. Verify you're in the right location.
3. Check the system record for recent transactions.
4. Count more carefully — open boxes, check behind items, look for partial units, and verify the SKU.
5. Enter the recount.

If it's still different, note the reason for the discrepancy. Your supervisor may need to verify it.

Completing the count¶

Before you finalize:

• Every product is counted.
• Discrepancies have been recounted.
• Notes are added for anything worth flagging.
• Damaged items are documented.
• Nothing was missed.

Review the count summary and choose Complete Count.

The platform accepts counts within tolerance, flags large discrepancies for review, updates inventory quantities, creates adjustment transactions, records count-accuracy metrics, and assigns your next count location.

Following up¶

For significant variances:

1. Review recent transactions — check whether items were recently moved, and whether picks or putaways were processed on time.
2. Check for a process issue — a receiving error, a picking mistake, location confusion, or a data-entry problem.
3. Take corrective action — retrain staff, improve labeling, fix the location, or update the procedure.

See Inventory adjustments for how to make the correction.

Cycle count schedule¶

Typical daily targets:

Getting it right¶

Count during slow periods, with the same person recounting for consistency, using a scale for bulk items and good lighting. Organize the area before you start.

Improve the process by tracking accuracy per counter, analyzing variance patterns, reviewing high-variance items, and documenting what you find.

Reporting¶

1. Go to Reports → Inventory.
2. Select Cycle Count Report.
3. Review count accuracy by user, variance trends, coverage completion, and problem products or locations.

Troubleshooting¶

Counting from your phone¶

• Count without going back to a desk.
• Scan barcodes with your device's camera.
• Updates sync to the system immediately.
• The number pad is sized for touch entry.

• Keep counting without WiFi — results sync once you're back online.

• Open your count assignment.

• Go to the location.
• Scan the location to confirm it.
• Scan each product.
• Enter the count on the number pad.
• Submit when you're done.

Related guides¶

• Inventory adjustments - How to adjust inventory
• Inventory management - See on-hand stock by location, lot, and serial
• Serial number lookup - Find and verify serial numbers
• Serial and lot tracking - Serial number tracking guide
• Mobile workflows - Mobile counting tips
• Reports - Count accuracy reports

Need more help? Email support@zoratech.io, or check the FAQ and troubleshooting guide.