What is a cycle count?
A cycle count is a count of a subset of locations or items on a rolling schedule, keeping records accurate without closing the warehouse for a full count.
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Cycle counts versus a full stocktake
A full stocktake means stopping work and counting everything at once, often once a year. A cycle count checks a small part of the warehouse each day while work continues.
Over a cycle, every location gets counted. Fast or valuable items are counted more often than slow, cheap ones.
Worked example
In this example, a site counts A items every 7 days, B items every 30 days and C items every 90 days. A counter finds 45 units where the system expects 48, and the tolerance is 2 units.
The difference is outside tolerance, so the supervisor asks for a recount. The recount also finds 45, the supervisor accepts it, and the ledger records an adjustment of minus 3.
How Waresify handles it
Cycle counting is a module on every plan. Counts can be ad hoc, scheduled by location, driven by ABC class, triggered by an earlier discrepancy or after an adjustment, or drawn as a random sample.
Blind mode hides the expected quantity from the counter. Tolerance can be set in units or as a percentage. Accepted discrepancies post as adjustment movements on approval.
Questions
Do cycle counts replace the year-end stocktake?
Sometimes. Ask your auditor first. A documented programme that counts every location on a schedule is often accepted in place of an annual count.
What is a blind count?
A count where the worker does not see the expected quantity. It stops counters from confirming the system number without looking.