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Updating Quantities: The Batch Inventory Module

You can get to this part of the system by clicking on Inventory and then clicking on the Batch Inventory tool.

 

Why should I use the Batch Inventory tool?

Batch Inventory allows you to do the following things:

• Scan in inventory quantities from sections of your store.
• Add inventory to any open batch: For example, if you have the same item in two parts of your store, you add five items from one area, and three more identical items from another area, as long as they go into the same open batch, the numbers will combine with each other. So in this case, you would have a total of eight in the batch for that item.
• Allows you to see items you did not add to the batch from the same department(s) in each batch, which lets you identify sold out items.

Got Shrinkage?

The Batch Inventory tool does not account for the cost or retail value of your inventory, it is only a count updating tool. Our recommendation to account for your costs and any inventory value loss is to go to Reports > Inventory Value and run the report and export it both before and after you do your Batch Inventory update. This will give you a before and after picture of your inventory value and will let you see the cost of any shrinkage.

 

How to Run an Inventory Batch

First, go to Inventory > Batch Inventory and click on the New Batch button.

You'll need to Name your batch. If you have multiple locations, you'll choose the location you're working in and then click Save. Notes are a good way to keep track of what your goal is with the batch, and if you add to it in the future, how far you've come with the batch.

 

Adding Products: Uploading and Scanning

Once the Batch is started, you can edit the Name and Notes by clicking on the name. You can also Upload a CSV of your product count with identifier numbers. And you can scan directly into the module by clicking the Scan button. We'll start with the Scanning tool.

The Scan Inventory window allows you to scan in or type in whatever Identifier number you have for a product, set the Quantity, and click Add. You can scan in either UPC, SKU numbers, or Manufacturer ID s. You won't see a photo, just the name of each item and the identifier. For reference, you can also see the Name of the batch you're working on, and whatever Notes are there for the batch. Once you're done with your current session of adding inventory, click the Review button to proceed with updating the batch. And don't worry! You can always add more to a batch before you do the final reconciliation of the update.

 

Uploading a Spreadsheet

You can build a simple spreadsheet with two columns for your batch. One column for whatever product ID you are using (UPC, SKU, or Manufacturer ID) with the column header Barcode. And a second column for the Quantity you counted. From the Upload Inventory window, click the Browse button and you'll be able to search your device for the spreadsheet file and then click to upload it.

 

Reviewing Your Batch

After you click to Review the batch, you can continue to either Scan in more items or Upload more via spreadsheet (the Upload function has instructions on how to format your spreadsheet).

In your item list on the Review Inventory Batch page, you will see details about each item, and on the right you'll see the Current quantity saved in the system, the quantity you Counted in this batch, and what the Change plus or minus will be once the batch is reconciled.

 

Adding Unscanned Inventory

You also have the option of adding items you did NOT scan to the batch, so you can see items that are misplaced or items that the system thinks have inventory but are actually out of stock. Please note that this function will only display:

• Items that are currently listed in the same Department(s) as items in your batch.
• Items that are not in the list of scanned items that have been added to the batch.
• Items that are not in another open batch.

As you can see in the image below, you have the option of adding items with negative inventory in the system. The number listed next to the Department name is how many products in that department were not scanned into this batch.

Please note that when you add unscanned items, the system gives them a zero count in the Counted column of the line item, regardless of their system inventory (see the image below). TAKE CARE to review each line item added this way to make sure it is something for which you actually have no stock on hand, otherwise when the batch is reconciled, it will be set to zero inventory.

 

Reconciling Your Batch

When you are ready to finish out the batch and make your inventory count changes live, click the Reconcile button. You'll be given one more chance to go back and add more via a pop-up warning that informs you that proceeding with reconciliation will be irreversible, or you can proceed with reconciling the inventory.

Once you have Reconciled your Inventory Batch, it will be in a Closed state (no further changes can be made to the batch) and you'll see the changes that were made for each line item. You have the ability to Print and/or Export the batch for your reference. You also have the ability in the main Batch module screen to view Closed batches, so you can always refer to them there, if needed.