Clean the catalogue first
Duplicate items with slightly different names make every count unreliable. Give each item one entry with its category, brand, specification, unit and tax rate.
Define every place stock can sit
Main store, site store, vehicle, vendor-held and returned stock are different places. Give each a name so a movement always has a clear from and to.
Record every movement with a reason
Stock moves for a few reasons, and each one should be recorded when it happens, not at month end.
- Purchase received
- Transfer between stores
- Issue to a project
- Return from a project
- Damage, loss or adjustment after a count
Tie issues to jobs
When material leaves the store for a job, record the job. Over time you can compare what each job should have used with what it did use, which exposes waste early.
Reserve stock for approved jobs
Reservations stop two teams promising the same inverter to different customers. Reserved stock stays in the store but is no longer available to others.
Set reorder levels
For each item you stock regularly, choose a level at which you need to reorder, based on lead time and usage. An alert at that level beats a phone call from site.
Count on a schedule
Count a section of the store each week rather than everything once a year. Record the difference and the reason, so the ledger and the shelf agree.
Keep this
- One catalogue, named stores, a reason for every movement.
- Issues tie to jobs, reservations protect approved jobs.
- Reorder levels and regular counts keep the ledger honest.