Standard Operating Procedures
quality control
Inventory Cycle Count
Daily / weekly cycle count of subset SKUs — maintains 95-98% inventory accuracy without an annual shutdown.
Built for:
Warehouse
Distribution
Retail
Manufacturing
What's inside this template
Steps
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Generate count list
WMS or inventory system generates the day's cycle list — typically A-items counted weekly, B monthly, C quarterly. List shows location, SKU, expected qty.
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Freeze locations to count
Block put-aways and picks from listed locations during the count window. Coordinate with operations to minimize disruption.
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Blind count
Count without seeing the system's expected qty (best-practice: counter does not see the system number until they've recorded their count). Reduces confirmation bias.
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Compare and investigate variances
Variances >5% or >10 units trigger recount. Common causes: misplaced stock, scan-without-pull, mislabeled cases. Document root cause.
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Adjust system & log
Apply approved adjustments in WMS. Document for finance / audit. Track location-level accuracy trend over time.
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Release locations
Re-open locations for normal put-away and picking. Communicate completion to operations team.
Common use cases
ABC cycle counting
Warehouse inventory accuracy
Year-end audit prep
Related templates
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