Inventory and Count Templates

The Inventory and Count Templates activities in PAR OPS are essential for accurate and efficient inventory management. The Inventory activity allows stores to conduct various types of inventory checks based on product locations within stores, shelves, or designated spaces. Completing the inventory process updates account values, enhancing Cost of Goods calculations and providing precise data for suggested ordering. Count Templates enable stores to create locations and shelves that mirror their layout, ensuring counts are conducted in an organized manner. Important features include optional On-Hand Counts before vendor orders, mandatory Period Counts for calculating COGS, and optional Daily and Shift Counts for tracking high-volume or high-cost items. Filtering options by vendors, locations, shelves, and other criteria, along with QR code scanning for efficient entry, further streamline the process. The ability to delete or move counts, scan items using mobile devices, and update item costs ensures flexibility and accuracy. This structured approach, which allows for counts on current or future dates and re-opening counts for corrections, ensures inventory management is both accurate and reflective of the store's physical organization.

Types of Inventory Counts

PAR OPS offers four distinct inventory count types to suit different operational needs:

On-Hand Counts: Used primarily for pre-ordering from vendors. These counts are not required but help ensure accurate order quantities by reflecting the current stock levels. On-Hand counts are standalone counts for ordering purposes only

Period Counts: Conducted at the end of a defined period (e.g., weekly, monthly). These counts are mandatory and crucial for calculating the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS). The ending count of one period becomes the starting count for the next. Keep in mind, that Period Counts are the only required inventory count type.

Daily Counts: Useful for tracking high-volume or high-cost items. They can be performed every day or on specific days to monitor inventory fluctuations and identify potential losses.

Shift Counts: Similar to Daily Counts but performed at the end of each work shift, providing even more granular tracking of high-value inventory. Shift Counts can be configured. Just like Daily Counts, Shift Counts allow you to count inventory at the end of each shift. Further helping you to locate and explain loss.

How do I enter a count?

1. Go to Inventory
2. Select the Type
3. Select the Date

4. Select the Location
5. Select the Shelf
6. Enter counts
7. Select Complete for Period counts to recalculate and post values to COGS

How do I edit a count?

1. Go to Inventory
2. Select the Type
3. Select the Date
4. Update counts
5. Select Complete for Period counts to recalculate and post values to COGS

How do I delete a count?

1. Go to Inventory
2. Select the Type
3. Select the Date
4. Select Delete

How do I complete/approve a period count?

1. Go to Inventory
2. Select the Type
3. Select the Date
4. Update counts
5. Select Complete for Period counts to recalculate and post values to COGS

How do I move an inventory count entered from one date to another?

1. Go to Inventory
2. Select the Type
3. Select the Date where the counts currently exist
4. Select the ellipses (...)
5. Select Move
6. Select the Date the counts should be moved to

How do I create a new count template?

1. Go to Count Templates.
2. Select Add New
3. Enter Location Name
4. Select Create
5. Navigate to the location and select the < chevron
6. Select Add Shelf
7. Select Add Item
8. Select the item
9. Select the Whole Measure, Partial Measure and/or Each Measure
10. Repeat steps until all items and shelves have been created

How do I modify an existing template?

1. Go to Count Templates.
2. Navigate to the location and select the < chevron
3. Enter modifications
   • To add a new shelf, select the + under the Account filter
   • To add a new item, select Add Item
   • To edit a location name
     • Select the ... ellipses
     • Select Edit Location Name
     • Enter the new name
     • Select Save
   • To edit a shift name
     • Select the shelf whose name to edit
     • Select the ... ellipses
     • Select Edit Shift Name
     • Enter the new name
     • Select Save
   • To move items to a different location or shelf
     • Select the ... ellipses
     • Select Move item(s)
     • Navigate to shelf
     • Select the item(s)
     • Select Move
     • Select the Location and Shelf
     • Select Move

How do I delete a template?

Count Templates cannot be deleted.  They can instead be marked Visible = No.

1. Go to Count Templates.
2. Navigate to the location and select the Toggle

How do I view inactive templates?

1. Go to Count Templates.
2. Select Show Inactive

How do I view and remove inactive items assigned to templates?

1. Go to Count Templates.
2. Select Delete uncounted items
3. Select each item to be removed from count templates
4. Select Delete

How do I restore count templates?

1. Go to Count Templates.
2. Select Restore Count Templates
3. Select the count date up to 2 months previous whose count templates will be restored.

How do I view inactive templates?

1. Go to Count Templates.
2. Select Show Inactive

How do I mark a template as inactive?

1. Go to Count Templates.
2. Navigate to the location
3. Adjust the toggle

FAQ

Who cares about inventory?

Managers, store staff, and inventory control personnel care about inventory to ensure accurate tracking and management of stock levels.

What is the goal of inventory?

The goal of inventory is to conduct various types of inventory checks to update account values, enhance Cost of Goods calculations, and provide precise data for suggested ordering, ensuring efficient and accurate inventory management.

Where can this information be viewed?

This information can be viewed in the PAR OPs system, specifically within the Inventory and Count Templates activities and related inventory management settings.

What other reports or activities are impacted by an entry in inventory?

Entries in inventory impact Cost of Goods calculations, suggested ordering processes, and the tracking of high-volume or high-cost items, ensuring comprehensive and accurate inventory management.

What are the different types of inventory counts?

On-hand Counts: These counts are done before placing vendor orders to ensure accurate ordering

Period Counts: These are performed at the end of each period (typically weekly or monthly) to track usage over time and calculate the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS).

Period counts are the only required count type

Daily Counts: Used to track high-volume or high-cost items daily

Shift Counts: Similar to daily counts but performed at the end of each shift, providing even more granular tracking of high-volume or high-cost items

What is the purpose of each inventory count type?

On-hand Counts: To ensure accurate vendor orders

Period Counts: To track usage, calculate COGS, and report financial data

Daily Counts: To monitor and investigate potential loss in high-volume and high-value inventory

Shift Counts: To provide enhanced tracking and loss investigation for high-volume and high-value inventory

* Only Daily OR Shift counts can be configured, not both.

What are inventory filters and how do they work?

Filters help you narrow down the items displayed in the inventory activity. Depending on the count type, you can filter by:

On-hand Counts: Vendor, Location, Shelf, Search

Period Counts: Location, Count Status (Uncounted, Estimated), Count Date, Shelf

Daily Counts: Search, Location, Count Date, Shelf

Shift Counts: Search, Location, Shift, Count Time, Count Date, Shelf

What is the relationship between On-hand Counts and Suggest Orders?

On-hand counts directly inform the Suggest Orders feature. As you enter on-hand counts, the Suggest Orders screen will reflect those updates (a refresh may be required to see the changes). This ensures that Suggested Orders are based on the most accurate inventory data.

Can I use my mobile device for inventory counts?

Yes, the inventory feature is mobile-friendly. You can perform inventory counts on any mobile device that can connect to your store's PAR OPS port.

What are inventory QR Codes used for?

QR codes can be printed for individual items and attached to shelves. Using a mobile device's camera, you can scan these QR codes to quickly access the item in the inventory system and enter the count, streamlining the counting process.

Can my database be configured for both Daily and Shift counts?

No, you can only choose one: either Daily Counts or Shift Counts. The choice depends on your specific inventory tracking needs.

What are the Total column values based on?
The Total column value for any line item is based upon the item's Summary unit of measure and represents the total quantity for Whole, Partial, and Each values. Summary units of measure are set by the database admin and can be further managed at the store.