A Guide on How to Conduct a Smooth Inventory Audit
The reason why inventory management is very important is because it helps to keep the business is on track when it comes to knowing how much is in stock, how much to order and at what time. It is also one of the best ways you are able to respond to important trends to help fulfill customer orders. However, inventory audit process is not an easy one and requires want to be very diligent and informed on how to do it successful. The good thing is that there are many guidelines you can follow to ensure that your audit is flawless. The following are some guidelines to follow for a flawless inventory audit.
Always ensure that you have an accurate inventory count to begin with. This includes having an account of the new items that have been added from the last inventory. This is the most important thing to do because having accurate inventory numbers guarantees that you will have a successful inventory audit. You need to be very precise about this by paying attention to details to avoid mistakes that can be very costly. When you are doing this, you might be intentional about conducting a physical count of inventory because it helps to improve the accuracy of the numbers. In case you find anything missing in the records, ensure that you make the necessary changes if you can compare the physical count your records.
It is also important to investigate any discrepancies which is important for quality control. The primary reason for conducting this quality control is because it helps you to identify whether the differences are as a result of minor mistakes or complex issues that might require attention. The moment you identify the inconsistencies, you need to resolve them immediately and update the records so that it can reflect the current level of inventory. It is the perfect way of inventory management and therefore you should not ignore it.
Regularly review the inventory count procedures. It will help you a lot in avoiding under stocking or over stocking of product. That will also demand that you train your staff on how to proper inventory management. It is up to two also ensure that they fully understand why regular inventory audit is important.
Also ensure that you invest in systems for managing inventory levels. To protect your inventory from theft and damages, ensure that they are stored in a secure and safe location. You can use barcodes to track inventory. You can also rely on professional inventory management services and inventory management software systems.