Stocktakes and discrepancies

A stocktake in Serat is a count of a location, compared against what the system expected to be there, followed by a decision about the difference. The count itself is deliberately dull; the review is where the value is.

Counting

Counting is done by scanning. A hardware barcode scanner is fastest, and a phone camera works when you do not have one, which makes a spot check of one rail practical without planning an event around it.

Scans accumulate against the open stocktake for that location. Scanning the same barcode repeatedly increments the count, which is how you actually count a stack of the same size.

Discrepancy review

When counting stops, Serat shows the difference between counted and expected, per variant. Every line is one of three things:

• Genuinely missing. Shrinkage, an unrecorded sale, or a unit that left in a transfer nobody confirmed.

• Genuinely extra. A return that was never processed, or stock received without a movement.

• A counting mistake. Which is why review exists rather than automatic acceptance.

Completing a check reconciles the selected location against the recorded scan counts, including items counted as zero. Review the entire scope and unknown barcodes before confirmation; completion is not a harmless preview. Corrections are recorded as stock movements.

How often

Regular full-location counts help identify discrepancies. Do not complete a check after scanning only one shelf unless the check is explicitly scoped to those items: unscanned products may be reconciled to zero. Coordinate active sales and transfers with the team before final confirmation.

What to watch

• A location whose discrepancies are always in one direction usually has a process problem, not a theft problem.

• Variants that repeatedly show extra stock are often mis-scanned neighbours in a size run.

• If counted stock is consistently lower right after a busy weekend, look at returns handling first.