A stock count records what you find. It should not become an exercise in making the numbers look right.
Before starting, ask which area you own, how products are identified and whether stock will move while you count. A sealed carton, an open carton and individual units may need different treatment under the store's process.
Copy this count sheet
| Item code or exact description | Location | Expected quantity, if supplied | First count | Recount | Exception |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| __ | __ | __ | __ | __ | __ |
Use the unit the supervisor requests. If one row counts packets and another counts cartons, label that distinction clearly. Don't assume every carton contains the same number.
A retail qualification pack on the National Qualifications Register connects workplace functions with the knowledge required to perform them. For your count, that starts with understanding the unit and the boundary of the task.
When a quantity differs
Pause on the specific item. Check its code, variant and location, then recount according to the store's instructions. Ask whether another person moved stock during the count.
Write what you observed: “One opened carton; quantity needs confirmation” is more useful than “stock problem”. If expected quantity is missing, leave it missing. Zero means something different.
Do not adjust the inventory system, discard packaging or combine damaged goods with saleable items unless you have been instructed and authorised to do so.
For the wider role, read our inventory-helper guide.
Finish with a handover
Tell the supervisor which area is complete, which items need review and whether anything moved during the exercise. Keep the record in the location the business approves. Don't take customer details, business stock files or internal photographs home as portfolio material.
Hustl's respect for everyday work includes accuracy that customers may never see. A clearly recorded exception is part of doing the count well.