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Stocktakes

Count what is on the shelf, compare it with what Manifold expects, and correct the difference in one step. Your first stocktake also sets what every SKU is worth: your stock value starts in your accounts from the day it completes.

Open Stocktakes from the Screens menu at the top of the admin. The list shows each one's kind, status, how many lines are counted, how many SKUs have a cost, and when it started and finished.

Two kinds

Opening
Your first stocktake. It counts every stock SKU at every location and gives each SKU a cost. Your stock value starts in your accounts from the day it completes, in Manifold and in any accounting app you connect; no accounting app sends anything before then. There is only ever one, and it is never redone. While your organization is read-only you can count and cost it; it completes when an owner or admin goes live (see below).
Periodic
Every stocktake after the opening one. It corrects the counts. Units short are written down at cost; units over are added at the cost you give, or the SKU's cost basis (the unit cost Manifold holds for a SKU, set by its last costed receipt, an import or by hand; see A SKU's page), or, failing both, the average of what the stock already on hand cost.

Manifold decides the kind: until an opening stocktake is complete, the next one started is the opening one.

Starting

Press Start the opening stocktake, or Start stocktake once the opening one is done. One stocktake is open at a time. While one is open, the button reads Continue and takes you back to it.

Stock keeps moving while a stocktake is open. Completing it sets each counted line to its count, whatever was received or shipped in between. Count when the shelves are quiet, or complete the stocktake soon after counting.

Counting

The Counting sheet lists each stock SKU at each location that holds it, and every stock SKU at least once.

Expected
What Manifold holds at that location now.
Counted
What you counted. Leave it blank and the stock there is left as it is. A saved count cannot be cleared; type the right figure instead.
Variance
Counted less expected. A negative figure, shown in red, means units are missing.
Unit cost
The SKU's cost per unit, in your home currency. One cost per SKU, whatever the location.
  1. Search the sheet by SKU or name to find a line.
  2. Type each count. Every figure saves as you enter it; Saving… shows while it does.
  3. Give each SKU a cost. Use suggested costs fills every empty cost on the page you are looking at with the SKU's cost basis, from an import, a supplier price or a cost set by hand. Press it on each page. A SKU that already has a cost basis is valued at it even if you leave its cost blank. Tick Missing cost to see only the SKUs with neither.

Several people can count on the same sheet; it updates live. For serial or batch SKUs, count the units; which serials or batches they are is not checked. If a serial is missing, record it on the SKU's page (dispose it) or through an AI agent. See Stock and locations.

Completing

Press Complete stocktake, read what will happen, and confirm. It cannot be undone. A later stocktake corrects a wrong count. For the opening stocktake, the button is not shown while your organization is read-only; see below.

  • Every counted line becomes the stock on hand at that location.
  • If fewer units are counted than are reserved for orders there, the reservation is cut to the count.
  • Each cost on the sheet becomes the SKU's cost basis.
  • For a periodic stocktake, the difference goes to your accounts as a write-down (units short) or a gain (units over).
  • For the opening stocktake, a SKU nobody counted is taken at what Manifold holds. Every stock SKU must have a cost on the sheet or a cost basis. The sheet shows how many still have neither, and completing is refused until none do.

Cancel stocktake closes it without moving anything. Nothing counted on it changes the stock.

What each status means

Counting
Open. Counts and costs can be entered.
Completed
Stock was set to the counts. The sheet is read only.
Cancelled
Closed without changing any stock.

The opening stocktake and going live

While your organization is read-only, you can start, count and cost the opening stocktake, but not complete it: the Complete stocktake button is not shown. It completes when you go live, so your stock value starts in your accounts at that moment, with nothing from before it.

Going live is refused while a stock SKU has neither a cost on the sheet nor a cost basis. Give every SKU a cost before you go live. Lines nobody counted are taken at the figure Manifold holds then, which is your old system's figure if Manifold is following it.

See Read-only mode and going live and Accounting and ledgers.

Who can do it

Owners, admins and people with the Stock control role can start, count, cost, complete and cancel a stocktake. Anyone who can see stock can read the sheet. Roles are given on the Team screen; see Team.

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