Zenbaki Inventory FAQ

What is the primary service Zenbaki Inventory offers?

Zenbaki delivers hands-on, on-site physical inventory counting services and data solutions for brick-and-mortar or e-commerce businesses to ensure accurate financial reporting and operational efficiency.

Why is inventory accuracy essential for my business?

Accurate inventory is critical for correct COGS reporting, supporting financial audits, identifying shrinkage, and ensuring you know the actual value of your stock.

Does my business need to shut down for an inventory count?

No. Zenbaki works as a dedicated, non-disruptive partner, performing counts efficiently so your team can focus on sales and operations, often counting outside of regular business hours.

How does Zenbaki handle inventory discrepancies?

We provide a hands-on, independent count to find discrepancies before they cost you money, helping you identify shrinkage, prevent loss, and protect your assets.

What types of businesses do you serve?

We serve small to mid-sized brick-and-mortar or e-commerce businesses, including pharmacies, convenience stores, and specialty chains, tailoring our service to meet unique needs.

Where is Zenbaki Inventory located?

Zenbaki Inventory is located in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, and primarily serves the Phoenix Metropolitan Area (Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, etc.).

Do you offer services outside the Phoenix area?

Yes, we are happy to talk about custom projects and tailored counting services outside of our main Phoenix service zone.

Why is inventory counting important during tax season?

Accurate inventory counting ensures correct Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) reporting and provides the clean data your CPA needs for a smooth fiscal year-end.

What is the first step to get started with Zenbaki?

The first step is to Request a Quote or contact us via email or phone to discuss your business and unique inventory counting needs to define the scope of the project.

How can Zenbaki help if I am selling my store?

We provide clear, accurate lists of stock by item and category, ensuring you know the actual verifiable value of your assets to maximize your negotiation position and get a fair price for your business.

What if my inventory situation is unique?

Zenbaki provides tailored, flexible inventory counting services designed to meet specific scheduling, scope, and data needs, regardless of the industry or physical organization of your stock. Contact us to discuss specifics.

How long does a typical inventory count take?

Time varies based on inventory volume (e.g., SKU count, facility size). A small retail store might take 4-8 hours (often overnight); a larger facility may require 1-2 days. We define the timeline precisely in the quote phase.

What does my team need to do to prepare for the on-site count?

Minimal preparation is required. Your primary tasks are ensuring inventory is reasonably organized, providing access to necessary areas, and having your Master Inventory File ready for system synchronization. We handle the rest.

Do you offer ongoing, scheduled counting or audit services?

Yes. While many clients use us for annual financial audits, we highly recommend scheduled quarterly or semi-annual Precision Scan Audits to maintain accuracy and prevent shrinkage accumulation throughout the year.

Do you integrate directly with our existing POS or ERP system?

Zenbaki Inventory is system-agnostic and works with all major Point-of-Sale (POS) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. To begin the count, we require the client's team to extract the initial inventory data files (e.g., Master Item List, valuation reports) from their system and provide them to us. After the count is complete, we deliver a clean, reconciliation-ready file which your internal team will then import back into your system. We do not extract or integrate directly; we focus solely on providing the verified physical count data.

What is the primary goal of Financial Inventory Insights?

The primary goal is to understand the exact value of your inventory by item, location, or category. Our reporting uses accurate quantity and pricing data to track assets precisely, support financial audits, and enable data-driven budget decisions.

How does this service relate to my balance sheet?

Inventory is typically the largest current asset on your balance sheet; our service establishes a precise, verifiable total asset value to ensure your financial picture is reliable and not distorted by guesswork.

What are the risks of inaccurate financial records?

Inaccurate records lead to budgeting errors, capital mismanagement (tie-up), and significant difficulties justifying inventory numbers during crucial financial audits.

How does a third-party count provide audit-proof statements?

A final report generated by a specialized third-party counting service carries immediate credibility with auditors, providing the necessary documentation to effortlessly support financial audits.

What details does the financial report include?

The report includes detailed inventory valuation by item, location, or category, giving you clarity on asset distribution to make smarter budget decisions.

Can this service help optimize purchasing?

Yes, by verifying the true inventory value by category, you can better allocate purchasing funds and avoid excessive capital tie-up in slow-moving or underperforming inventory.

Is the count done manually or digitally?

The service utilizes a professional manual physical counting inventory process, backed by our expertise and technology, to meet rigorous accounting standards for valuation. The count itself is done manually by professionals, but the results are digitally captured using our in-house software tools for immediate accuracy and auditability.

How does an accurate count help with insurance claims?

The service provides verifiable proof of your total asset value, which is essential documentation in the event of an insurance claim due to loss or damage.

How does Zenbaki ensure accounting standards are met?

Zenbaki ensures all accounting standards are met by focusing on audit-proof methodology. Our staff is rigorously trained in inventory valuation standards and utilizes proprietary, digital capture tools that generate detailed, supportable count data. This results in a highly reliable total inventory asset value ready for financial reporting and external audits.

Can the service help justify loans or investments?

Yes, presenting a clear, third-party verified total inventory asset value report demonstrates financial stability, maximizing the perceived value of your assets to lenders and potential buyers.

What is the key takeaway of using a third-party for financial counting?

A professional manual count provides an unbiased, exact state of your on-site inventory that in-house teams often cannot match, giving you confidence in your final asset valuation.

What is the core function of a Precision Scan Audit?

The core function is to eliminate errors and boost retail profit by providing professional, outsourced audits to reduce shrinkage (loss) and achieve maximum inventory accuracy.

What is the typical shrinkage rate for retailers?

For small to mid-sized retailers, the typical shrinkage rate ranges between 1.5% and 2% of overall sales, which directly impacts annual profitability.

What are the steps in the Precision Scan Audit process?

The cycle includes 1. Preparation and System Sync, 2. On-Site Physical Stock Verification, 3. Data Reconciliation and Internal Records Matching, and 4. Actionable Exception-Based Reporting.

How do you match my physical stock to internal records?

We use high-speed scanning technology to compare the raw count data against your Master Inventory File to pinpoint exact discrepancies by SKU.

What is the value of an 'exception-based report'?

This report is actionable, isolating high-value discrepancies, allowing you to focus your Loss Prevention efforts immediately on the exact products, zones, or processes where loss is highest.

What are 'administrative errors' in shrinkage?

Administrative errors are a major driver of losses and include receiving errors, pricing/SKU mislabeling, transfer errors, and improper system adjustments.

Does the audit include cycle counting services?

Yes, incorporating cycle counting services within the audit enables you to frequently focus on specific product categories or high-risk locations, stopping minor losses from accumulating.

How does an audit prevent lost sales?

Inventory accuracy ensures you purchase stock at the optimal moment, reducing expensive stockouts and guaranteeing products are available when customers want them.

What technology is used for the physical verification?

Our certified teams use state-of-the-art scanning technology to execute a rapid, systematic, and complete physical stock verification with minimal interference to your operations.

How quickly can the count be performed?

The count is performed quickly, often overnight, because we are external specialists focused on rapid, systematic execution, which also drastically reduces internal shrinkage opportunities.

Can the Precision Scan service improve staff productivity?

Yes, with true inventory accuracy, your managers stop wasting hours manually recounting shelves and can dedicate their time to high-value tasks like customer interaction and operational management.

What is the Inventory Database Build service?

It is a specialized service for building a clean, reliable inventory database from the ground up, designed to be the unshakeable data foundation for your technology systems.

When is this service necessary?

This service is necessary when launching a new retail location, upgrading your existing POS or ERP system, or moving beyond manual, unreliable tracking methods.

What is the risk of using rushed or flawed data in a new system?

Poor data is the primary barrier to efficiency and can lead to failed POS/ERP implementation, immediate data integrity issues, inaccurate purchasing, and staff losing time correcting flawed records.

What is a 'clean inventory catalog'?

It is a perfectly structured, scalable product list where every item is defined correctly using standardization and strategic planning for long-term data integrity and efficiency.

What are the essential data elements you define?

We define mandatory fields like SKU, Barcode/UPC, Detailed Description, Category/Sub-Category, Unit of Measure (UOM), Cost & Price, and Vendor/Supplier ID.

What is the first phase of the Database Build process?

The first phase is Data Governance and Template Creation, where we collaborate with your team to establish strict rules and design a master item template for consistency and long-term data management.

How do you verify barcodes during the process?

We ensure every retail item has a scannable UPC or assign a standardized internal barcode where necessary, confirming both readability and uniqueness for rapid capture at checkout and receiving.

Can you handle migration from a legacy system?

While the client is typically responsible for the initial data extraction from the legacy system, we can provide assistance with the extraction and preliminary data preparation if the source material is in a standard, easily accessible format.

What is the final deliverable and format?

The final deliverable is a verified, import-ready data file (e.g., CSV, XML format) that ensures a flawless transition when your technicians perform the system setup and go-live.

Why is consistent data entry logic important?

Consistent naming conventions (e.g., Brand + Size + Color) and standardization rules are vital to ensure future data entry maintains long-term integrity and provides the scalability needed for growth.

Does this service include the inventory management software?

No, the deliverable is a perfectly structured, ready-to-import data file; Zenbaki does not provide the inventory management software itself.