← The Ultimate Guide to Inventory Accuracy
Warehouse Organization 101: Pre-Count Preparation
An inventory count is only as fast as the warehouse is organized. If a professional counting team has to spend three hours moving empty pallets or digging through "junk drawers" of unlabelled parts, your audit will take longer and cost more. Pre-count preparation is the single most important factor in ensuring a high-accuracy, low-stress audit.
The "Five-Foot Rule"
A good rule of thumb is that everything within five feet of the floor should be clearly visible and accessible. This means clearing aisles of trash, shrink-wrap scraps, and abandoned equipment. If a counter can't see the barcode, they can't count the item.
Labeling the "Unknowns"
In every warehouse, there are "mystery boxes", items that were returned without labels or samples from vendors. Before the audit begins, your internal team should go through and either label these items or move them to a "Non-Count" zone. Professional counters are experts at data entry, but they cannot guess what is inside an unlabelled box.
Consolidating "Like with Like"
If you have the same SKU stored in five different places across the warehouse, the risk of error increases. While a professional service will catch all locations, the count goes much faster if "like items" are consolidated onto fewer pallets or shelves. This also makes the post-count reconciliation much easier for your management team.
The Pre-Count Checklist:
- Clear the Docks: Ensure all incoming shipments are fully "Received" or clearly marked "Do Not Count."
- Fix Barcodes: Replace any torn or faded labels that a scanner might struggle to read.
- Segregate Damage: Move broken or "written off" goods to a specific area so they aren't counted as sellable assets.
- Map the Facility: Provide the counting team with a "Zone Map" showing the layout of aisles and racks.
Preparation Saves Money
When you hire a professional service, you are paying for their expertise and speed. By spending a few days "grooming" the warehouse beforehand, you ensure the professional team spends 100% of their time counting and 0% of their time navigating a mess. This maximizes your ROI and gets your operations back to normal faster.