Count the shelf. Fix only what's different.
A stock count in ItemTally starts from a shelf label and ends at the shelf. Counters see blank lines, so they count what's there instead of confirming what the system expects. You review only the differences, and posting writes each one to the logbook.
The jobDo a stock take that's finished when you leave the shelf.
Counts / 29 Oct
Counting Bin 12
Blind: expected numbers show at review · Alex H. and Petra S. counting
| Item | Counted |
|---|---|
| HDMI cable 2 m IT-000041 | −21+ |
| Projector, Epson EB-W51 IT-000118 | 1 |
| Logitech webcam C920 IT-000120 | 1 |
| Logitech webcam C920 IT-000121 | – |
| USB-C charger 65 W IT-000060 | – |
Counts save as you go. Anyone can join by scanning this place’s label. A blank line is never read as zero.
A count, from the shelf label. Counters see blank lines, so they count what's there. Scanned items are marked seen, counted stock shows its number, and unique items nobody scanned stay not seen and never post on their own.
How it works
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Scan the shelf label
Every folder has a label. Scan it and tap Count this place, or join a count someone already started there.
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Count blind
Lines start empty. The counter scans or types what they see, without the expected number nudging them toward it.
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Unscanned equipment shows as not seen
In a scan count, unique items in that place that nobody scanned are marked not seen. They aren't written off; they're flagged for a look.
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Review the differences
The review shows expected against counted, only where they disagree. Record a recount or a reason (damaged, found elsewhere) without touching stock yet.
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Post
Posting writes each difference as a dated count line with a name. The quantity on screen is now what's on the shelf, and the history says why.
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Keep a rhythm
Give each place a cadence, the van weekly and the store quarterly. When a place is overdue for a count, a reminder lands on Today.
| Item | Location | Qty | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDMI cable 2 m IT-000041 | Storeroom / Bin 12 | 23 pcs | Counted 23 · matches |
| First-aid kit refill IT-000077 | Storeroom / Shelf 1 | 2 pcs | Counted 2 · expected 5 |
| Projector, Epson EB-W51 IT-000118 | Storeroom / Shelf 4 | 1 | Not seen |
The details
- Two counters, one shelf
- Split the aisles. Every scan is its own line, so two phones on the same count add up instead of overwriting each other.
- Count at the shelf, post at the shelf
- The review and the post work on the phone, so nobody re-types a paper sheet at a desk.
- Re-import a count file
- Counted in a spreadsheet or exported from another system? Re-import it with "update matching items", and the differences post as count lines noted with the file name.
- Count by tag or by place
- Count a whole folder and its sub-folders, or everything with a tag, such as all first-aid kits wherever they live.
- Reports after the count
- The inventory report prints every item with photo, serial and value, subtotals per folder and a total. The year-end pack zips it with the full data export.
- Free count sheet if you need paper
- Not ready for software? Print the free stock count sheet and import the results later.
How stock takes usually go
Print the list. Walk the shelves with a pen. Find that things moved while you counted. Spend an evening typing numbers back into the spreadsheet, and notice that three totals are already wrong because someone took stock out during the count.
The work isn’t the counting. It’s the re-typing, the arguing about which number is right, and not knowing why it changed.
Where paper counts go wrong
- Counters confirm instead of count. A sheet that shows “12” gets a tick when there are 11.
- Stock keeps moving. A count that takes a day misses what left in the afternoon.
- The adjustment has no story. The spreadsheet gets a new number, and the reason dies with the clipboard.
- Equipment isn’t checked at all. Counts cover boxes, but nobody notices the projector that hasn’t been on the shelf since spring.
What a good count looks like
Count one place at a time. Count blind. Look only at the differences. Write down a reason for each one. Keep the old number in the history. That’s the whole method, and it’s what the count screen in ItemTally walks you through.
What it costs
Counts are on every plan, including the free one. Items are never counted toward the price.
Who uses it
Event crews count a truck before it leaves, trades count a van from the driver’s seat, theatre wardrobes count a show at strike, and facilities teams count spares per plant room.
Questions people ask
How do I do a stock take with my phone?
Open ItemTally in the phone's browser, scan the shelf label and tap Count this place. Scan or type what's there, review the differences and post. It takes as long as the counting.
What is a blind count?
A count where the counter doesn't see the expected quantity. People who see "should be 12" tend to find 12. Blind counts catch the real differences.
How often should we do a stock take?
Count fast-moving or valuable places often (a van weekly, a cage monthly) and slow places rarely (a store quarterly or yearly). Smaller, frequent counts of one place at a time are easier than one big annual count.
What is cycle counting?
Counting a few places at a time on a rolling schedule instead of everything at once. In ItemTally you set a cadence per folder, and Today tells you which place is due.
Can I count without a signal?
Not yet. Counting in the browser needs a connection. Offline counting comes with the iPhone and Android apps, which are in testing and not released.
What happens to the differences?
Each one posts as a count line in the logbook with who counted and when. The old number isn't overwritten; the history shows both.
Count one shelf before lunch.
Free forever for one editor and ten borrowers. No card.
Free for one editor and ten borrowers, with unlimited items. No card needed.