Veterinary Inventory Cycle Count: Stock and Expiry Checklist

If the software shows ten units and the shelf holds eight, changing the recorded quantity should not be your first step. Check the counting unit, pending receipts, other locations and the movement cutoff. A veterinary inventory count is useful when it explains the difference between physical stock and the record.

This guide proposes a cycle-count workflow for practice managers and team members responsible for inventory. It does not replace procedures for medicine storage, use, disposal or controlled products. Its purpose is to make the product, location and supporting record clear.

Choose a manageable cycle-count group#

Cycle counting means counting selected parts of inventory at recurring intervals. An AAHA article on organising inventory discusses smaller counts spread across the year. A few unplanned shelf checks should not be reported as a complete inventory count.

Start with a defined shelf or product group. You can prioritise using movement frequency, value, previous discrepancies and expiry tracking needs. Put the next count for each group on a schedule so coverage remains visible over time.

1. Record the unit and cutoff time#

A box, pack and individual unit are different quantities. Keep the system unit, physical counting unit and any verified conversion together in the worksheet. Do not infer the contents of a pack from its product name.

If transactions continue during counting, record which movements are included up to the cutoff. Where possible, coordinate activity in a small counting area with the team. Otherwise, track movements occurring during the count separately. Do not compare quantities from different moments without reconciling those movements.

Fields for each count row#

2. Count physical stock independently#

In this proposed method, the first counter records the physical quantity without seeing the expected figure where practical. If there is a discrepancy, record a second count separately. This is a way to separate checks, not a guarantee of fewer errors.

Consider a wholly fictional example. The system records 24 individual units. The shelf holds two sealed boxes and three individual units. If the verified box size is ten, the physical total is 23. The difference, defined as physical minus system quantity, is −1. If the pack size has not been verified, do not treat that calculation as final.

When a shelf looks empty, check for stock moved to another location, a delivery awaiting receipt or an unrecorded movement. Do not label the discrepancy a loss before its cause has been investigated.

3. Review expiry at lot level#

FEFO means first expired, first out: stock with the earlier expiry is considered first for issue. Where a product has several batches, the total quantity alone does not describe the position. Assess shelf arrangement and issue order alongside your practice's suitability and storage procedures.

For damaged stock, uncertain dates or questions about suitability for use, follow the practice's segregation and authorised review process. Being first in the issue sequence does not establish that a product is suitable for use.

The Vetigen inventory page describes lot and expiry tracking, FEFO, low-stock alerts and stock deduction on sale. Evaluate those functions alongside your physical checks, rather than treating them as a replacement for counting.

4. Investigate, approve and then adjust#

Use a small set of understandable reason categories: unit mismatch, location difference, pending receipt or issue, counting error and unexplained discrepancy. Keep the reason separate from the corrective action.

When an adjustment is authorised, retain the previous quantity, new quantity, reason, responsible person and time. Do not overwrite the original count with a recount and lose the history. Repeated adjustments to one product are a reason to review purchasing, receiving and usage records; they do not by themselves prove an individual's mistake.

The modern inventory management overview offers wider workflow context. This worksheet focuses on recurring checks and unresolved discrepancies.

5. Answer three questions in the weekly review#

How many rows were counted, and how many remain unexplained? Which lots await expiry or suitability review? Which outstanding tasks lack an owner or due date? Record the scope alongside every count.

Compare changing samples carefully. If one week covers fast-moving items and the next covers another group, a change in discrepancy rate is not automatically an improvement. Consistent definitions, units and scope make the comparison more interpretable.

If you are preparing opening quantities for a software change, connect the count to the migration readiness checklist. Migrating stock history and entering approved opening balances can be different scopes; confirm the distinction with the supplier.

Frequently asked questions#

Does cycle counting replace a full inventory count?#

This guide does not make that assumption. Set the wider counting programme according to your practice's accounting, operational and applicable requirements. Show which groups are covered and which are not in the cycle-count plan.

Should we immediately adjust every negative difference?#

Check units, cutoff time, location and pending movements first. Then record an authorised adjustment with its reason. Do not close an unexplained discrepancy as though its cause is known.

Is an expiry alert enough?#

An alert also needs an owner, an action and a completion record. Track the software notification separately from the action completed for the physical stock.

Prepare your first counting group#

Download the stock count and lot review worksheet. Begin by defining the area, unit and cutoff time. For the purchasing side of a software evaluation, use the software cost worksheet.

A blank tracking table is also included. Use record references; do not duplicate patient or client information in this working file.