Staff attending a client's year-end stock count enter each count sheet in a mobile form with location, item code, quantity and a shelf photo. Entries land in Google Sheets beside book quantities, and variances above 5% are flagged for a recount on the spot.
Typical results
Same day
Recounts done while staff are still on site
5%
Variance threshold that triggers a recount
0
Paper count sheets retyped at the office
Figures reflect typical results for this kind of automation.
The challenge
When a CPA firm attends a client's year-end stock count, staff write quantities on paper count sheets, then retype them at the office and compare them with the book figures days later. Large variances surface only after the warehouse is trading again, when a recount is no longer possible, and the typing and matching take about a day per count.
Before and after
Office hours of typing and matching per count
−88%Days from count to variance review
−100%Variances left unexplained at year-end
−83%The automation
Before the count, the client's inventory export with book quantities per item and location is loaded into Google Sheets. On the day, staff fill in a mobile form for each count sheet with the location, item code, quantity counted and a photo of the shelf. Each entry lands next to its book quantity, variances above 5% are highlighted so the item is recounted on the spot, and a count summary PDF is saved to the audit file in Google Drive.
How it works
- 01
Book quantities loaded
Before the count, the client's inventory export with book quantities per item and location is loaded into Google Sheets.
- 02
Count on a phone
Staff fill in a mobile form for each count sheet with the location, item code, quantity counted and a shelf photo.
- 03
Matched to the books
Each entry lands next to its book quantity, and the variance is calculated straight away.
- 04
Recount flag
Variances above 5% are highlighted so the team recounts the item before leaving the site.
- 05
Summary to the audit file
A count summary PDF with variances and photos is saved to the client's audit file in Google Drive.
Starts from
- Mobile count form
- Shelf photos
- Client inventory export
Delivers
- Recount flag above 5%
- Summary PDF in audit file
The impact
Count results are matched to book quantities while staff are still on site, so large variances are recounted the same day. The office saves about a day of typing and matching per count, and the audit file holds a count summary with shelf photos for every variance.
Questions about this automation
Does the team need a special app on their phones?
No. The count form opens in the phone's browser from a link or QR code, and photos are taken with the phone's camera. Entries go straight into Google Sheets, so the team can work on any phone with a data connection, and the audit senior can watch progress live.
What happens when an item code is not in the client's export?
Unknown item codes are still saved with the photo and highlighted in a separate column, so the team can check on site whether it is a mistyped code, a new product or stock held for someone else. They are listed in the count summary for follow-up with the client.
Can several staff count at the same time?
Yes. Each counter opens the same form on their own phone and picks the count area, so entries land in one sheet with the counter's name and the time. Two entries for the same item and location are flagged so the team can settle them before leaving the site. Simple automations like this are usually live within days.