---
title: "Cycle Counting"
---

> Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.beelocity.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Cycle Counting

**Cycle counting** is the practice of regularly counting a portion of your inventory rather than doing a single, disruptive full warehouse count. By spreading counts across the year, you maintain accurate stock records while keeping your warehouse operational.

## How It Works

Instead of shutting down operations to count everything at once, cycle counting divides your inventory into groups and counts each group on a rotating schedule. This approach:

- **Keeps the warehouse running** — only a small section is being counted at any time.
- **Catches errors early** — frequent counts mean discrepancies are found and corrected quickly.
- **Improves accuracy over time** — regular counting builds discipline and reveals systematic issues.

## Cycle Count Programs

A **cycle count program** defines the rules for how and when counting happens. Each program is linked to a specific warehouse and has a counting strategy and schedule.

### Program Types

| Type               | Strategy                                                                                                | Best for                                                                                             |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **ABC analysis**   | Count high-value items (A) most frequently, medium-value (B) less often, and low-value (C) least often. | Organizations where a small percentage of products represents a large percentage of inventory value. |
| **Location based** | Count all items in specific locations on a rotating basis (e.g., Aisle A this week, Aisle B next week). | Warehouses where location accuracy is critical and items are fixed to specific zones.                |
| **Random**         | Randomly select a percentage of items or locations to count each period.                                | A simple approach that provides a statistically representative sample.                               |
| **Exception**      | Target items that have shown discrepancies, negative stock, or unusual activity.                        | Focused correction where specific problem areas are already known.                                   |
| **Velocity**       | Count fast-moving items more frequently than slow-moving ones.                                          | Businesses where high-turnover items are most likely to have counting errors.                        |

### Program Settings

| Field                    | Description                                                                                     |
| ------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Frequency**            | How often counts are scheduled: Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, or Annually.                 |
| **Target Percentage**    | What percentage of the relevant inventory should be counted each cycle.                         |
| **Tolerance Percentage** | The acceptable variance between system and physical quantities before a discrepancy is flagged. |

### Automatic Scheduling

Cycle count programs are **automatically scheduled** based on their frequency. You do not need to set dates manually — the system handles it:

- When you create an **active** program, the first count is scheduled immediately.
- After each count, the system automatically schedules the next one based on the frequency (e.g., a Weekly program schedules the next count 7 days later).
- If you change the frequency, the schedule resets and a new count is scheduled right away.
- If you deactivate a program, scheduling stops. Reactivating it starts a fresh schedule.

The system checks for due programs every hour. If previous count tasks for a program are still in progress, the system waits and notifies you — it will not create overlapping tasks.

You can see where the rhythm has got to on the program's page: **Next count**, **Last count**, **Last round** and **Last checked**.

### Setting Up a Program

1. Go to **Cycle Counts** in the sidebar under **Inventory** and click **New**.
2. Choose a **name** (e.g., "Monthly ABC Count — Algiers Warehouse").
3. Select the **warehouse** this program applies to.
4. Choose the **program type** and **frequency**.
5. Set the **target percentage** (e.g., 20% means one-fifth of inventory is counted each cycle — so with a monthly frequency, the entire inventory is covered in five months).
6. Set the **tolerance percentage** (e.g., 2% means a variance of up to 2% is acceptable before requiring an adjustment).
7. Choose whether the program is **active** — active programs begin scheduling immediately.
8. Save.

The **Cycle Counts** list can be narrowed with the filter button beside its search box by
**Program type**, **Frequency**, **Warehouse**, a **Next count** date range, or **Active** (see
[Working with lists](../getting-started/working-with-lists.html#narrowing-the-list)). A
programme's own **Counts raised** tab narrows the same way, by **Status**, **Location**,
**Assigned To** or a **Scheduled** / **Completed** date range. **Raise the counts** at the top of
a programme's page raises a round there and then, without waiting for the next date, and says how
many jobs it raised.

## Count Tasks

A **count task** is an individual counting assignment generated from a program or created manually. Each task tells a warehouse worker exactly what to count, where, and when.

### Task Fields

| Field               | Description                                                                      |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Task number**     | A unique identifier (e.g., `CNT-2026-042`).                                      |
| **Warehouse**       | Where the counting takes place.                                                  |
| **Location / Zone** | The specific area to count (optional — can be the entire warehouse).             |
| **Assigned To**     | The person responsible for performing the count.                                 |
| **Priority**        | High, Medium, or Low — helps workers prioritize when multiple tasks are pending. |
| **Scheduled Date**  | When the count should be performed.                                              |
| **Item Count**      | The number of items or lines included in this task.                              |
| **Instructions**    | Special instructions for the counter (e.g., "Count only items on top shelf").    |

### Task Lifecycle

| Status          | What it means                                                           |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Assigned**    | The task has been created and assigned to a worker but not yet started. |
| **In progress** | The worker has begun counting.                                          |
| **Completed**   | The worker has finished counting all items in the task.                 |
| **Reviewed**    | A supervisor has reviewed the count results and any variances.          |
| **Cancelled**   | The task was cancelled before completion.                               |

A count task is moved on by the buttons at the top of its page — **Start counting**, **Complete**, **Review** and **Drop task** — and each asks you to confirm first. Only the button for the step the task is actually at is offered.

### Performing a Count

1. Go to **Count Tasks** in the sidebar under **Inventory** to see your assigned tasks. The
   filter button narrows the list by **Status**, **Warehouse**, **Priority**, a **Scheduled** date
   range or an **Items** count — "the high-priority counts still assigned this week" is three picks.
2. Open the task. Its details are on the left of the page and the lines to walk are beside them on
   the right. While the task is still **Assigned** the list itself can be built and changed —
   which is how a one-off job is written by hand.
3. Click **Start counting** — the system records when you began. From here the list is fixed and
   only the figure found and the notes can be written.
4. Count each item at the specified location and write in the actual quantity. **Recorded** ticks
   itself as soon as a figure is written.
5. Note any discrepancies or unusual findings.
6. Click **Complete** when all items have been counted.

### Turning Variances into an Adjustment

Once a task is completed (or reviewed), use **Write a correction** on the count task page to generate a draft [inventory adjustment](inventory-adjustments.html) from every counted line whose quantity differed from the system's records. The adjustment keeps each line's location and lot, so posting it corrects exactly the stock that was counted. It then follows the normal adjustment flow — submit, approve, post — giving supervisors a final checkpoint before stock levels change. Each count task can produce at most one adjustment.

> **Tip:** For the best results, use **blind counting** — where the counter does not see the system's expected quantity. This prevents bias and produces more accurate counts. The system will compare the counted quantity against the expected quantity after the count is submitted.

Source: https://docs.beelocity.com/en/inventory/cycle-counting/index.mdx