Review and Approve an Inventory Count

Beta
  • Published on Oct 15, 2025
  • 5 minute(s) read
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In Beta

This feature is in beta for select customers. Contact your CSM for more information. 

After all quantities are entered, select Review to open the count in Review Mode. In this mode, users verify quantities, review variances, and resolve any alerts that appeared during entry.

Each alert highlights a difference between the current count and the previous one, helping users identify possible errors or missing data before the count is finalized. Counts can be edited directly in Review Mode to correct discrepancies and confirm accuracy.

The review process is an important step in maintaining reliable inventory data. Reviewing ensures that all items are counted correctly, cost variances are understood, and errors are caught early—before the count affects reporting or accounting.

Once all variances are addressed, the count can be completed to lock further edits. Users with approval permissions can then approve the count to finalize it for posting and reporting.

Important Note on Updating Inventory Count Templates

Before updating an inventory count template, ensure that all counts using that template are completed and/or approved. If a template is edited while it is in use, then it will be updated to reflect the structure of the In Progress count when that count is marked as completed and/or approved.

Security

Reviewing and approving inventory counts requires the following permissions:

  • Food

    • Inventory Counts

      • View Inventory Counts

        • View Inventory Counts

        • View Count Distribution Tab

        • View Variance Tab

      • Edit Inventory Counts

        • Edit Inventory Counts

        • Edit Items/Recipes

          • Add Items/Recipes

          • Remove Items/Recipes

      • Create Inventory Counts

      • Unlock Inventory Counts

        This permission is only needed if a completed count needs to be unlocked to edit before approving.

      • Approve Inventory Counts

Review Mode

Inventory counts will need to be reviewed before marking the count as Approved. To initiate the review process, select the desired inventory count and then click Review from the Inventory Count header. This will reload the inventory count screen into Review Mode.

Review Inventory Count

When reviewing an Inventory Count, ensure to review the following areas to assist in resolving count issues:

1

Review Actual/Theoretical Variances. Review any inventory count variances to quickly view and address count discrepancies

Some users may be required to review actual/theoretical if the Require Inventory Variance Review setting is enabled. Learn more about the inventory count variance review tab.

2

Refresh Cost. If invoices are in progress at the time the count was started, ensure that all invoices are entered and approved and then click Refresh Cost in the inventory count review screen to update the costs.

3

Review Each Amounts. Sort the Unit of Measure 1 column from highest to lowest and then lowest to highest to find the items that have a higher or lower entry amount, respectively, than expected. Repeat this for each Unit of Measure column and compare these entry amounts alongside their UofMs listed to ensure that AP invoices have been entered correctly.

4

Filter the Review Tab for Alerts. Review the listed alerts to determine where potential errors were made. This could be an incorrectly entered amount or a skipped entry.

5

Add New Items. Ensure that any new items purchased for the first time since the last count have been added to this inventory count template.

6

Verify Proper Account Assignment. Navigate to the Distribution tab and review that the inventory count GL accounts match the cost GL accounts. If these do not match, open the Item Details tab and search for items that have been assigned to the same cost and inventory GL accounts.

If GL Accounts are not one-to-one, such as meat cost and meat inventory GL accounts, but are one-to-many, such as meat cost to food inventory GL accounts, compare the total lines impacting the inventory accounts in the grid to the net adjustment rather than the full distribution total.

7

Compare Against the Balance Sheet. Run the balance sheet for the date and location of the inventory count and then click the Total value for inventory to view the GL account detail of those accounts. These balance sheet values should match the printed Count Review or Stock Count Quantity report where the beginning balance value should match the Previous Amt, the total value should match the End value, and the Adjustment should match the Adjustment, respectively. Reasons for a mismatch include:

  1. Items dropped off.

  2. Items are assigned to an inventory account for the Cost Account field, meaning purchases are being marked as inventory.

  3. If more than one inventory count template is used per store for end period inventory, ensure all items only exist on one of these templates.

  4. Counting inventory should be the only transaction that impacts inventory asset accounts. Journal entries should not be entered to account for things that were not counted in inventory; otherwise, the balance sheet will no longer match the inventory count.

8

Optional: Run the Actual versus Theoretical Report. Run the AvT report to look for any variances that grew over the count cycle, or increased in amount without the explanation of purchases. These will be displayed in red in the Actual column and include items that were either counted incorrectly or an invoice or other transaction that is missing in the system.

Editing Item Counts

If needed, item counts can be updated on both the Count Entry tab as well as the Item Details tab. 

Once the Inventory Count has been completed, item counts can no longer be updated. To update item counts, the inventory count will need to be unlocked. 

Count Entry tab

On the Count Entry tab, counts for the Item can be updated within a single storage location.

  1. Click the current count for the desired UofM. This will open inline editing. 

  2. Update the count.

  3. Press Enter or Tab on the keyboard or click anywhere on the sidesheet. Changes made are automatically saved. 

Item Details tab

On the Item Details tab, counts can be updated for the Item across all storage locations. 

  1. Click the line for the desired Item. This will open the storage location quantities form.

  2. Click the count that needs to be updated.

  3. Update the count.

  4. Click DONE to close the form. Changes are automatically saved. 

Users can also adjust the Item Details grid and save Table Views if necessary to view the Items Grid as desired.


Complete Inventory Count

Completing an inventory count will lock the count so that no other changes can be made. A complete count will signify that the count is ready for review before approval.

Counts do not have to be marked as complete in order to be marked as approved.

Approve Inventory Count

After reviewing all alert flags and updating the count where necessary, users with approval abilities can then approve the count by clicking the Approve button in the top right corner of the sidesheet. Approving a count finalizes the count. GL posting items will post to their GL account once the count has been approved, and item counts will be updated in the system where item counts are considered.