Do a Stocktake with a Barcode Scanner in BSimple
BSimple barcode stocktake includes:
- Scan products during stocktake with real-time accuracy
- Real-time variance detection as you scan
- Cycle counting mode for partial stocktakes by location
- No paper count sheets or manual entry
- Multi-team scanning simultaneously on separate devices
- Variance reports with one-click stock adjustment
Traditional stocktakes are painful. You shut the warehouse, print count sheets, teams walk through the warehouse manually counting items and writing down numbers, someone enters all those numbers into a spreadsheet, then accounting reconciles the spreadsheet to your inventory system. It takes days. You’re closed. Your team is counting instead of fulfilling orders. The numbers are usually still wrong because someone’s handwriting was illegible or they miscounted a shelf.
With barcode scanning, your team moves through the warehouse scanning items. Each scan updates the count in real-time. No paper, no manual entry, no data transcription errors. Multiple team members can scan simultaneously on different sections—the system aggregates counts from all devices. When the stocktake is complete, you see variances instantly and apply adjustments with one click. The whole process is faster, more accurate, and doesn’t shut down your warehouse.
How a Scanning Stocktake Works
To start a stocktake in BSimple, you create a new stocktake entry, give it a name and date, and assign team members who’ll be scanning. Each team member gets a device (phone, tablet, or dedicated scanner) and logs into the stocktake session.
Your team moves through the warehouse scanning items. Each scan logs: this product, this location, this quantity. The system compares the scanned quantity against what BSimple says should be there. If the counts match, no variance. If scanned quantity is different, the system flags a variance immediately—not at the end of the day, but right then.
Real-time variance detection means your team can investigate discrepancies immediately. Found 15 items of product X when the system says there should be 12? Scan again to verify, or pause the count and check that location. Is there another box hiding, or did the system count wrong? Catch it on the spot instead of investigating later.
Multiple team members can scan simultaneously. Team A scans section 1, Team B scans section 2, Team C scans section 3. Each scan updates a shared count that all team members can see in real-time. No duplication, no conflicting counts, just one aggregated stocktake across multiple people.
Learn more about complete barcode inventory management.
Cycle Counting—No More Full Shutdowns
Full stocktakes once a year are a pain. But they’re necessary if you want to know if your inventory records are accurate. Or are they?
Cycle counting is a different approach: count sections of your warehouse on a rotating basis throughout the year instead of doing a full count once a year. High-velocity items (fast-moving, high-value, error-prone) get counted more frequently. Slow-moving items get counted less frequently. No warehouse shutdown needed at all.
With barcode scanning, cycle counting becomes practical. Your team counts section 1 on a Monday (1 hour of scanning), section 2 on Wednesday, section 3 next week. Each count is fast because scanning is fast. Over the year, every section gets counted multiple times. Your inventory records stay accurate all year, you catch variances regularly instead of in one massive count, and you never close the warehouse.
If you’re using BSimple’s par level features (automatic reorder points), cycle counting lets you verify par levels are working correctly. Running low on item X faster than expected? Adjust the par level, see if it helps. With monthly counts, you can test and improve your par levels continuously instead of guessing all year and checking once.
Variance Reports and Stock Adjustments
When the stocktake is complete, BSimple generates a variance report: product by product, what the system says you should have, what you actually scanned. Line items that match show as zero variance. Line items that don’t match show the discrepancy and percentage difference.
You can review the variance report before applying adjustments. Sometimes variances reveal problems worth investigating—a particular location consistently off, a supplier under-delivering, a particular SKU with perpetual counting errors. See patterns in your variances and you can fix the underlying issues.
Once you’ve reviewed and approved the variance report, you apply adjustments with one click. All variances update your inventory to match the physical stocktake. Your inventory records are now accurate again.
Stocktake cycle time goes from ‘shutdown the warehouse for a day’ to ‘run counts throughout the month with barcode scanning.’ Your accuracy improves because scanning beats manual counting every time. Your warehouse stays open. Your team focuses on fulfillment instead of counting. Read about how inventory management software keeps records accurate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a barcode stocktake work in BSimple?
Your team starts a stocktake session in BSimple, then scans items throughout the warehouse. Each scan logs product and quantity. System compares scanned counts to inventory records and flags variances in real-time. At completion, review the variance report and apply adjustments with one click.
Can multiple people scan simultaneously?
Yes. Multiple team members can scan simultaneously on separate devices. All scans update a shared count in real-time, so there’s no duplication and no conflicting counts.
What is cycle counting?
Cycle counting is a method of counting inventory sections on a rotating schedule throughout the year instead of doing one full stocktake shutdown once annually. High-velocity items get counted more frequently. It keeps inventory accurate all year without warehouse shutdowns.
How do I handle variances found during stocktake?
BSimple shows you a variance report with physical counts vs system records. Review the report for patterns (which locations, which SKUs have issues). Then apply adjustments with one click to update inventory to match the physical count.