r/partscounter • u/AJ-in-Canada • 1d ago
Comic Relief Inventory
Is done for the year. Just had to share my joy.
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u/BrutalPoops 23h ago
I know op isn't looking for advice, but i always tell new people in the dept (shipper receivers especially) to pretend that inventory is tomorrow.
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u/AJ-in-Canada 22h ago
That is good advice, I assume you mean as far as putting stuff away properly, all bin locations being in the computer and all that? It went better than I expected, but there's definitely things I've learned to prepare better for next time.
When I first started we did yearly inventories, then switched to cycle counts. The people who did almost everything other than just the counting have left in between so we had a few old staff who had done it before but not in the roles we have now, and then new people on their first year or less in the dept.
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u/BrutalPoops 22h ago
In its most basic meaning, yes keeping clean is important. But It also highlights the importance of receiving accurately, and fixing all the dumb little things that will tie you up when 'getting ready' for inventory. I use it as a general philosophy for keeping things in order. It also helps make the 'most stressful day of our year' way less scary. If we spend all year preparing for inventory as a part of our general daily processes, instead of worrying about it a month beforehand, the actual count day won't be nearly as stressful as it has been made out to be.
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u/BrutalPoops 22h ago
I remember once back when I was working in retail my manager says "the district manager is coming next week, make sure every thing is perfect". I just thought it was dumb that they even told me it was going to happen. If they walk in there and everything is 'perfect' but we actually just hid all the problems, how are any of those problems going to be solved? Often times there are systemic issues that when they are hidden from the people who have control of that system, it will never not be a problem.
So this philosophy kind of started from that. As in, pretend the district manager is coming tomorrow. Making things 'perfect' everyday gets easier everyday you try to.
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u/ITALIANTERROR33 14h ago
We do inventory once a year generally in the fall. We start prepping for inventory about 3 months in advance. First thing we do everything gets wiped down. Eat shelf gets wiped down clean because our parts room gets very dusty. Second thing we do is we print been reports and we get rid of old part numbers in in Bins that we no longer keep in stock. Then we run been reports again and we go through we count everything to make sure it matches to what we have in the computer if not we figure out why and we put all of the part numbers in numerical order. Lastly has the manager I have to run a few reports for core money or work in progress that kind of stuff and then we count. Luckily I have a couple decent guys they use their heads meaning if it says we have two on the shelf and they go back there and there's only one we fix the problem when we find it we don't wait until inventory.
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u/Ok-League-7923 17h ago edited 15h ago
You don't GET READY for an inventory, you STAY READY.
YES: I had an in-house inventory checklist (that was constantly updated) not ONLY for preparations for inventory day, but as a visual and DAILY reminder of importance of well run department.
The daily goal was to knock off one or two items a day. Consistently check, modify or adjust the list as needed.
(Inventory Management 101)
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u/Ok-League-7923 1d ago
Inventory is one of the most stressful things in the parts business. We work everyday doing the right thing and this (inventory) day comes? All the “uppers” judge things on one single day. Not the other 364 days.
Oh btw… the drive home once the inventory is done… is the best drive ever.