Frequency #

All inventory categories must be counted by the end of each quarter. The Inventory Count Tracker is in the rack besides the printer. More copies are saved in Box under Forms. Fill it out as you complete counts so the Operations Manager can monitor progress.

If a category is less than 95% accurate, it must be recounted the next month. There are blank lines on the Inventory Count Tracker for this purpose..

To do inventory counts, you must have access to Inventory on the software.

Counting Commodities #

1. From any device connected to a printer, go to newlife.furniturebank.net. Chrome is recommended.
2. Go to Inventory (from the 3 dots next to your email in the upper right hand corner).
3. In the menu, select Reports and then Quarterly.
4. At the top of the table, switch to the Household Goods tab.
5. Click Export in the upper right hand corner of the table. This will produce a spreadsheet.
6. Print spreadsheet with 2 extra columns that are blank (or at least space to write in 2 more columns). See example below.
7. Count the items (excluding mattresses and box springs). Record the totals in a new column.
8. Record the difference between Ending Inventory and your count in the next column. This will tell you what your adjustment will be, if any.
9. In the menu, select Adjustments.
10. Make an adjustment for each category that is incorrect. If you need to deduct, use negative numbers. If you need to add, use positive numbers.
    • e.g. If there are 2 more coffee makers in inventory than there are physically, the adjustment will be -2.

Example Count Spreadsheet #

Counting Unique Items #

This can be done all from the software.

1. From the lime green or navy blue iPad and the corresponding scanner, go to newlife.furniturebank.net from the Chrome browser.
   • The scanners have a tape label. The color of the tape corresponds to which iPad it’s paired with. When you use the scanner in later steps, it will connect only to the matching iPad.
2. Get a piece of paper and something to write with.
3. Go to Inventory (from the 3 dots next to your email in the upper right hand corner).
4. In the menu, select Count.
5. Under New worksheet, select the category you will be counting in the Item dropdown.
6. Tap submit. This will add a new entry at the bottom of the table.
   • For larger categories, it may take a minute or two to produce a new entry. Do not tap Submit again, as the system will produce an entry for every time Submit is tapped.
7. Tap to open the new entry. You will see a table of all the items in inventory for that category.
   • Please note that this includes both items that are uploaded and not uploaded.
8. Tap in the Code text box.
9. Click the trigger on the scanner to turn it on. You will see the keyboard on the iPad disappear. This means the scanner is connected.
10. Begin scanning every item in that category in any order. Check if the item was found before moving onto another item.
    • After each scan, a message will appear at the top of the page in an orange box. It will say either “Item found” or “Item not found”. The number of items scanned will also go up. If this number doesn’t go up, it means it didn’t scan or is not found.
    • If an item is found, a green checkbox will appear next to the code in the listing.
    • If an item is not found, double check the sticker.
      • If the item is inventoried as a different category than what you’re counting (see first two digits of the code), that is fine. It will be counted in the list for the other category instead.
      • If the item is in the category you’re counting but not on the list, write the code on a piece of paper and note where it is or put the item aside so you can go back to it later.
11. When you get through all the items that you can find, see how “Number of items” compares to “Number of items found”.
    • If there are unfound items, check in other locations.
      • Check other areas of the showroom. Sometimes items in the same category can be in different locations. For example, chairs may end up with upholstered chairs, dining chairs, office chairs, or rocking chairs.
      • Check repairs
      • Check processing
      • Check overflow
12. Once you’ve exhausted all other locations or if you found everything, tap Mark Complete. This will close the count.
    • The Operations Manager will investigate unfound codes.
13. Go back to your items that are categorized correctly but not found in the software (step 11). Print new stickers for these items, remove the old sticker, and mark as inspected.
    • The new stickers will not be in your list, since the list is based on what’s in the system at the time the entry was created.

Counting Beds #

Coming soon.