Cycle Counting
What this does
Cycle counting checks that the stock physically in your warehouse matches what Teamship has on record, one area at a time, without shutting the warehouse down for a full physical inventory.
In Teamship, each count is a cycle count project. A project defines:
- Where to count (zones or sections of the warehouse)
- What to count (everything, one customer's SKUs, or specific SKUs)
- How to count (blind or guided, and which details the counter must verify)
- Who counts each area
Counters work through their assigned areas on a scan gun or phone with a step-by-step wizard. Managers watch results arrive in real time, and when the count is finished Teamship produces a discrepancy report showing overages, shortages and misplaced stock.
When to use
- Routine counts of a zone or section on a regular schedule
- Counting all stock for one customer, for example before an audit or at contract renewal
- Checking specific high-value or problem SKUs across the warehouse
- Investigating after pickers report short or unexpected stock in a location
Where cycle counting lives
Every warehouse has a Cycle Count page. It lists all cycle count projects for that warehouse, and it's where new projects are created.
Counters don't use this page. They count from the Cycle Count section of the mobile app on their scan gun or phone.
Creating a cycle count project
Give the project a name, then complete the four parts of the Definition section.
1. Scope: where to count
Choose the areas of the warehouse included in the count:
| Option | What it uses |
|---|---|
| Zones | The zones already set up for the warehouse. See Zones, Sections & Path Sequence. |
| Sections | Custom groups of locations that you define in cycle counting. Use sections when a count area doesn't line up with a zone. |
Creating sections
Sections are created right here in the cycle count project:
- Create a section and name it.
- Add its locations in the section screen, or upload many at once with the project's bulk import template.
Each location can belong to only one section. Sections are saved, so you can reuse them in later cycle count projects without setting them up again. Sections are used only for cycle counting.
Skip empty locations leaves out locations where Teamship has no stock on record, so counters don't visit them.
2. SKUs to verify: what to count
All options are limited to the zones or sections chosen in Scope.
| Option | What gets counted | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Count everything | Every SKU in the scoped locations | Catching misplaced and unexpected stock |
| By customer | All SKUs belonging to one selected customer | Customer audits |
| Specific SKUs | Only the SKUs you select, which can belong to different customers | Spot-checking known problem items |
3. Mode: how counters work
| Mode | Effect |
|---|---|
| Blind count (on by default) | Counters don't see the expected quantity and aren't told whether their count matches. They must physically count and enter what they find. |
| Guided | Counters are led along the warehouse's pick path, location by location, in route order |
Both modes can be on at the same time.
💡 Leave Blind count on unless you have a reason not to. Showing the expected quantity makes it tempting to confirm the number instead of counting.
4. Verify sequence: what counters must confirm
Choose which steps the counter is prompted for at each location:
- Confirm location (on by default): the counter selects or enters the location they're counting
- Force scan location: the location must be scanned, not typed
- Force scan LPN: the license plate number must be scanned
- Product attributes: turn verification of attributes such as serial number, lot number or expiry date on or off, and optionally force them to be scanned
Turn off attributes you don't need. For example, if you only want to verify SKU quantities, switch off serial verification so counters aren't asked to record every serial.
Launching and assigning
When the definition is complete, launch the count. The project then becomes active.
Next, assign warehouse users to the zones or sections in scope:
- One person per zone or section, or
- Several people sharing the same zone or section
Project statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Open | The project has been created and is being defined |
| In Progress | The count has been launched and counters are working |
| Completed | All assigned sections are counted and the report is available |
Editing a launched project
Once a project is launched, its configuration is locked: scope, SKUs to verify, mode and verify sequence can't be changed. You can still change the assignees, for example to add counters or move a section to someone else.
⚠️ Check the definition carefully before launching. To count with different settings, create a new project.
Counting in a live warehouse
You don't need to stop operations to count. Locations are not locked while they are part of a count, so pickers can keep processing orders and stock can keep moving.
When the count is launched, Teamship takes a snapshot of expected stock. As orders are picked against that stock during the count, Teamship adjusts the expected quantities to match. Counters' results are compared with what should actually be on the shelf at the time they count, not with stale figures from the start of the project.
Counting on the floor
Counters open Cycle Count in the mobile app on their scan gun or phone. They see a counting screen, not the project's configuration.
- Open the assigned zone or section.
- Follow the step-by-step prompts. The steps depend on the project settings: confirm or scan the location, scan the LPN, count the product, and verify any attributes switched on.
- When the section is finished, the app confirms it is complete.
- The counter moves straight on to their next assigned section until all of their assignments are done.
Watching progress in real time
While counting is under way, anyone with the project open sees results update live as counters finish sections. There's no need to refresh the page.
The cycle count report
When all assigned sections are complete, Teamship generates a report of everything that didn't match, including:
- Overages: more stock found than expected
- Shortages: less stock found than expected
- Misplaced stock: product found in a location it isn't recorded in
- Other incorrect captures, such as the wrong LPN or attribute
The report is available as a PDF to print or share. The raw count data can also be exported to Excel for further analysis. Use the report to investigate and correct each issue.
Recounting a location
If a result looks wrong, the counter goes back to that location in the mobile app and scans it again. The new count replaces the earlier result. Recount before making a large correction.
Correcting discrepancies
⚠️ Completing a cycle count does not change stock. Every discrepancy must be reviewed and corrected by hand.
This keeps a person in control of every inventory change. Correct stock levels with Update Inventory Stock. Enter a clear adjustment description, such as the project name and location. If the warehouse caused the discrepancy, tick warehouse error so it counts towards the warehouse's inventory accuracy.
Move misplaced stock to its correct location with Relocate in LPN Lookup.
Roles and permissions
Warehouse managers and organization administrators
- Create, configure and launch cycle count projects
- Assign and reassign counters to zones and sections
- Monitor progress, and print or export the report
Counters (assigned warehouse users)
- Count their assigned zones and sections on a scan gun or phone
- Recount a location by scanning it again
Customers
- Cannot see cycle count projects, their results or reports. Cycle counting is a warehouse-only process.
Common issues
| Issue | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| A counter can't see a count in the app | They haven't been assigned to a zone or section in that project, or the project hasn't been launched |
| Some locations were never visited | Skip empty locations is on, and Teamship had no stock recorded there |
| Counter is asked for serials when you only wanted quantities | Serial verification is switched on in Verify sequence |
| Counter can't type a location or LPN | Force scan is on for that step |
| Counters can't see expected quantities | Blind count is on (the default) |
| The report shows the same product as both short and over | It was misplaced: short in its recorded location and found somewhere else |
| Stock still shows the old quantity after the count finished | Cycle counts never adjust stock automatically. Correct it with Update Inventory Stock. |
| Can't change the scope or mode of a running project | Configuration is locked after launch. Only assignees can be changed. |
| Can't create a cycle count project | Only warehouse managers and organization administrators can create projects |
| Expected quantity changed during the count | Orders were picked from that location during the count, and Teamship updated the expected figure |