How do you count per item?
Often when using warehouse functionality with bin mandatory, you would like to count items or like to count inventory per bins or per rack, but you might also want to count per item if an item is out of sync and you think something is wrong, you could create inventory orders for specific items that you like to count.
This is what happens in the video
When you run warehouse functionality with bin mandatory in Business Central, you usually count inventory per bin or per rack. But you can also count a specific item across all the bins where it exists. If an item looks out of sync and you suspect something is wrong, you create an inventory order for that item and let a warehouse employee count it physically. This article explains how to set up an item-specific inventory count using inventory orders and the calculate lines function.
When to count a specific item instead of a full bin
In a bin mandatory setup, the normal approach is to count inventory per bin or per rack. That works fine for routine stock counts. But sometimes a single item is out of sync and you suspect the numbers are wrong. In that case you don’t want to count an entire location. You want to count just that one item, wherever it sits in the warehouse.
Creating an inventory order for a specific item
To count a specific item, you create an inventory order on the location you want to count. From there you use the calculate lines function. In the calculate lines filter, you add the item number you want to count. This displays all the inventory for that item on the location.
If the same item exists in several bins, all of those bins show up in your inventory counting. So you get a complete picture of where the item is stored, not just one bin.
Handing the count over to a warehouse employee
Once the lines are calculated, you can create a recording from the inventory order. You print the recording and hand it to a warehouse employee. That person walks around the warehouse and counts the specific item in every bin where it appears. When the count comes back, you can compare it against the system and correct any discrepancies.
Q&A
Can you count a single item across multiple bins in Business Central?
Yes. You create an inventory order on the location and use the calculate lines function with the item number in the filter. If the item exists in several bins, all of those bins appear in the count.
When should you count per item instead of per bin?
Count per item when a specific item looks out of sync and you suspect the inventory numbers are wrong. For routine stock counts in a bin mandatory setup, counting per bin or per rack is the normal approach.
How do you give a warehouse employee the count list?
After calculating the lines on the inventory order, you create and print a recording. You hand the printed recording to a warehouse employee, who walks around the warehouse and counts the specific items in the listed bins.