Operations5 min read
How to manage stock across several shops and depots
More branches mean more sales, and more places for stock to go missing. Five practices that keep every shop and depot accurate.
One catalogue, one truth
Every branch should sell from the same product list, with the same codes, units and prices, managed in one place. When each shop keeps its own list, totals never add up and price errors creep in. Give every product one clear code so it can be found and sold in a second.
Move stock only with approved transfers
Stock leaving a depot for a shop should always follow a transfer: requested, approved, sent and received, with quantities checked at each end. A printed transfer note travels with the goods. When something goes missing, you know exactly between which two points.
Set minimum levels per branch
Fast movers need different minimums in a busy city shop than in a small branch. Set a level per product per location, and let the system warn you, or draft the purchase order, before a shelf runs empty.
Count little and often
Instead of one painful annual count, count a few categories every week. Short counts are quick, and differences are fixed while people still remember what happened.
Watch it live
A dashboard that ranks branches by sales, margin and stock value turns stock control into a daily habit instead of a month-end surprise. With IMS, owners follow every branch from a phone, in any currency, even when a site loses connection for a while.