Connected store operations · Retail & F&B
How to investigate a cash or stock difference
Begin with a consistent count and the records for the same store and period. A discrepancy is a starting point for review.
Establish what was counted
Record the item or cash location, cutoff time, unit and person counting. Recount an unexpected result before changing the books. In a food business, check whether a quantity means packs, pieces or ingredients; in retail, distinguish product variants.
Check the movements
Review receipts, sales, transfers, returns and adjustments around the cutoff. As an illustrative example, an unrecorded transfer can create a shortage at one store and a surplus at another. That pattern suggests a record to investigate, not a confirmed cause.
Resolve and retain the explanation
Agree who reviews the supporting evidence and who is permitted to correct the record. Record the reason and follow up on the missing step in the workflow. Storebase’s stock-count and finance workflows provide places to record and review this work; the conclusion still needs a human check.