We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our new Feature Inventory Audits, streamlining your inventory inspections, stock checks, and asset verification processes. You can now design, schedule, and roll out inventory audits at scale, all within Ecotrak. This feature is built for speed, clarity, and compliance, giving you real-time visibility into inventory mismatches across all your locations.
Inventory Audit Core Concepts
The Inventory Audit module will operate with two primary user roles, but with specific functions related to inventory tracking:
Role | Primary Function |
Audit Builder (Admin) | Creates, assigns, and manages the audit's inventory list, locations to be audited and schedule. |
Audit Taker (Field User) | Receives the assigned audit based on location and inputs the actual physical count for each item. |
For Audit Builders (Admin): Creating Your Inventory Audit
The Builder workflow focuses on three key areas: Inventory List Creation, Smart Scheduling, and Assignment by Storage Location.
1. The Create New Audit Flow (Setup)
This flow captures necessary scheduling and assignment information.
Step 1: Audit Details | Step 2: Audit Frequency (Smart Scheduling) |
Audit Name: The unique name for your audit (e.g., "Monthly Kitchen Inventory"). | Audit Starts: Pick a start date. |
Storage Locations Assigned (Mutually Exclusive): All storage locations or Specific storage locations assigned. | Repeat Every: Set the frequency (e.g., "1 Month(s)"). |
Inventory items: All items or Key items (flagged on the inventory level) | Ends: Choose Never, on a specific date, or after a set number of occurrences. |
2. Master Inventory List Creation (Item Count Builder)
The audit creation form selections will determine the list of audit items that will appear on the “Audit Inventory Items” list that the audit responder will see.
3. Managing Audits (List View and Discrepancy Tracking)
The main Audits List View tracks the status of the Audit (Draft, Active, Inactive).
Cycle Tracking & Mismatch Visibility:
Once an audit is Active, you can drill down to see scheduled cycles.
Selecting a cycle reveals the list of locations that the audit is scheduled for. This view displays the Mismatch Rate (how many items deviate from the expected count).
Audit Status: Statuses are Pending, In Progress, or Complete.
Step-by-Step Guide for the Audit Taker (Including Review Cycle)
The audit responder process includes a loop for corrections based on the Admin's review (if needed).
Step 1 to 3: Access the Audit
(Same as previous steps: Taker opens the audit, accesses the AUDIT INVENTORY ITEMS list, physically counts items, and enters the numerical Counted Value for each.)
Step 4: Final Submission (Initial)
Once all counts are entered and notes are added (if needed), click the final SUBMIT button.
The Audit's status immediately changes from In Progress to Audit in Review.
The Audit Taker's primary task is complete, and the workflow is now sent over to the Audit Administrator
Step 5: Admin Review and Action
The Admin views the submitted audit, comparing the Counted Value (Actual Count) against the Pre-Quantity On Hand (Expected Count) to see all mismatches.
Admin Action A: Reconciliation
If the Admin accepts the counts (or the reasoning for the discrepancies), they Reconcile the Audit. The inventory list views will be updated to the new counts.
Workflow Status Change: The audit moves directly to Audit Complete. (Go to Step 7).
Admin Action B: Rejection
If the Admin finds issues, questionable counts, or missing evidence.
They provide feedback (via the COMMENTS tab or an internal note) explaining what needs correction.
Step 6: Taker Correction Loop (If Rejected)
The Taker opens the audit again and reviews the Admin's feedback and comments.
The Taker physically re-counts the identified items, corrects the Counted Value as necessary, and adds any requested photo evidence.
The Taker clicks SUBMIT again.
Workflow Status Change: This loop continues until the Admin accepts the audit and marks it as reconciled.
Step 7: Audit Completion (Reconciled)
Once the Admin accepts the final submission and Reconciles the Audit, the process is finalized.
The Audit's permanent status is set to Audit Complete.
The full record of all counts, part numbers, and evidence is archived for compliance and reporting.
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