How to run an inventory check in the management console

Create an inventory check in the management console under Inventory → Inventory checks. Enter the actual stock quantities of products, and Poster will compare them with the expected quantities and show the difference in quantity and cost. After you run the inventory check, the stock levels in the storage location will automatically change to match the actual quantities you entered.

An inventory check includes only products and ingredients that had stock movements in the storage location during the inventory period. This applies to both Full and Partial inventory checks.

The inventory period is the time from the previous inventory check at this storage location to the date and time of the current inventory check.

☝️ Products and ingredients with no supplies, sales, transfers, manufactures, or stock deductions during this period are not shown in the inventory check.

An inventory check can be conducted by the owner, manager, or any employee whose position has access to the Inventory section. If an employee does not have access to the Inventory section, they will not see it in the management console and will not be able to run an inventory check.

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How to create an inventory

1. Open Inventory → Inventory checks in the management console.
2. Click Add.
3. Select the storage location where you plan to run the inventory check.
4. Select when you plan to check the stock:
   
   — Retroactive and specify the date and time as of which you counted the actual stock;
   — Current, if you are counting the stock now.
5. Select the inventory check type:
   
   — Full, to check all products and ingredients that had stock movements in the storage location during the inventory period. Products and ingredients with no stock movements during this period are not included;
   — Partial, to count the stock of specific products or categories that had stock movements during the selected period, find them using quick search and select the checkboxes.
6. Click Save.
7. Fill in the Actual balance column. Enter the quantity of products and ingredients in the storage location so that Poster can automatically calculate the difference in money and quantity.
   
   ☝️ The Initial balance column shows the stock based on the previous inventory check, so supplies and expenses are shown for the period since the last inventory check for each product.
8. Click Run an inventory check.
   
   

After running the inventory check, the stock of products and ingredients in the storage location changes to the actual quantities.

☝️ Run the inventory check after closing the cash shift or on a day off. During sales, products and ingredients are deducted from the storage location, so the stock changes while you are counting and discrepancies appear in the inventory check.

If you count the stock on paper, print the inventory checklist.

To count stock from a tablet or smartphone, use inventory check in the Poster app.

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 What the columns in an inventory check mean

• Last inventory check — the date of the last inventory check for the product. If you haven’t run an inventory check yet, this column displays the account registration date or the date of the product’s first stock movement.
• Initial balance— the actual quantity of a product or ingredient you entered during the previous inventory check at this storage location.
  💡 If you’re running an inventory check at this storage location for the first time, the initial balance is 0.
• Supplies — the total quantity of a product received through supplies, transfers, and manufactures from the last inventory check to the inventory check date or the current date. Click ▼ to view the date, time, quantity, and cost of each receipt separately.
• Sales — the quantity of products sold or ingredients used to prepare sold dishes during the period. Click ▼ to view the details.
• Waste — the quantity of a product or ingredient manually deducted from stock during the period. Click ▼ to view the details.
• Expected balance — the quantity of a product or ingredient that should be in stock according to Poster, taking into account receipts, sales, and deductions. Compare it with the actual stock to identify a shortage or surplus.
• Actual balance — the actual quantity of a product in stock that you enter during the inventory count.
• Difference — the difference between the actual and expected stock, expressed in the product's units of measurement.
• Difference in $ — the difference between the actual and expected stock in monetary terms. The amount is displayed in your account currency.

How expected balance is calculated

Poster calculates expected stock using the following formula:

Expected balance = Initial balance + Supplies − Sales − Waste

Compare the expected stock with the actual quantity of a product or ingredient in stock:

• Shortage — the actual stock is lower than the expected stock.
• Surplus — the actual stock is higher than the expected stock.

Example of calculating expected stock

In the previous inventory, you entered 10 L of milk as the quantity in stock. This value becomes the opening stock for the next inventory.

During the inventory period, you received another 20 L of milk, used 18 L to prepare sold dishes, and manually deducted 2 L.

The calculation will look like this:

10 + 20 − 18 − 2 = 10 L

Therefore, the expected balance of milk is 10 L. If you count only 7 L during the inventory, Poster will show a shortage of 3 L.

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How to find the cause of an inventory discrepancy

If the actual stock level of a product or ingredient differs from the expected stock level, check the stock operations for the inventory period. Pay special attention to columns with large values.

1. Check the initial balance. Poster carries over the actual stock level from the previous inventory on the same storage location to the new inventory. Open the previous inventory and check whether you entered the correct product quantity.

   To fix an error, open the previous inventory for editing, enter the correct actual stock level, and click Run an inventory check.

2. Check supplies. Click ▼ in the Supplies column of the current inventory to view each operation, including its date, time, and quantity. Incoming stock includes not only supplies, but also transfers from other storage locations and manufactures.

   If this column shows a large value but the invoices don't contain supplies for that quantity, check transfers and manufactures. Open the relevant operation and make sure you entered the correct quantity and units of measurement. Also check that the storage location and product quantity are correct in the supplies.

3. Check sales. Click ▼ in the Sales column to view the date, time, and quantity of each usage operation during the inventory period. Make sure the quantity of product used matches sales.

   If usage is higher or lower than expected, check the ingredient quantities in the sold dishes.

4. Check waste. Review the quantities of products deducted manually from storage, during manufacture, or during transfers. Click ▼ in the Waste column to view the details and make sure all operations are recorded correctly.

5. Check the inventory date and time. Poster includes only operations that occurred before the specified date and time when calculating the expected stock level. Supplies, sales, and deductions recorded later won't affect the inventory results.

After correcting any errors, open the inventory and check the expected stock level again

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Frequently asked questions

Why the inventory check doesn’t show all products, only products with stock movements

An inventory check in Poster shows only products and ingredients that had stock movements in the selected storage location during the inventory period. This applies to both Full and Partial inventory checks. Products and ingredients with no movements are not displayed.

The inventory period is the time from the previous inventory check at this storage location to the date and time of the current inventory check. Stock movements are supplies, sales, transfers, manufactures, and stock deductions.

If a product or ingredient is missing from the inventory check because it had no stock movements:

• create a supply of the product to the storage location where you are running the inventory check, within the inventory period;
• change the inventory check date and time so that the product's stock movement falls within the required period.

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How to include prepared dishes, preparations, and manufactures in the inventory check

If there are prepared dishes or preparations in the storage location when you run the inventory check, count them separately:

1. In the open inventory, select the Dishes and preparations tab.
2. Enter the Actual balance for each dish or preparation.

Poster will convert these quantities into ingredients and show their quantity in the Actual balance in the Dishes and preparations column.

If you use manufacture, open the Manufactures tab in the inventory check and enter the actual balance for each manufactured item.

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Why a surplus may appear after the first inventory check at a storage

During the first inventory check at a storage, the opening stock of all products and ingredients is 0. Therefore, Poster takes into account only supplies, sales, and deductions.

If products were already in stock before you started tracking inventory in Poster, but you didn’t add them through a supply, the expected stock will be lower than the actual stock. As a result, the inventory check will show a surplus.

After you complete the first inventory check, Poster will record the actual stock quantities you entered. These quantities will become the opening stock for the next inventory check.

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What happens to open partial inventory checks when you run a full inventory check

If there are open partial inventory checks in the storage location and you run a full inventory check for a period that covers them, Poster will automatically close these partial inventory checks.

The full inventory check replaces them because it covers all products and ingredients that had stock movements in the storage location during this period.

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How to change the inventory check date and time

1. In the open inventory check, click Change parameters in the upper-right corner of the screen.
2. Specify the new date and time.
3. Click Save.

☝️ If you have already run the inventory check  and then opened it for editing, you will not be able to change the inventory period.

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How to correct an error in a finished inventory check

If you entered incorrect stock quantities, open the inventory for editing:

1. Open Inventory → Inventory checks in the management console.
2. Click View next to the required inventory.
3. Click Open inventory check and edit.
4. If necessary, correct supplies, stock deductions, transfers, and manufactures that took place before the date of this inventory check.
5. Enter the correct actual balance and click Run an inventory check.

☝️ Only one inventory check can be open for editing for a storage location at a time.

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Can you edit a supply, stock deduction, transfer, or manufacture after an inventory check?

You can edit a supply, stock deduction, transfer, or manufacture without reopening an inventory check if the operation’s date and time are later than the most recent completed inventory check in that storage.

An inventory check closes the period as of the date and time it is completed. Operations created after that moment are not included in the closed period and can be edited until the next inventory check in that storage.

For example, an inventory check was completed on May 15, 2025, and a supply was created on May 19, 2025. Since the supply was created after the inventory check, it is not included in the closed period, so you can edit it without reopening the inventory check.

If an operation was created before the most recent inventory check in the storage, it is included in a closed period. To edit such an operation, reopen the first inventory check completed after it.

For example, after the inventory check on May 15, 2025, another inventory check was completed in the same storage on May 25, 2025. The supply dated May 19, 2025, falls within the period between these two inventory checks. To edit it, reopen the inventory check dated May 25, 2025.

1. In the management console, go to Storage → Inventory checks.
2. Click View next to the required inventory check.
3. Click Open period and edit.
4. Edit the required supply, stock deduction, transfer, or manufacture.
5. Click Complete inventory check to save your changes.

☝️ You can reopen only one inventory check at a time in each storage.

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How to delete an inventory check

You can delete only the latest inventory check for a storage location.

1. Open Inventory → Inventory checks in the management console.
2. Click  • • •  next to the latest inventory check and select Delete.

If you need to delete the latest inventory check for a storage location but it is currently open for editing, first click Run an  inventory check to close it. Then return to the inventory checks list and delete it.

After you delete an inventory check, Poster recalculates the stock balances of products and ingredients without the results of that inventory check. The actual stock quantities you entered during the inventory check are no longer used. Instead, Poster recalculates the balances based on all supplies, sales, transfers, and deductions, including those made after the date of the deleted inventory check.

To bring the stock balances in line with the actual quantities of products and ingredients in stock, create and complete a new inventory check.

Only employees whose position has access to the Inventory section can delete inventory checks.

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How to export an inventory check to Excel

1. Open the inventory check for viewing.
   
   💡 If the inventory check has already been run, click View next to it.
2. Click Export in the upper-right corner.
3. Wait for the file to download in XLS format.

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