Counting by zone: who answers for what

Two kinds of mistake cost the most in a stock count: a place that is not counted at all, and a place that is counted twice. Both come from the same thing: a vague arrangement in which "everyone counts everything". The fix is simple: divide the warehouse into zones and make one named person answerable for each zone. Most of the rest then falls into place by itself.

How to divide the warehouse

There are three common ways to draw the zones:

• By physical location. Rows, aisles or rack blocks: A-1, A-2, B-1 and so on. This is the simplest and clearest option.
• By product group. For example, a separate zone for chilled goods or household chemicals, so a specialist works in familiar territory.
• A mixed approach: a large warehouse is divided by location, and separate departments inside it by product group.

Try to make the zones roughly equal in volume. If one zone has 300 positions and another has 3,000, the first worker finishes fast and then waits for the second. Equal zones finish together.

Give each zone a short, unique name (A-1, B-3) and write it identically on the sketch, in the list on the phone and on the label at the rack. Two different names turn into two different concepts.

Who answers for what

Once the zones exist, write the roles down clearly. Five are often enough:

1. The overall lead (coordinator). Answers for the plan, the zone map, the schedule and the final result.
2. The zone supervisor. Directs the counters in their zone and checks the zone before closing it.
3. The counter. Counts only in their own zone and reports anything doubtful to the supervisor.
4. The checker. An independent person from another zone who recounts on a sample basis.
5. The person financially responsible, or the accountant. Reviews the discrepancy list and decides on adjustments.

In a small warehouse the roles can be combined, but one rule stays: whoever counted a zone does not check it themselves.

Keep the responsibility in writing. A simple table is enough: zone name, name of the person in charge, start and finish times, phone number. Then nobody wastes time during the work asking whose zone something is.

Places that belong to nobody

The things most often forgotten in a count sit on the borders between zones. List these separately:

• the receiving area and goods not yet put away;
• the place for returned and damaged goods;
• pallets standing in the middle of an aisle;
• stock kept in the office or side rooms;
• goods in transit or stored off site.

Give each one its own zone number and an owner. These are exactly the spots left behind with the words "that is not my zone", and the shortage is later discovered there.

The zone closing rule

A zone is closed only when three conditions are met:

1. Every place has been counted and marked.
2. The zone supervisor has compared the entries with the list.
3. Doubtful positions have been recounted.

Nobody re-enters a closed zone without the overall lead's permission. This rule protects against goods "wandering around" and the figures changing.

Keep a record of each zone closing: who counted, when, and how many positions. It helps a great deal when differences appear. The aim is not to find someone to blame but to find the cause: you can see at once which zone, what time and which method was used.

A small example

Suppose you divide a 1,200 square metre warehouse into eight zones of five or six rack rows each. Eight counters work, with two zone supervisors, one overall lead and two checkers. By two in the afternoon six zones are closed and two are behind. The lead sends the checkers to the lagging zones and each takes over a part of one. By the end of the day you know whose hands every place on the list passed through.

Conclusion

Dividing into zones is more about spreading responsibility than about counting goods. With a clear map, defined roles, owners for the no-man's-land and a rule for closing a zone, the count runs in good order. If you have no experience counting a big warehouse zone by zone, you can order a count from StockCheck: the team draws up the zone map, works with scanners and hands over the result broken down by zone.