Workflow Template

Inventory Cycle Count Workflow

Enables a warehouse supervisor to scope a cycle count and assign a counter, capture physical counts, identify and recount variances, investigate persistent variances, route adjustments for approval, then update inventory, close the count, and notify the supervisor.

Inventory accuracy is a governance priority for organisations subject to financial audit, stock reconciliation, or regulatory reporting requirements, and cycle counting is a primary control for maintaining that accuracy. This workflow structures the full cycle count lifecycle in assess.one — from a warehouse supervisor scoping the count and assigning a counter, through physical count capture, variance detection, recount, escalated investigation, and formal adjustment approval, to inventory update and count closure. Warehouse operations, inventory control, and finance or approval stakeholders each engage at defined stages, with status tracking providing a clear audit trail from open to closed.

Business Outcomes

Reduces unresolved inventory variances through structured recount and investigation steps
Establishes a documented approval trail for all inventory adjustments
Shortens cycle count turnaround time with automated status progression and notifications
Improves audit readiness by capturing counter assignment, variance history, and approval decisions in one record
Increases inventory accuracy by enforcing consistent variance thresholds before adjustments are applied

Workflow Steps

Steps

1
Create Cycle Count Recordcreate record
Registers the cycle count with scope and system quantity provided by the supervisor.
2
Set Status to Openupdate record
Sets the initial count status.
3
Assign Counterassign user
Assigns the counter designated by the supervisor to perform the physical count.
4
Set Status to Countingupdate record
Marks the record as being counted.
5
Record Physical Countcreate task
Counter records the physical quantity found in the warehouse.
6
Save Physical Count to Recordupdate record
Persists the counted physical quantity to the record so it appears in reports and views.
7
Check for Variance
Compares physical count to system quantity to determine if a variance exists.
physical_quantity: "{{system_quantity}}"→Recount Stock
Default→Update Inventory
8
Recount Stockcreate task
Counter performs a recount to confirm or resolve the variance.
9
Set Status to Recountingupdate record
Reflects that a recount has occurred.
10
Check Variance After Recount
Determines if the variance remains after the recount.
recount_quantity: "{{system_quantity}}"→Set Status to Investigating
Default→Update Inventory
11
Set Status to Investigatingupdate record
Marks the count as under investigation due to a persistent variance.
12
Investigate Variancecreate task
Investigates the root cause of the persistent variance and proposes an adjustment.
13
Set Status to Pending Approvalupdate record
Marks the count as awaiting adjustment approval and stores the investigation outcome.
14
Request Adjustment Approvalrequest approval
Routes the proposed inventory adjustment for approval.
15
Route Adjustment Approval Outcome
Branches based on whether the adjustment was approved or rejected.
approval_status: "approved"→Set Status to Adjusted
approval_status: "rejected"→Set Status to Rejected
Default→End
16
Set Status to Rejectedupdate record
Marks the adjustment as rejected and closes the count without an inventory change.
17
Notify Supervisor of Rejectionsend email
Informs the supervisor that the proposed adjustment was rejected.
18
Set Status to Adjustedupdate record
Marks the adjustment as approved prior to updating inventory.
19
Update Inventoryupdate record
Applies the confirmed or approved quantity to the inventory system.
20
Close Countupdate record
Closes the cycle count record.
21
Notify Supervisor of Closuresend email
Notifies the supervisor that the cycle count is complete and inventory has been updated.

Fields

Supervisor Email*
Warehouse / Location*
Count Scope (bins, SKUs, or zones)*
Assigned Counter Name*
System Quantity*
Physical Quantity Counted*
+4 more fields

Forms

Cycle Count Scope

5 fields

Data Views

Cycle Counts

warehouse_location, count_scope, counter_name, system_quantity +2 more

Dashboard Widgets

Cycle Counts by StatusCycle Count Summary

Recommended integrations

Setup the following integrations to extend workflow capability.

Send email in the workflow
AWS SES

inventory cycle countstock countinventory auditcycle countingwarehouse inventory

Similar Workflows

inventory reorder inventory adjustment approval goods receiving

Similar Categories

supply chain logistics operations management

FAQs

How is this cycle count process audited?

Every stage of the workflow — count creation, counter assignment, physical count entry, variance checks, recounts, investigation notes, and approval outcomes — is recorded against the cycle count record in assess.one with timestamps and status history. Supervisors and auditors can review the full lifecycle of any count, including who performed each action, without assembling separate reports. This provides a defensible, chronological audit trail for inventory adjustment decisions.

Who has access to the cycle count workflow and its data?

Access is role-based and configured directly in assess.one, so warehouse supervisors, assigned counters, investigators, and approval stakeholders only see the steps and data relevant to their role. Administrators control who can create counts, assign counters, approve adjustments, or view closed records. Permissions can be adjusted at any time as team structures or responsibilities change.

How does this integrate with existing inventory or ERP systems?

Notifications and status updates — such as alerts to the supervisor on rejection or approval outcomes — are configured within assess.one's integration settings, including email and Slack. Inventory update logic within the workflow can be aligned to reflect data your team maintains in external systems, with the workflow itself managing the approval and audit trail. No separate development project is required to configure these integrations.

Can the variance thresholds and recount logic be customised?

Yes, the variance check, recount, and escalation-to-investigation steps are fully configurable in assess.one. Supervisors or administrators can adjust what constitutes a variance requiring recount versus one requiring investigation, directly within the workflow builder. Changes take effect immediately without requiring a new deployment.

What happens if an adjustment approval is rejected?

If the adjustment approval outcome is a rejection, the workflow automatically sets the record status to Rejected and triggers a notification to the supervisor. This ensures no inventory adjustment is applied without proper sign-off and gives the supervisor immediate visibility to determine next steps, such as reinvestigation or reassignment.

Who needs to be involved in this workflow day to day?

The core participants are the warehouse supervisor who scopes and closes counts, the assigned counter who performs physical counts, an investigator for persistent variances, and an approver for adjustment requests. Each participant only interacts with the steps relevant to their role, keeping the process efficient while maintaining separation of duties.

How quickly can this workflow be implemented?

This is a ready-to-use template, so publishing it takes minutes rather than weeks. Once published, your warehouse team can begin scoping and running live cycle counts immediately, with no software installation or implementation project required.

What compliance considerations apply to inventory adjustments?

The workflow enforces a mandatory approval step before any inventory adjustment is applied, supporting segregation of duties between counters, investigators, and approvers. This structure helps organisations meet internal controls and external audit expectations around inventory valuation accuracy. All decision points and outcomes are retained on the record for later review.

Can the workflow be adapted for multiple warehouse locations or count types?

Yes, the template can be duplicated and customised per location, product category, or count frequency directly in assess.one, with role assignments and notification rules adjusted for each variant. This allows organisations to scale a consistent, governed cycle count process across multiple sites without building separate systems.

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