# Doing a stock take

> Count what's on the shelf and correct FullColumn's stock levels, product by product or by scanning, and fix products that show less than zero.

Source: https://docs.fullcolumn.com/products/stock-takes

A stock take sets a product's stock to what's really on the shelf. Counts drift: a product used on a client and not taken out, a delivery never received, a breakage. Counting now and then keeps your low-stock warnings and reorders right. Every correction is kept in the product's stock history, so you can see what changed and who counted it.

## Counting one product

1. Open **Products** and open the product.
2. Press **Stock take**.
3. Enter **How many are on the shelf right now?** It starts at the count FullColumn has, and shows what it will change to ("12 → **10** in stock").
4. Add a note if you like ("Monthly count").
5. Press **Update count**.

You're told how much it changed ("Count updated (−2) · 10 in stock"), or "Count matches – nothing to change". A count that matches is still kept in the stock history, as 0, so you can see when it was last counted. **Stock take** only shows on products with **Track stock** on ([tracking stock](https://docs.fullcolumn.com/products/products-and-stock#tracking-stock-and-low-stock-warnings)).

## Counting your whole range by scanning

There's no separate count sheet: you count product by product, and a barcode scanner makes it quick.

1. Open **Products**.
2. Scan a product's barcode. Its details open straight away.
3. Press **Stock take**, type the count and press <kbd>Enter</kbd>.
4. Close it and scan the next one.

Without barcodes, type a name, brand or SKU in the search box instead. Press <kbd>Enter</kbd> when only one product matches to open it.

To count a brand at a time, search for the brand: the list shows just its products, with what's on record beside each.

## Fixing products that show less than zero

When more of a product has been sold than FullColumn had on record, its stock goes below zero. That usually means a delivery came in without being received. The Products page then shows a note, such as "3 products show less than zero in stock", with **Count stock**:

1. Press **Count stock**. It lists each product below zero, with what's on record.
2. Enter how many of each are on the shelf now. Leave one blank to keep it as it is.
3. Press **Save**. The button says how many counts it will save ("Save 3 counts").

Each count is saved as a stock take, noted "Stock count". The product drawer says **Below zero – do a stock take** until it's put right.

## What a stock take records

A stock take doesn't replace history: it adds a line to the product's **Stock history**, shown as **Stock take**, with the difference (+3 or −2), who counted, the note and the time. Sales, deliveries and salon use before and after it stay as they were. The [stock report](https://docs.fullcolumn.com/reports/stock) lists the products that need a count.

## Who can do a stock take

Anyone in your team can count stock, receive stock and take stock out for salon use: it's day-to-day desk work, and each change is recorded against the person who made it. Changing a product's details or low-stock level needs **Add and edit products and prices** ([products and stock](https://docs.fullcolumn.com/products/products-and-stock#who-can-manage-products-and-stock)).

## Common questions

### How often should we do a stock take?

As often as suits you. Many salons count monthly, and count a product whenever its number looks wrong.

### We counted more than FullColumn had. Is that all right?

Yes. Enter what's there; the count goes up and the history shows the difference. If it's a delivery, use **Receive stock** instead, so it reads as **Received**.

### Can I undo a stock take?

Not as such. Do another stock take with the right number: both stay in the history.

### Should I count products we've taken for the backbar?

Take them out with **Used in salon** as you use them, so the count stays right between stock takes ([salon use](https://docs.fullcolumn.com/products/products-and-stock#taking-stock-out-for-salon-use)).