"The sheet says we have it. The shelf disagrees."
Yousef checks Sandline's gloves at Jebel Ali. Sara has promised boxes to Northbay Hotels. Before anyone changes a cell, Layla asks what left the shelf.
That's where an inventory management system earns its place. Stock is the sum of movements you can trace.
We'll set up the records, follow one shipment, then check counts and reorders. Start with one product and one bin. The rest can wait.
How to set up inventory management: start with the records
The Australian Government's guide describes inventory management as the way you organise, track and control the stock in your business. In plain terms: what you have, what to order, and when.
Think of a bank statement. The balance helps, but the entries explain it. Your stock needs that same trail.
First, agree what each item is and where it belongs. These shared records are master data. Sandline's starting set looks like this:
| Record | What to keep | Sandline example |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Code, name, stock unit | NG-200, nitrile gloves, box of 100 |
| Supplier | Name and product link | Lumen Gloves supplies NG-200 |
| Location | Warehouse and bin code | Jebel Ali, bin A-01 |
Keep the stock unit clear. For NG-200, one means one box. It doesn't mean one glove. Write the unit on the receiving and shipping forms too.
Use the Sandline product catalogue to try this. It starts NG-200 at 620 boxes in Jebel Ali. The bin codes are our own example.
Download Sandline's product catalogue (CSV)
Count before you start. Record that opening balance with a date. Don't import it again as a fresh receipt tomorrow.
What is a stock movement?
A stock movement records a change in quantity or location. Keep the product, quantity, unit, time, reason and source reference. Each one is a line in a ledger you can always trace back.
Sandline uses these rules:
| Event | What to record | Effect on warehouse total |
|---|---|---|
| Goods received | Accepted boxes and receipt reference | Add stock |
| Picked | Move boxes from bin to dispatch area | No change yet |
| Shipped | Boxes that actually leave | Subtract stock |
| Returned | Inspect, then place in the right location | Add to the appropriate stock |
| Adjusted | Count difference, reason and approval | Add or subtract the difference |
Picking needs care. If you subtract at picking and shipping, you've lost the same boxes twice. Here, picking moves stock inside the warehouse. Shipping removes it.
Keep damaged returns apart from stock you can sell. Shopify's help says to use its return-restock reason when a returned item can be resold.
How does stock come off when an order ships?
In Beezr, you build this from modules and workflows. A module holds one kind of record. Relations link those records, as shown on the data page.
For Sandline, design Products, Suppliers, Locations and Stock Movements modules. Each movement points to its product and location. An order reference explains why it happened.
Sandline · example
Northbay's gloves leave Jebel Ali
Start with 620 boxes of NG-200. Northbay's order needs 40. Yousef picks those boxes from A-01 and confirms dispatch.
In Sandline's build, the shipping workflow creates the outbound movement. A Record manager step then updates the stock balance with a Smart Script, the same pattern as Beezr's Shopify production recipe. The script takes the shipped quantity off the product's stock on hand, so nobody types the new number.
Insert each token with Insert data, so the names match your modules.
The balance is now 580 boxes. Later, two inspected boxes return to saleable stock. That movement brings it to 582.
Stock on hand is the sum of movements, including the opening count. Add what came in. Take away what went out. A move between bins has two sides that cancel out. You still own those boxes. They just have a new shelf address.
Smart Script can also sum records through FunctionManager (see the developer page). Use the movement total to check the stored balance.
Design one shipping deduction
- Check the shipment reference — look for a movement already recorded.
- Confirm what left — use shipped quantities, including partial shipments.
- Write the movement — link product, location and shipment.
- Update and check — compare the balance with the movement total.
Test a repeat shipment message. It should leave the balance unchanged. Also test a failure between writing the movement and updating stock. Agree how to repair it before going live.
When should you reorder stock?
A reorder point is the smallest amount of an item you want in stock before you order more. Work it out from how much you sell and how long delivery takes. Its own example: sell 10 chairs a week, wait 2 weeks, and the point is 20 (business.gov.au). Many teams add a cushion, called safety stock, for busy seasons or late suppliers.
For practice, give NG-200 a trigger of 200 boxes. Ask Omar to set the real level from demand and Lumen Gloves' delivery times.
Build a low-stock branch after the balance update. Make it create a purchase request for review. Check for an open request first, or each shipment could ask Omar to buy again.
How do you handle counts and adjustments?
Counts test your records against the shelf. When a count differs, record the difference as an adjustment movement. The fix stays traceable, like everything else.
Yousef counts 581 boxes. The records show 582. Recount, check recent shipments, then approve a minus-one adjustment if needed. Keep the reason and count reference. Don't erase the earlier entries.
Sandline also has an old warehouse system. Its nightly stock report is a snapshot, not a receipt. Compare matching products, units, locations and cutoff times before posting differences.
Beezr's integration page describes Web Agents for browser tasks. A Web Agent can sign in, download an Excel export and read its table. Manual export and reviewed import is the fallback. Follow the no-API guide for that route.
Myth / Reality
Myth: importing tonight's count means adding tonight's quantity. That would count yesterday's remaining stock again. Review the difference instead.
What inventory management system should a small business start with?
| Starting option | Good fit | Honest catch |
|---|---|---|
| Excel movement log | Testing your process | Someone must keep entries complete and check totals |
| Configured records and workflows | Shared stock work with approvals | You must design and test the rules |
| Existing warehouse system plus exchange | Keeping a working warehouse process | Both sides need agreed codes and cutoff times |
Choose your first step
- If the units or bins are unclear → clean the master data first.
- If people overwrite balances → start a movement log.
- If shipping repeats or counts disagree → fix those cases before adding automation.
Our take
Our take. Start with one shelf you can count. A trusted balance beats a dashboard full of guesses.
Key takeaways
- If you're technical: test repeats, partial shipments and interrupted updates.
- If you're not: ask to trace one balance back to its entries.
- Keep counts, stock movements and purchase requests distinct.
Build Sandline's inventory in Beezr
Build this as a Project using modules and workflows.
- Create the records — Products, Suppliers, Locations and related Stock Movements.
- Build shipping deduction — use a Record manager step with Smart Script, with checks for repeats.
- Add the reorder branch — compare stock with the chosen level and create a purchase request.
- Bring in the nightly count — use a Web Agent export or reviewed file import, then review differences.
Questions readers ask
Can I use an inventory management Excel template?
Yes. Keep separate product, location and movement sheets. It breaks down when entries go missing or balances get overwritten. See when a spreadsheet becomes a system.
What is a stock movement?
It's a record of stock arriving, leaving or changing location. Include the quantity, unit, date and reason.
How do I start inventory management for a small business?
Pick one product group. Name the bins, count stock and record each movement. Check the balance before expanding.
Does a return always increase stock available to sell?
Inspect it first. Route damaged goods to a separate location. Add only accepted goods to saleable stock.
Sandline Supplies is a fictional example company.
Sources
- Manage your inventory · Australian Government, business.gov.au · accessed 2026-10-17
- Adjusting inventory quantities · Shopify · accessed 2026-10-17
- Data · Beezr · accessed local source 2026-10-17
- Developers · Beezr · accessed local source 2026-10-17
- Integration · Beezr · accessed local source 2026-10-17