Cycle Counts Overview

"Cycle Counts" is the method FTx Cloud POS uses to perform physical counts of products in your store.

A cycle count is an inventory management technique where a company regularly counts a portion of its inventory instead of the entire stock all at once. This approach helps maintain accurate inventory levels and makes it easier to detect and fix discrepancies in the inventory system.

Typically, store employees carry out cycle counts using handheld devices. They can perform counts based on a specific inventory definition or choose to count without any predefined definition (no definition), depending on the situation.

Cycle counts can also be initiated, viewed, and reviewed from Control Center. To learn more about inventory definitions, please read Inventory Definitions.   

This article includes information about: 

1. How to perform cycle counts.
   
2. How to view and review cycle counts.
   
3. How to add notes to the cycle count record.

1. Reaching "Cycle Counts"

To reach "Cycle Counts," follow the steps below:

1. Step 1: Log into Control Center
   
2. Step 2: Choose Point of Sale
   
3. Step 3: Choose Inventory
   
4. Step 4: Choose Inventory Counts
   
5. Step 5: Choose Cycle Counts
   

See Figure 1.1 below will help you understand the navigation better. 

                                                                                             Figure 1.1

2. Understanding the "Cycle Counts" Layout

1. Please refer to Figure 2.1 and the descriptions of the buttons and fields below to understand the layout of "Cycle Counts."
   

                                                                             Figure 2.1

1: Start Count: This button lets you initiate the cycle count process from Control Center. 

2.1: View: This button lets you view the cycle count details. Section 4 - Viewing the Cycle Count in Control Center explains further details below.

2.2: View Notes: This button lets you view the notes added to the transfer, if any. 

2.3: Print: This button lets you print the cycle count details. 

2.4: Delete: This button lets you delete the cycle count record.

1. A cycle count record can only be deleted until it is saved. The system doesn't show the Delete icon for a saved (reconciled) cycle count record.
   

                                                                        Figure 3.1

Fields:

1. Employee: From the list of employees, select the name of the employee initiating the cycle count. Depending on the store's settings and situation, the employee can start the cycle count themselves, or the corporate user can assign it to the selected employee at the selected store location.
2. Location: Select the location name from the list drop-down attached below.
   
3. Definition: Select the inventory definition from the list down below.

1: Start Count: Click this button to start the count. As 3.2 Cycle Count Process on a Handheld Device explains, the rest of the process will be carried out with a handheld device.

1. Either the corporate user can assign a cycle count to a specific employee, and the employee will see the assigned cycle count under their login on the POS and handheld device.
   
2. Or the employee can start the cycle count himself from Employee-CC login.

3.1 Starting a New Cycle Count- Employee

Follow the steps mentioned below to start a new cycle count from Control Center:

1. Click "Start Count," shown in the top right corner.
   
2. The Start Count screen will appear, as shown in Figure 3.1.1 below.
   

1. Select the definition and start the cycle count process on the handheld device. As the 3.2 Cycle Count Process on a Handheld Device explains, the rest of the process will be carried out with a handheld device.
   

You can also start the cycle count from the POS directly. To get more information on Cycle Counts from POS, read here: Cycle Counts POS.

3.2. Cycle Count Process on a Handheld Device

1. The employee must ensure that the FTx Cloud Handheld app is authenticated. If it is not, you will see Figure 3.2.1 below.
   

                               Figure 3.2.1

1. To authenticate the device, the employee enters the API username and password. (Support will assist with this initial setup; this does not have to be done regularly).

                                  Figure 3.2.2

1. If the store location is missing in the settings, the device will prompt the employee to set it first. The employee needs to click on the Settings icon to do so.

                              Figure 3.2.3

1. As shown in Figure 3.2.4, the employee clicks the "Location" button to enter or select the location.

                         Figure 3.2.4

1. Click on "Select Location" to change/select location.

                       Figure 3.2.5

The selected location will be displayed as highlighted in Figure 3.2.6.

                        Figure 3.2.6

1. Once the device authentication and location setting processes are completed, the employee needs to log in with their employee ID and password.
   

                            Figure 3.2.7

1. Once the employee is logged in, the screen on their handheld device will look like the one shown in Figure 3.2.8. To start the cycle count, the employee clicks on the Cycle Count icon .

                                   Figure 3.2.8

1. The employee clicks the + icon in the bottom right corner and selects the predefined inventory definition, as displayed in Figure 3.2.9.

                                           Figure 3.2.9

1. The device prompts a confirmation, as highlighted in Figure 3.2.10 below. The employee clicks "YES" to proceed. 

                                                Figure 3.2.10

1. The employee can choose two modes for the selected inventory definition: Backroom Mode and Floor Mode. 

                                                         Figure 3.2.11

Backroom Mode vs. Floor Mode: 

1. Backroom Mode: A backroom is a stockroom that is used to handle excess items. Employees less often use Backroom Mode. Mostly, employees are bound to Floor Mode only, but if they cycle count the backroom too, the number of units that the system is displaying should be changed physically or otherwise. For example, if the QOH is five units for the backroom, the employee should not move that item to the floor or transfer/sell/adjust it.
   

2. Floor Mode: In this mode, the accounting is done for the items in the inventory definition that are present on the floor. The employee can directly move to Floor Mode, but if they need to count for both modes, they must count for the backroom first.

Based on the inventory definition, the system will fetch the items expected to be counted in the right column. If, by any chance, an item that is listed is not scanned, the system will read the QOH for that item as 0 unless the "Set Uncounted to Expected Qty" button is pushed before completing the count, in which case the non-counted items will remain at the inventory levels they were before the count.

1. Once the required mode is selected, the employee scans the item or manually searches for it by entering the UPC in the search bar.
   

1. Once done, the Item Entry pop-up screen will appear on the handheld device, displaying the item name, Purchasing QOH, Subunit QOH, and Retail Price. The employee fills in the numbers of Actual QOH.

                                              Figure 3.2.12

1. In case of any incongruency, the employee can search again or rescan the item. If the incongruency persists, you can edit the values on the resultant screen. See Figure 3.2.13.

                                                       Figure 3.2.13

1. If the item is rescanned or researched, the system will prompt to append or replace it, where replacing means replacing the older account and appending means adding to it.
   

                                                              Figure 3.2.14

1. When the count is completed, the employee can press the Back button (as highlighted in Figure 3.2.15). 
   
2. The rest of the process is carried forward from Control Center.

                                                                 Figure 3.2.15

4. Viewing the Cycle Count in Control Center

1. Click the View button highlighted in Figure 2.1 above.
   
2. The View Cycle Count screen will appear, as Figure 4.1 shows. 
   

1. Any record having variance will be highlighted in Red. The records without variance will be in Green.
   
2. These are items that the system expected to have in the physical inventory, but the user did not count them. So, if you Save (Reconcile) the cycle count, it will zero (0) those items out. 
   

If you don't count them, the system assumes that you don't have them.

You can select and reset the columns chosen per requirements with the Columns and Reset buttons.

1.1. Name: This column gives the name of the accounted product.

1.2. UPC: The UPC of the product that is scanned during the cycle count is in this column. 

1.3. Scanned: This column gives out the value of the items scanned via a handheld device.

1.4. Counted: This column shows the value of the manually punched items.

The benefit of having these two values (scanned and counted) separated is that it prevents incongruencies in manual entries and also prevents the potential theft threat.

1.5. Backroom Count: This column displays the values of items scanned and counted in the backroom.

1.6. Floor Count: This column displays the items counted on the floor.

1.7. User Adj Count: This field should only be used if an item was missed.

1.8. Total Count: This column displays the total values in the Backroom Count, Floor Count, and User Adj. Count.

1.9. Qty Sold: The quantity of the product sold during the inventory count.

1.10. Breakdown Qty: This is the quantity sold during the cycle count that underwent parent-child breakdown during sales. That quantity is mentioned here during the count. For example, you have two packs of cigarettes at the counter and sell 3. In such situations, the system knows that it can't be done; hence, it will break down the one parent quantity (1 carton) into child (10 packs), and if a pack is sold, then nine packs will be left. Depending on the quantity sold, the remaining value of the child item would become the breakdown quantity. If nothing is sold, ten will be the breakdown quantity.

1.11. Snapshot Qty: Snapshot Qty is the expected Quantity-On-Hand during the cycle count.

1.12. Other Adjustments: If any other adjustment is needed, it is mentioned in this column.

1.13. Adj Total Count: Adjusted Total Count is the sum of Quantity Sold, Breakdown Quantity, and Total Count.

1.14. Adj Snapshot Count: The difference between the Snapshot Quantity - Breakdown Quantity/Quantity Sold.

1.15. Variance Count: This is the adjusted snapshot—the difference between the Adjusted Total Count and Adjusted Snapshot Count.

1.16. Variance Dollars: The variance count X price of one unit of the product will give the variance dollars.

                                        Figure 4.2

2.1.  All Products: This filter will list the Cycle Count Report for all the products.

2.2. Counted Products: This option will filter only the counted products.

2.3. Uncounted Products: This option will display the products not counted during cycle counts.

2.4. Only Products With A Variance: This option will only display the products with a variance in counting.

2.5. Products With Cost Variance: This option will display the products with variances in cost.

                                                                                      Figure 4.3

                                                                                   Figure 4.4

5.1: Cancel: This button lets you cancel the changes made to the cycle count.

5.2: Add Notes: This button lets you add notes to the cycle count.

5.3: View Notes: This button lets you view the notes added to the cycle count, if any. The Notes History screen will appear when you click this button. It will show all notes added to the cycle count, as well as information about the user who added them and timestamps. 

5.4: Print Report: This button will let you download and print the report as a PDF, CSV, or Excel file with the selected option toggled.

                                                                    Figure 4.5

1. Print Type: Select the type of report you want to print from: Hybrid Report, Detail Report, Rollup Report, Scan Order, or Worksheet. 
   

1. Hybrid Report: A report that shows both detailed information and summary totals.
   

1. Detail Report: A report that lists all the small, specific details.
   

1. Rollup Report: A report that adds up information from child items to their parent items to give an overall summary.
   

1. Scan Order: The report with the order in which items or places are scanned.
   

1. Worksheet Report: A report listing all worksheets created to track items counted or adjusted during cycle counts.

2. Sorted by Variance: Enable this button to sort the report by variance in the report. 
   
3. Show Only Products with Variance: Enable this button to include only products with variance in the report.
4. Show Only Items Scanned Multiple Times: Enable this button to include only products that are scanned multiple times. 
5. Show Products With Cost Variance: Enable this button to include only products with cost variance.
   
6. Export Type: Choose the export format: PDF, CSV, or Excel.
7. Include Header: Enable this button to include the header. 
   
8. Send As Email: Enable this toggle button to send the report's PDF file to the email ID. The Email Address field will appear. Enter the email ID(s) and click "Send Email."
   

                                                  Figure 4.6

5.5: Refresh: This button will help you refresh the data displayed in the Cycle Count Report.

5.6: Save (Reconcile): This button will help you apply the verified cycle count data to the inventory. No inventory movement will be applied until this button is clicked.

1. Clicking on "Confirm" will ensure that the variance is applied to the inventory levels. If the products with variance are applied, the system will adjust their inventory.

5.7: Set Uncounted Quantity to Expected Quantity: This button helps you set the uncounted quantity to the expected amount.

5.8: Cancel: This button will help you discard the changes made.

6: Review: This button lets you review the cycle counts. 4.1 Reviewing Cycle Counts explains further details. 

7: Add Notes: This button lets you add remarks to the cycle count record. 4.2 Add Notes to the Cycle Count explains further details. 

4.1. Reviewing Cycle Counts

1. Enable the "Reviewed" button to mark the cycle count as reviewed. 

                                                   Figure 4.1.1

1. When the toggle is set to "Yes," the system will mark the cycle counts as reviewed and show a success message.  

                                                                    Figure 4.1.2

                                                                                      Figure 4.2.1

1. The Item Activity/Scan Order/User Adjusted Count History screen will appear, as Figure 4.2.2 shows, including the details, if any.

                                                                    Figure 4.2.2

4.3. Right-click a product listed in the Cycle Count

The Options menu highlighted in Figure 4.3.1 appears when you right-click on a product in the Cycle Count Information table. It provides quick actions you can take for the selected product. 
This menu helps users manage products directly within the Cycle Count screen without needing to navigate away.

          

                                                                                 Figure 4.3.1

• Edit Product: It opens the Edit Product details page in the next tab, where you can edit information such as name, UPC, pricing, or other attributes.
  
                                                                  Figure 4.3.2

• Item Analysis: It opens a report or analysis view of the selected product, showing insights such as sales trends, movement, and performance.
  
                                                                    Figure 4.3.3
  
  

4.4. Add Notes

1. Please refer to Figure 4.4.1 and the description below to add notes to a cycle count record. 

                                                              Figure 4.4.1

1: Add Notes: Click the "Add Notes" button. The Notes screen will appear. Enter your notes in the Note1 field. 

2: Save: Click this button to save the notes you have entered. 

3: +Add Notes: Use this button to add multiple notes.

The "Add Notes" button shows the total number of added notes. Click on it to view the notes. 

                                     Figure 4.4.2