Cycle Counts - Store Employee

Cycle Counts - Store Employee

Cycle Counts - Store Employee Overview 

In a POS retail business, cycle counts are routine inventory checks where small portions of stock are counted regularly to maintain accuracy without disrupting operations. Instead of conducting a complete physical inventory, businesses count selected items on a rotating schedule, such as specific categories or shelves (or as defined in an Inventory Definition).
  1. Cycle counts help detect stock discrepancies, prevent losses, and keep the inventory data up to date. They are beneficial for tracking high-value or fast-moving items more frequently.
Cycle Counts in FTx Cloud POS

The actual counting process is carried out using the FTx Cloud Handheld app. You can view and review cycle counts from Control Center. However, FTx Cloud POS enables you to initiate cycle counts from multiple touchpoints. 
  1. The corporate employee assigns the inventory definitions to the specific store employee from Control Center. The store employee completes the cycle counts using the FTx Cloud Handheld app. 
  2. The store employee selects the inventory definition from Control Center or the POS device and completes the cycle counts using the FTx Cloud Handheld app. 
  3. The store employee selects the inventory definition from the FTx Cloud Handheld app and completes the cycle counts. 
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" 

  1. Step 1: Log into Control Center
  2. Step 2: Choose Store
  3. Step 3: Choose Inventory 
  4. Step 4: Choose Inventory Counts
  5. Step 5: Choose Cycle Counts
Figure 1.1 below will help you better understand the navigation.

Figure 1.1

2. Understanding the "Cycle Count" Layout 

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

 Figure 2.1
  1. 1: Start Count: This button allows you to initiate the cycle count process from Control Center. 
  2. 2: Date Range: This button helps you to see the transfer records for the selected date range. Select the required dates in the Start and End fields, then click the "Filter Range" button to display the transfer records for the specified date range.  
  3. 3.1: View: This button lets you view the cycle count details. Section 3. Viewing and Reviewing the Cycle Counts, provides further information below.
  4. 3.2: View Notes: This button lets you view the notes added to the transfer, if any. 
  5. 3.3: Print: This button lets you print the cycle count details. 
  6. 3.4: Delete: This button lets you delete the cycle count record. A cycle count record can only be deleted before it is saved (reconciled). The system doesn't display the Delete icon for saved (reconciled) cycle count records.

3. Viewing & Reviewing Cycle Counts 

When cycle counts are completed using the FTx Cloud Handheld app, corporate employees or store employees with the required rights can view and review them in Control Center, following the process outlined below.
  1. Click the "View" button, highlighted in Figure 2.1 above.
  2. The View Cycle Count screen will appear, as shown in Figure 3.1. Any record with a variance will be highlighted in red. 
 Figure 3.1
  1. 1.1: All Products drop-down: This drop-down lets you view the cycle count records based on five parameters: All Products, Counted Products, Uncounted Products, Only Products With A Variance, and Products With Cost Variance. Click the drop-down and then click the required option, and the system will update the records automatically. 
  2. 1.2 Rollup View: Enable this button to view the information of the parent-child product in the same record. By default, the system displays parent products and child products separately. 
  3. 2: Cycle Count Table Top Bar
    1. Setting Icon: When you click this icon, the Options screen will appear, as shown in Figure 3.2. Please enable or disable the "Show Items Scanned Multiple Times" button based on your requirements. The system will automatically update the records. 
Figure 3.2
    1. Cycle Counts Information: This section shows the information about the total products in the inventory definitions, uncounted products, variance products, and total variance. 
    2. Columns: This field allows you to choose to hide the columns. Click in this field, and deselect the columns you don't want to view. 
    3. Reset Icon: Click this icon to refresh the screen whenever you change the column selection. 
  1. 3: This section shows the cycle count records. 
  2. 4: Reviewed: This button lets you review the cycle counts. 3.1 Reviewing Cycle Counts explains further details. 
  3. 5: Add Notes: This button lets you add remarks to the cycle count record. 
  4. 6: Action Buttons:  
  1. 5.1: Cancel: This button lets you cancel the changes made to the cycle count.
  2. 5.2: Add Notes: This button allows you to add notes to the cycle count.
  3. 5.3: View Notes: This button lets you view the notes added to the cycle count, if any. When you click this button, the Notes History screen will appear, displaying all notes added to the cycle count, the user who added them, and their timestamps. 
  4. 5.4: Print Report: This button lets you download and print the report as a PDF, CSV, or Excel file, with the selected option toggled.
  5. 5.5: Refresh: This button will help you refresh the data displayed in the Cycle Count Report.
  6. 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.
  7. Clicking on "Confirm" will ensure the variance is applied to the inventory levels. If the products with variance are applied, the system will adjust its inventory.
Figure 3.3
  1. 5.7: Set Uncounted Quantity to Expected Quantity: This button helps you set the uncounted quantity to the expected amount.
    1. For items not physically counted during the cycle count process, the system will automatically assume their quantity is accurate as per the system's current record (Expected Quantity) and update or finalize them accordingly.
  2. 5.8: Cancel: This button will help you discard the changes made.
  3. 6: Review: This button lets you review the cycle counts. 3.1 Reviewing Cycle Counts explains further details. 
  4. 7: Add Notes: This button lets you add remarks to the cycle count record. 4.2 Viewing Item Activity / Scan Order / User Adjusted Count History to the Cycle Count explains further details. 

3.1 Reviewing Cycle Counts

Please follow the steps below to take a look at the cycle counts. 
  1. View the cycle count records carefully. 
  2. Enable the "Reviewed" button to mark the cycle count as reviewed. 

 Figure 3.1.1
  1. When the toggle is set to "Yes," the system marks the cycle counts as reviewed and displays a success message.  

Figure 3.1.2

3.2 Viewing Item Activity / Scan Order / User Adjusted Count History

Please follow the steps below to view the cycle count:  
  1. Click the View button highlighted in Figure 2.1 above.
  2. The View Cycle Count screen will appear, as shown in Figure 3.2.1. 

Figure 3.2.1
  1. The Item Activity/Scan Order/User Adjusted Count History screen will appear, as Figure 3.2.2 shows, including the details, if any.
Figure 3.2.2                                               

4. Starting Cycle Counts 

The actual counting process is carried out using the FTx Cloud Handheld app. You can view and review the results from Control Center. Additionally, FTx Cloud POS enables you to initiate cycle counts from Control Center. 

Please follow the steps below to initiate the cycle counts from Control Center:  
  1. Click the "Start Count" button highlighted in Figure 4.1. The Start Count pop-up screen will appear. Select the required definition from the drop-down. 
Figure 4.1
The rest of the process will be completed using the FTx Cloud Handheld app.  

4.2. Cycle Count Process on a Handheld Device

The cycle counts process from the Handheld device includes the following steps: 
  1. Authenticate the FTx Cloud Handheld app.
  2. Select the required location.
  3. Log in to the FTx Cloud Handheld app using your credentials. 
  4. Check if any inventory definition is assigned to you, or choose the required Inventory Definition. 
  5. Start scanning the products.
I have for you below the detailed information. 
[1] Authenticate the FTx Cloud Handheld app.
  1. Open the FTx Cloud Handheld app and enter the API username and password. (Support will assist with this initial setup; this step does not need to be repeated regularly.)

 Figure 4.2.1
  1. The app will be authenticated.
[2] You can select the required location.
  1. If the location settings are missing, the app will prompt to set the location, as shown in Figure 4.2.2. Click "Settings."

Figure 4.2.2
  1. The DEVICE SETTINGS screen will appear. Click "Location." The Change Location pop-up will appear. Select the required location using the drop-down and click "Keep.

Figure 4.2.3
[3] Log into the FTx Cloud Handheld app using your credentials.
  1. The app will show the selected location, as highlighted in Figure 4.2.4. 

 Figure 4.2.4
  1. Click "Employee Username" and log into the FTx Cloud POS app using your credentials. 
  2. The FTx Cloud POS app's dashboard will appear, as shown in Figure 4.2.5. Click "Cycle Counts.
Figure 4.2.5
[4] Check if any inventory definition is assigned to you, or choose the required Inventory Definition.
  1. When you click "Cycle Counts," highlighted in Figure 4.2.5, the CYCLE COUNTS screen will appear, as shown in Figure 4.2.6. 

Figure 4.2.6
  1. 1: The Inventory Definition assigned from Control Center will appear here. Click it to start the cycle counts. 
  2. 2: Click this button to open the Enter Definition drop-down menu and select the new definition, if necessary. 
  3. 3: Click the "NO DEF" button to start the cycle counts without any definition. 
  1. When the inventory definition is selected, the app will show a confirmation message, as shown in Figure 4.2.7. Click "YES."
Figure 4.2.7
[5] Start scanning the products.
  1. You can choose two modes for the selected inventory definition: Backroom Mode and Floor Mode
Figure 4.2.8
Backroom Mode vs. Floor Mode
  1. Backroom Mode: A backroom is a storage area used to handle excess items. You can typically use Backroom Mode less often, as they are mostly bound to Floor Mode only. However, if the backroom items are also subject to a cycle count, the number of units displayed by the system should be physically changed or adjusted accordingly. For example, if the quantity on hand (QOH) is five units for the backroom, you should not move that item to the floor or transfer, sell, or 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. You can directly enter Floor Mode; however, if items need to be counted for both modes, they must first count the items in the backroom.
  1. 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 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 this case, non-counted items will remain at the inventory levels they were before the count.
  2. Once the required mode is selected, you can scan the item or manually search for it by entering the UPC in the search bar.
  3. 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. You must then enter the Actual QOH numbers.

Figure 4.2.9
  1. If there is any discrepancy, you can re-search or rescan the item. The values can be edited on the resultant screen if the incongruency persists. Please refer to Figure 4.2.10.

Figure 4.2.10
  1. If the item is rescanned or researched, the system will prompt you to append or replace it. Replacing means replacing the older account, while appending means adding to it.
Figure 4.2.11
  1. When the count is completed, press the Back button highlighted in Figure 4.2.12. 

Figure 4.2.12
  1. The app will save the counts, and details will appear in Control Center. 

5. Printing Cycle Counts

Please follow the steps below to print a cycle count report. 
  1. Click the respective Print icon highlighted in Figure 2.1 or the "Print Report" button highlighted in Figure 3.1.
Figure 5.1
  1. Print Type: Select the type of report you want to print, such as Hybrid Report, Detail Report, Rollup Report, Scan Order, or Worksheet. 
    1. Hybrid Report: A report showing detailed information and summary totals.
    2. Detail Report: A report that lists all the small, specific details.
    3. Rollup Report: A report aggregating information from child items to parent items, providing an overall summary.
    4. Scan Order: The report with the order in which items or places are scanned.
    5. 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. 
  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 display only products that have been scanned multiple times. 
  5. Show Products with Costs Variance: Enable this button to display only products with a cost variance.
  6. Export Type: Choose the PDF, CSV, or Excel export format.
  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, where you can enter the email ID(s) and click "Send Email."
 Figure 5.2
  1. Make the required selections and click "Start Print.
  2. The sample cycle count report is presented below in Figure 5.3.

 Figure 5.3

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