The steps involved in completing cycle or partial counts are the same steps used for a full count. However, additional filtering criteria on the count lines may be used to specify particular groups of items, and additional options on the Generate Count Sheets function can be used.

To begin, configure the count sheets based on your required criteria. For a cycle count, the criteria will often typically restrict sheet contents by either item number or bin location.

Once the count sheet configuration has been set, generate the count sheets.

Though all options on the Generate Count Sheets batch will affect how a cycle count is created, the options highlighted in red are specific to cycle counting.

See the section on performing a full inventory count for other options for the Generate Count Sheet function.

Once the count sheets have been generated, they are entered and posted the same way a full count is handled. However, the “Items Not Counted” report would not be used in a cycle count, as you will only be concerned with posting the items on the sheets.

If the following conditions are true, you should only perform cycle counts by item, not by bin:

• bins are mandatory
• the items you are counting use serial numbers or lot numbers without warehouse tracking turned on
• you have the same items in multiple bins, or have the potential for having the same item in multiple bins (e.g., receiving and stocking bins)

This is because if you need adjust the quantity of an item in a bin, you cannot be sure which lot or serial number is missing without counting all lots or serial numbers for that item.

The same concern generally also applies when warehouse item tracking is turned on. In that case, you do know the specific lot and serial numbers per bin, but it is quite possible that the wrong lot/serial numbers were placed in the bin being counted. If this is the case, you may not even be able to post the adjustments. For example, assume you have an item with serial number SN123 that is supposed to be in bin B01, and serial number SN456 in bin Z01. However, the actual physical inventory is reversed, with SN123 in bin Z01, and SN456 in bin B01. Therefore, during your cycle count of Z01 you actually count serial number SN123. Without counting the additional product in bin B01, the system will attempt to negative adjust SN456 (since it was not counted), and positive adjust SN123. This will fail if you have SN Specific tracking turned on, as the system will be attempting to create two instances of the same serial number.

The way to avoid any cycle count issues with item tracking, whether Warehouse Item Tracking is on or not, is to ensure the item is counted in all bins.