Stock counts without closing the shop

Stock · 2026-10-06 · 5 min read

Count items while the till keeps selling. The key is how the difference is worked out: against the stock when the count is finished, not when it started.

Why shops often close for a stock count

The old way of doing a stock count is to close the shop, count every item, then compare the result with the records. The shop is closed because if the till keeps selling, the numbers in the records keep changing during the count, and the difference cannot be trusted.

Closing the shop for half a day every month means lost sales. Many shops end up counting rarely, and stock differences pile up unnoticed.

Count while selling

In Lamxo, the till can keep selling while a stock count is under way. The staff member scans or types the quantity of each item counted. When the count is finished, the difference is worked out against the stock in the system at that moment, not when the count started, so sales made before an item was counted do not create a false difference. Each difference is recorded as one stock movement of the "stock count" type, so its history can be traced.

You can also choose a blind count: the staff member does not see the system’s stock number while counting. This makes them really count, rather than just matching against the number already on screen.

Tips for results you can trust

Count by shelf or by category, not the whole shop at once. Goods just received from a supplier should have their receipt recorded before they are counted. If the same item is on the shop shelf and in the back storeroom, count both in the same stock count session.

The limits

Stock counts in Lamxo are done per outlet; one session cannot cover several outlets at once. An item sold after it was counted but before the count is finished will appear as extra stock, so finish the count right after the last shelf is counted, and recount lines with a large difference before saving.