Opening stock to start counts right
Opening stock is the count you start with in SeroPOS. Enter it per product and location, with lot numbers and expiry dates where they matter, so every later sale and purchase moves from the right number.
Opening stock in SeroPOS
Per location
Enter how many of each product you have at each business location.
Lots and expiry
Record a lot number and expiry date against opening quantities when you track them.
Straight after saving
Save & add opening stock on the product form takes you to the count for that item.
Spreadsheet import
Import Opening Stock loads quantities for many products from one file.
Valued at cost
Opening stock is entered with its cost, so stock value and profit start correctly.
Permission controlled
Only roles with the opening stock permission can add or change it.
Why the starting count matters
Inventory in SeroPOS is a running total. Sales take stock away, purchases add it, and adjustments and transfers move it. All of that only means something if the starting point is right. Opening stock is that starting point: the quantity of each product you have on the day you begin tracking in SeroPOS.
Opening stock carries a cost as well as a quantity. That cost feeds the Stock Report's value at purchase price and the opening stock line in Profit / Loss. Getting it right on day one saves hours of untangling later, because every report that touches stock or cost of goods sold starts from these figures.
Enter opening stock product by product
When you add a product in the back office, Save & add opening stock takes you straight to its opening stock screen. For existing products, choose Add opening stock from the product's actions in Products › List Products. Enter the quantity and unit cost for each location. Then save. Repeat per location.
If lot numbers or expiry dates are turned on, each opening quantity can carry its lot and expiry. A pharmacy or grocer can record two lots of the same product with different dates on day one. Each lot is tracked separately from then on, through sales, returns and adjustments. Recalls get easier.
- Save & add opening stock on a new product
- Add opening stock from the product list
- Quantity and cost per location
- Lot number and expiry date when enabled
Import a whole stock count
For a full shop, typing every count is slow. Products › Import Opening Stock loads quantities from a spreadsheet: one row per product and location, with quantity, cost and, where used, lot and expiry. Import your products first, do a physical count, then import the counts. Check the totals once uploaded.
Many businesses take the count after closing on the day before they go live, so the opening figures match the shelves exactly. If counting takes more than one day, count slow-moving stock first and fast sellers last, closest to opening. That keeps the gap between the count and the first sale as small as possible.
After you go live
Once trading starts, use stock adjustments for losses and write-offs and purchases for deliveries, rather than editing opening stock. That keeps a clear history of why stock changed. Each product's stock history shows the opening quantity as its first line, followed by every movement after it. Nothing is left unexplained.
Adding and changing opening stock is a separate permission in roles, so you can let a manager do the opening count without giving everyone that power. A clear split of duties also makes it easier to trust the starting figures when you look back at them months later during a stocktake or a review with your accountant.
Frequently asked questions
What is opening stock?
Opening stock is the quantity of each product you have when you start tracking inventory in SeroPOS, along with its cost. Every sale, purchase and adjustment after that changes stock from this starting figure. Getting it right on day one makes every later report more accurate.
How do I add opening stock for many products?
Use Products › Import Opening Stock in the back office. Fill in the spreadsheet with each product, location, quantity and cost, plus lot and expiry if you use them, then upload it. Import your products first so the rows have something to match.
Can opening stock have lot numbers and expiry dates?
Yes. When lot numbers and product expiry are turned on in Business Settings, each opening stock entry can carry a lot number and expiry date, so lot and expiry reports are accurate from day one. Each lot then follows its own history.
Should I change opening stock to fix a count later?
Usually not. After you start trading, record a stock adjustment for losses or recount differences. That keeps a clear reason in the stock history, which opening stock edits do not give you. Adjustments also carry a type and an amount recovered.
Who can add opening stock?
Roles have a separate opening stock permission under the Product group. Give it to the people who do your counts, such as a manager or a supervisor, and leave it off for cashiers and other staff. Review the role once the opening count is finished and remove the permission if it is no longer needed.