Stock adjustment report
Breakage, spoilage, theft and miscounts all end up as stock adjustments, and this report adds them up for the period, split into normal and abnormal, with whatever you got back from insurance or a supplier shown alongside.
Stock adjustment report in SeroPOS
Normal adjustments
Everyday losses such as spoilage, breakage or samples, totalled for the period.
Abnormal adjustments
Unusual losses such as theft, a freezer failure or flood damage, kept separate.
Total written off
Normal and abnormal added together, so you see the full cost of lost stock.
Amount recovered
Money recovered on adjustments, from insurance, a supplier credit or salvage.
Every adjustment listed
Below the totals, the adjustments that make them up are listed one by one.
Location and date filters
Compare stores, or look at a single week after a busy event.
What the report shows
Open Reports, then Stock Adjustment Report, choose a location and a date range. At the top are four figures: total normal, total abnormal, the overall total and the total amount recovered. Below them is the list of adjustments that make up those totals. Choose all locations to see the business as a whole, or one store to compare against another.
The split between normal and abnormal is yours to make when you record each adjustment. Most stores keep normal for the steady trickle of waste that's part of doing business, and abnormal for one-off events worth looking at separately. Whatever you choose, be consistent, so this month's normal total can be compared fairly with last month's.
- Total normal
- Total abnormal
- Total stock adjustment
- Total amount recovered
- The list of adjustments behind those totals
Recording an adjustment
Adjustments are entered under Stock Adjustment, Add Stock Adjustment. Choose the location, a reference number and the date, then pick Normal or Abnormal. Add the products and quantities, enter any total amount recovered and write a short reason. Stock levels for those products drop as soon as the adjustment is saved, and the adjustment appears on this report for its date and location.
The reason is worth taking seriously. 'Dropped tray', 'expired' and 'count correction' each point to a different fix. When the report is reviewed at month end, clear reasons are what turn a number into something you can act on. Short, consistent wording also makes the list easier to scan when you're looking for a pattern.
Shrinkage and waste
Inventory shrinkage is the gap between what your records say you have and what's actually there. Some of it is waste you know about, and some only appears when you count. Recording both as adjustments, with the right type and reason, makes this report your shrinkage report. Reviewing it monthly is usually enough.
For a restaurant, normal adjustments are often prep waste and spoilage. For a shop, they're damaged packaging and samples. If the normal total starts climbing month after month, it's usually a sign to look at ordering quantities, storage or handling before it shows up in profit. For a bar, it's often spills and breakage.
How adjustments flow into other reports
Each adjustment reduces stock, so the stock report and product stock history reflect it straight away. The profit and loss report counts total stock adjustment as a cost and total stock recovered on the other side, so write-offs reduce profit for the period rather than vanishing. The amount recovered is reported here as well.
Expired stock found on the stock expiry report is written off as an adjustment too, and with lot numbers turned on, the lot report shows units adjusted per lot. That gives you one consistent record of everything that left the shelves without being sold.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between normal and abnormal stock adjustments?
In SeroPOS you choose the type when you record the adjustment. Normal is generally used for routine losses such as spoilage, breakage or samples. Abnormal is for unusual events such as theft, equipment failure or damage. The report totals each type separately so one-off losses stand out.
How do I record damaged or wasted stock?
Go to Stock Adjustment, Add Stock Adjustment. Pick the location, the date and Normal or Abnormal, then add the products and quantities. Enter any amount recovered and a reason such as damaged in delivery. Save it, and stock is reduced and the adjustment appears on this report.
What is the amount recovered?
It's money you get back for stock you've written off, such as an insurance payout, a supplier credit or the sale of damaged goods for scrap. Enter it on the adjustment, and the report totals it so you can see the net cost of your losses.
Does a stock adjustment affect profit?
Yes. The profit and loss report includes total stock adjustment as a cost and total stock recovered as an offset. Recording waste as adjustments, rather than just letting stock run short, keeps your profit figures honest. Run the stock adjustment report alongside it to see where the cost came from.
Can I use this as a waste report for my kitchen?
Yes, if you record kitchen waste as stock adjustments on stock-managed items. Use clear reasons such as prep waste or spoiled, and the list shows what was thrown away and when. Filter by date range to compare one week's waste with another.