Overview
To ensure inventory accuracy, warehouse managers must perform regular inventory counts. A Count Plan is the first step in this process, outlining which items or locations will be audited. This guide will walk you through the methods for creating a count plan in Logiwa IO.
Methods for Creating a Count Plan
You can create a count plan using one of two methods, depending on your needs:
Manual Creation: This method is ideal for creating a single count plan with specific locations or SKUs directly within the Logiwa IO interface. The steps for this process are detailed below.
Bulk Import via Excel: This method is best for creating multiple count plans at once or for building a large, complex count plan with a high volume of locations or SKUs. For detailed instructions on this method, please see our guide: Import Count Plan via Excel File
Manual Creation Process
Step 1: Navigate to Count Plans
To begin, navigate to the Count Plans screen. If you have trouble locating this screen, please use the main search bar.
Step 2: Define General Information
Click Create New Count in the upper-righthand corner of the screen.
Fill in the required fields in the pop-up window.
Field | Description |
Name* | A unique name for your count plan. Required field. |
Warehouse* | The warehouse where the count will take place. Required field. |
Description | An optional field for more details about the count plan. |
Scheduled Count Date* | The date for which the count is scheduled. Required field. |
Lock Locations | This parameter determines how the system handles inventory transactions for locations included in the count. |
Lock Locations Parameter
Enabled: All locations in the count plan are locked as soon as the count job is created and remain locked until the entire count plan is completed and approved. This is the best option for ensuring the highest accuracy, especially for high-value or fast-moving items, as it prevents any inventory changes from occurring during the count.
Disabled: A location is only locked while the counter is actively counting it. Once the count for that specific location is submitted, it becomes available for other operations. This option provides more operational flexibility.
Step 3: Add Count Tasks
After defining the general information, click Next to move to the Tasks section. You must choose to create your plan by either Location or SKU; they cannot be mixed in the same plan.
To create a Location-based count:
Ensure the Location tab is selected.
Click the Add button.
In the pop-up, search for and select the checkbox next to each location you wish to include in the count.
Click Add Selected Locations.
To create a SKU-based count:
Select the SKU tab.
Click the Add button.
In the pop-up, search for and select the checkbox next to each SKU you wish to include in the count.
Click Add Selected Products.
Step 4: Save the Plan
Once you have added all the necessary locations or SKUs, click the Save button to finalize the count plan. You can now view your new plan on the Count Plans screen.
Important Considerations During Creation
Inventory Status Restriction: You cannot include locations or SKUs in a count plan if they contain inventory that is already part of an active outbound process (i.e., has a status of Picked, Packed, Sorted, or Loaded).
Location Counts: If a location contains such inventory, the count task will be created with a "Cancelled" status to prevent data conflicts. A note will appear in the count plan details explaining the reason.
SKU Counts: The system will not create a count task for an SKU that has inventory in these statuses.
What's Next?
Once your count plan has been created, the next step is to generate a count job. A job contains the specific tasks that your warehouse staff will execute on their mobile devices. You can create a job in two ways:
Manually: From the Count Plans screen, select your plan and use the "Create Job" button. You will need to have a Count Job Type configured.
To learn how to configure a job type for cycle counts, read our guide: Create a Job Type for a Cycle Count.
Automatically: For recurring counts, you can automate job creation by setting up a Cycle Count Wave Rule.
To learn more, read our guide: Create Wave Rules for a Cycle Count.
Couldn’t Find What You Were Looking For?
Visit our Help Center to search more documents!