Are you preparing for a year-end stocktake, routine inventory check or independent stock valuation? These simple steps will help you prepare your pharmacy for the count.
Keep stock organised
A well-organised dispensary makes it easier for stocktake teams to identify, count and record products accurately.
Where possible, keep products in their usual locations and make sure shelves, cupboards and storage areas remain accessible.
Avoid moving stock unnecessarily in the days before the count. This can make it harder to establish an accurate stock position.
Separate expired, damaged and quarantined stock
Identify any stock that should not be included in your available inventory.
This may include expired, damaged, recalled or quarantined products. Keep these items clearly separated and easy to identify. This helps the stocktake team understand what should and shouldn’t be counted as usable stock.
Keep recent deliveries together
If you’ve received deliveries shortly before the stocktake, make sure the relevant paperwork is available and that your team knows what has been received.
If stock has been delivered but not yet processed into your systems, clearly identifying it can help avoid duplication or omissions during the count.
Complete outstanding paperwork
Where possible, make sure recent goods received notes, invoices, transfers and other relevant inventory records have been processed before the stocktake.
Having your records up to date gives the stocktake team a clearer starting point and can make any subsequent reconciliation easier.
Consider stock movements on the day
One of the biggest challenges during a stocktake is stock continuing to move while the count is taking place.
If possible, minimise unnecessary stock movements during the count. If your pharmacy needs to remain open, agree with the stocktake team how to handle stock movements. This includes items dispensed, received or moved during the count.
Don’t worry if the pharmacy can’t stop trading completely. An experienced stocktaking team can work around your operation and agree the most appropriate approach with you.
Make sure the team knows about anything unusual
Every pharmacy has its own layout, processes and requirements.
Before the stocktake starts, highlight anything the stocktaking team should be aware of, such as off-site storage, locked areas, stock awaiting processing or specific areas requiring particular attention.
A short briefing can prevent unnecessary delays later.
- What happens on the day?
A professional stocktake team will follow a structured and systematic process while minimising disruption to your pharmacy. - Arrival and briefing
The stocktake team will arrive and meet with the relevant pharmacy contact. They’ll confirm the scope of the stocktake, understand the pharmacy layout and discuss any operational considerations before the count begins. - The count begins
The stocktake team systematically works through the agreed areas, recording the stock they find. Depending on the service provided, this can include identifying products, recording quantities and capturing the information required to produce an accurate stock report. The aim is to ensure that stock is counted consistently across the pharmacy, from the dispensary and storage areas through to other agreed stock locations. - Working alongside your pharmacy team
Your pharmacy doesn’t necessarily need to close while the stocktake is taking place. An experienced stocktake team can work alongside pharmacy staff, keeping in mind that the dispensary may need to continue operating. Clear communication between the stocktaking team and pharmacy staff is particularly important where stock needs to be accessed or moved during the count. - Checks and reconciliation
Once the count is complete, the data can be checked and processed to provide an accurate picture of the stock recorded. Depending on the stocktake service, the final information can support financial reporting, stock reconciliation, inventory management, and discrepancy identification.
Key Steps for a Smooth Pharmacy Stocktake
The best stocktakes aren’t necessarily the ones where the pharmacy does the most preparation. They’re the ones where the right preparation is done in advance.
A few simple actions can make a significant difference:
- Organise your stock – Make products easy to identify and access.
- Separate exceptions – Clearly identify expired, damaged, recalled or quarantined stock.
- Process recent deliveries – Keep goods received and other relevant documentation up to date.
- Communicate with the stocktake team – Explain your layout, processes and any areas that need particular attention.
- Plan for stock movements – Agree on how deliveries, dispensing and other movements will be managed during the count.
- Allow the professionals to count – Your pharmacy team can focus on patient care while the stocktaking team focuses on achieving an accurate count.
Accurate stock starts with an accurate count.
A pharmacy stocktake is more than simply counting boxes on shelves. Done properly, it provides confidence in the stock you hold and creates a reliable foundation for financial reporting and inventory management.
With the right preparation and an experienced stocktaking partner, the process can be accurate, efficient and minimally disruptive to your pharmacy.
Need to prepare for your next pharmacy stocktake? Get in touch with our specialist team.
