EOFY Stocktake Mistakes to Avoid: Lessons from the Warehouse Floor
It’s the last week of June. And nothing’s adding up. Your variance report doesn’t match your physical count. Your team’s exhausted. The CFO wants answers. And the audit deadline is closing in fast. End of Financial Year (EOFY) stocktake isn’t just a compliance checkbox — it’s a stress test. A reflection of how well your […]
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It’s the last week of June. And nothing’s adding up.
Your variance report doesn’t match your physical count.
Your team’s exhausted.
The CFO wants answers.
And the audit deadline is closing in fast.
End of Financial Year (EOFY) stocktake isn’t just a compliance checkbox — it’s a stress test. A reflection of how well your warehouse runs day to day. And when it goes wrong, it costs time, money, and trust.
“We see it every year — teams that plan early spend less time fixing mistakes later.”
Mayank Sharma, Head of Professional Services
After working with hundreds of warehouses through EOFY, we’ve seen the patterns and the pitfalls. Here are the most common stocktake mistakes to avoid, and smarter workflows to consider.
Stocktake Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake #1: Trusting Bad Data to Start With
“It says we have 80. We can only find 56.”
Stocktake is only as accurate as the data you’re checking. If your item master list includes outdated SKUs, incorrect units of measure, or mismatched barcodes, you’re setting your team up for confusion and variance.
Common culprits:
- Duplicate or inactive SKUs
- Wrong pack sizes or UOM conversions
- Barcode label inconsistencies
Smarter move:
Schedule quarterly data reviews — not just at EOFY. Make it someone’s job to clean your item master and validate against the physical product ahead of count day.
Mistake #2: Trying to Count While the Warehouse is Still Moving
Freeze operations before starting a stocktake
“We counted it… Then someone picked it.”
Attempting a stocktake while your team is still picking, packing, or receiving creates instant discrepancies. Even a short delay in data syncing can throw counts off.
What we see:
- Live orders processed mid-count
- The stock moved after being tallied
- Adjustments made without record
Smarter move:
Plan a clear stocktake “freeze” window. Lockdown movements in your system and communicate cut-off times well in advance. Even half-day freezes can reduce chaos if planned right.
Mistake #3: Skipping Barcode Scanning
“We used tally sheets… it took all day.”
Manual counting is slow, error-prone, and exhausting. When teams switch to barcode scanning — even with simple handheld devices — the difference is immediate.
Real result:
One Datapel user reduced stock variance by 80% after moving from spreadsheets to barcode scanning across three zones. It wasn’t just faster — it was more accurate.
Smarter move:
Use scanning to validate against bin locations, serials, and pack sizes. Start with your highest-value SKUs or most active areas if full rollout isn’t feasible yet.
Mistake #4: Walking in Cold — No Pre-Count Prep
“We didn’t know what was in which bin.”
A smooth stocktake starts days — even weeks — before the count. Yet many teams skip the prep, then scramble on the day.
Watch for:
- Stock left in staging or returns areas
- Products in wrong bins or mislabeled locations
- Unrecorded stock movements or shrinkage
Smarter move:
Set a pre-count checklist. Include tasks like bin clean-up, returns reconciliation, and stock relocation. Assign clear owners to each prep step.
Mistake #5: Leaving Staff Guessing
“Are we counting cartons or units?”
Misaligned teams make mistakes — especially under pressure. Without clear roles, method, and instructions, people double-count, miss areas, or apply inconsistent rules.
Red flags:
- No count method defined (units, packs, inner packs?)
- No clear zone assignments
- Conflicting instructions on how to handle damaged stock
Smarter move:
Run a quick pre-count team huddle. Walk through expectations. Assign zones, clarify measurement units, and provide a single point of contact for questions on the day.
Mistake #6: Overlooking the Audit Trail
“We fixed the number — but can’t show why.”
For teams subject to EOFY audits — or just internal scrutiny — the lack of a clear audit trail is a big risk. Adjustments without explanations raise red flags, delay reporting, and erode leadership confidence.
What auditors want:
- Time-stamped logs of changes
- User attribution
- Notes explaining variances or overrides
Smarter move:
Use your system’s audit logging features. Log all manual overrides and require notes for any high-variance adjustments.
Mistake #7: Patching Over Problems Instead of Investigating Them
“We don’t have time — just make it match.”
We get it. You’re under pressure. But pushing through adjustments to hit EOFY deadlines — without understanding why the stock was wrong — guarantees the same issues will be back next year.
Common causes of variance:
- Unrecorded stock movements
- Miscounts due to fatigue or confusion
- Items stored in the wrong bin and missed
Smarter move:
Flag high-variance items for review before you finalise. Use system reports to track recent movements and compare with physical count notes. Yes, it takes time — but it saves rework later.
Stocktake Is a Health Check — Not Just a Count
Full visibility is a powerful way to stay competitive
The real value of EOFY stocktake isn’t the number you report. It’s the visibility you gain.
Every clean count helps you:
- Plan purchasing with more confidence
- Serve customers faster
- Spot where your processes need work
Warehouses that treat EOFY as a reset — not just a report — see fewer headaches year after year.
Want to Run a Cleaner, Calmer EOFY Stocktake?
Get ahead of the pressure. Follow the workflows smart warehouse teams use — from pre-count prep to final reconciliation.
For additional resources on EOFY stocktake, reach out to Datapel Support or visit the Datapel Forum to hear from your peers.
Helpful Resources:
Xero End of Financial Year 2025
MYOB End of Financial Year 2025
In my role, I oversee the development of insightful blogs that delve into the intricacies of warehouse management. Each piece reflects my dedication to empowering businesses through informative content. Through my team’s extensive experience in the industry, we aim to bring clarity to the complexities of WMS, helping businesses make informed decisions.
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