# Count your stock and apply the difference

> How to do a stock count in POS: start a count, scan each product, recount the lines that differ and apply the difference as one adjustment.

Source: https://sellypos.com/help/stock/count-your-stock/
Updated: 2026-11-03

This guide shows how to do a stock count in POS. You count the shelves, compare them with what SellyPOS expects, and apply the difference as one stock adjustment. Stock counts are in Basic and Professional. Lite has no stock counts.

*Picture: A stock count sheet with the counted quantity and the difference for each product. A count in progress: scan or type what is on the shelf, and the difference shows for each product.*

## What you need

- Basic or Professional. See [the editions](/help/licensing/choose-an-edition/).
- The count permissions. `inventory.count.create` opens a count. `inventory.count.enter` counts. `inventory.count.review` shows the expected quantities and the differences. `inventory.count.apply` applies the count.
- A barcode scanner, or a barcode or SKU that you type in the scan box.

## Count the shelves

1. **Open Stock counts.** Go to Stock, then Stock counts. Choose New count.

2. **Name the count and choose what it covers.** Type a name, such as Household, Aisle 2. Choose Whole shop, or choose a category, a brand or a supplier. For a category, a brand or a supplier, choose one or more.

3. **Choose Start counting.** The count opens. Selling can carry on while you count. Sales made during the count are subtracted once, so the count stays correct.

4. **Scan or type each product.** Scan its barcode, or type its barcode or SKU in the scan box. Type the quantity if it is more than one, then press Enter to record it. A scan with no quantity counts one. The next scan follows, so the mouse is not needed.

5. **Choose Adds or Replaces.** Adds means each scan adds to the line, for counting pieces. Replaces means each figure replaces the line's figure, for a correction. Press Ctrl+M to switch between them.

6. **Finish the count.** Press Ctrl+Enter, or choose Finish counting. The count then waits for review.

## Count on paper

Choose Export sheet to save the count as a spreadsheet file (CSV). Count on paper. Then choose Import sheet and pick the filled-in file. Importing the same file twice is one import, so the count is not doubled.

## Review and apply the difference

1. **Read the differences.** The review lists only the lines that differ, biggest value first. It shows what was expected, what was counted, the difference, and the units sold while the count was open. Sales during the count are not shrinkage.

2. **Recount the lines that differ.** Choose Recount differing lines. Those lines go back to be counted. A second reading is added to the first.

3. **Choose what happens to lines nobody counted.** On Apply count, choose Leave them as they are, or Treat them as zero. The app recommends leaving them. A line nobody counted is not the same as a line with none on the shelf.

4. **Choose Apply count.** Applying posts one stock adjustment with the reason Count adjustment. Above the limit of the person applying it, a second person approves with their password.

## If something is not as you expect

- **You want to count one product, or one section.** That is not built yet. You can count the whole shop, or one category, brand or supplier.
- **Two computers want to count one sheet at the same time.** That is not built yet. Two computers cannot count one sheet at once.
- **You cannot see the expected quantity while you count.** This is the default. Blind counting hides it until review. A person with the review permission sees the expected quantities.
- **You want to change an applied count.** An applied count is read-only. It stays on record. To put a wrong count right, void its adjustment. The void posts a new document that names the one it reverses, and the original is never edited.

## Next

For the whole method, read [how to count stock in your shop, step by step](/blog/how-to-count-stock-in-your-shop-a-stock-take-step-by-step/). For every stock tool in one place, see [stock control](/features/stock-control/).

For a shop that wants inventory software of this kind, see [inventory software for a small shop](/features/inventory-software-for-small-shop/). To sell while you count, see [how to complete a sale](/help/selling/complete-a-sale/).

[Pricing](/pricing/) shows what each edition costs. [Download SellyPOS](/download/) to try it.