Physical Inventory Schedules

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PHYSICAL INVENTORY SCHEDULES

Inventory schedules outline, in chronological sequence, the segments of materiel planned for physical inventory during a FY. The supply officer prepares the inventory schedule before the beginning of each FY. For stock materiel in departmental custody, the inventory schedule reflects the time frames jointly determined by the supply officer and the department head.

INVENTORY PERSONNEL

The supply officer provides advisory assistance for inventories of materiel in the custody of departments other than the supply department. The person in charge of the storeroom is usually responsible for inventorying materiel in it.

PREPARING FOR INVENTORY

Before the inventory is taken, collect all updated receipt and expenditure documents concerning the materiel and post them on stock record cards. The person in charge of the storeroom should inspect the spaces and rearrange the stock to ensure that:

Loose articles are repackaged in standard bulk lots where possible.

All stock is labeled or otherwise clearly identified.

Cartons and other containers are stowed with labels and other identifying information facing out where possible.

Containers with broken seals are checked to ensure that a full count of materiel is present and the container is prominently marked to show the actual count and the date of the count.

At least 1 week before the inventory, the supply officer usually requests the executive officer to include an official notice in the Plan of the Day, indicating that a particular storeroom or certain stock will be inventoried. This notice lists the dates and restrictions that must be observed during the inventory period.

INVENTORY PROCEDURES

Since inventories are conducted to ensure that stock on hand or in the pipeline agrees with information on the stock records, you can see the importance of a complete and accurate inventory. To reduce errors, you must:

Work quietly and without haste.

Write legibly.

Count correctly.

Use the correct unit of issue in counting.

Count Documents

Documents authorized for conducting inventory counts of stock materiel include NAVSUP 1075 (whether or not maintained as locator records), EAM cards, and machine or manually prepared listings. Stock Records Cards Afloat, NAVSUP 1114, even when maintained in storerooms, are not to be used as inventory count documents. Inventory count documents usually contain the following information for each item:

Complete stock number or part number

Brief item description (optional)

Unit of issue

Location of items (except for bulkhead-to-bulkhead inventory of a specific storeroom or other storage area)

Count Procedures

A complete and correct item count is basic to conducting a physical inventory. Inventory personnel must determine the total quantity of each item as accurately as possible during the initial count. Use inventory aids such as tape measures, scales, equivalency tables, and other measuring devices when available. You may open sealed containers when necessary for item identification or quantity verification. Do not break the seals on preservation packaged items without approval of the supply officer. Reseal all opened containers after the contents have been identified and counted. Each container must be dated and initialed by the person who verified its contents.

Whether personnel equipped with appropriate count documents and aids are to inventory all or just certain items in a specific area, they must proceed systematically from location to location