Inventory Sheet Template With Examples (2024)

Table of Contents

Show more

Download Inventory Sheet Template

Depending on your industry and business type, you may need a special type of inventory sheet. While most of us think of inventory as merchandise ready for resale, it could also refer to software, stock or other assets. These examples give you an idea of the types of inventory sheets that exist and how you can use them.

General Inventory Sheet

Retail stores commonly use a general inventory sheet to account for what items they have for sale that are in stock, need reordering and what might be discontinued. It gives a detailed account of what you have on the shelves as well as what you have in the warehouse so that you can properly plan your sales needs. Each item is counted based on its serial or SKU number, which is the product’s unique identifier.

Software Inventory Tracking

Many businesses rely on various software solutions to get the job done on a day-to-day basis. The company’s IT professional may purchase, install and upgrade a lot of software on different computers in the organization. The software inventory tracking sheet is a specialized inventory sheet that keeps track of software so that IT professionals can know when subscriptions are up, when items need to be upgraded and what the overall load to the company is.

Stock Inventory Control

If you use raw materials to make or build your products, the stock inventory control sheet will help you track these materials. This sheet is used to help you manage raw materials and stock items so that you always have the right resources to manufacture your products.

If you’ve looked at templates and find that they don’t quite satisfy your company’s inventory needs, you can create your own sheet. By customizing your sheet, you ensure that you capture all the data that you need in one accessible document. Follow these steps to create your own inventory sheet.

Here’s how to create your own inventory sheet in just four steps:

Step 1. Open a Spreadsheet

You can use any spreadsheet you like. Common spreadsheet programs are Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets and Numbers. If more than one person needs to access the spreadsheet, make sure that all permissions are granted, and access is allowed.

Step 2. Name Your Headings

This gives you the information that you will collect on each item in inventory. Feel free to use templates to come up with headers you want to use.

Common headers include:

• Item Name
• SKU Number
• Unit Price
• Number in Stock
• Sale Price
• Minimum Order Quantity
• Order Time
• Supplier
• Discontinued Item

Step 3. Enter Basic Item Information

You are creating your own template that should have all the item information in it. The only columns that regularly change are the unit or sale price and the number in stock. You may also need to adjust the sheet if an item is discontinued. This step is time-consuming but required whether or not you use a template or create your own sheet.

Step 4. Save Your Work

Make sure to save your work and name the file as an inventory template so that you can access it regularly when you need to conduct inventory. When you do, make a copy of the file and rename it to a file name that includes the inventory date. For example, you may do inventory monthly and possibly name the file, “Inventory August 2024” for easy reference.

An inventory sheet is an essential part of running your business. It helps you keep track of assets that your company needs and uses. Find a template or create your own that serves your specific needs. Learn more about how to manage your inventory effectively.

Forbes Advisor small business expert Kimberlee Leonard contributed to this article.