Inventory variances: theoretical vs counted stock
How to analyse variances between theoretical stock and the physical count after an approved inventory, and explain them.
After closing and approving an inventory, the variances page calculates the difference between what the system expected based on recorded movements and what was actually counted, also showing the economic value of the difference.
A difference from counting, not a declared loss
This view is separate from manually recorded losses: here the difference comes from comparing theoretical and counted stock at inventory time, not from a voluntary report of breakage or expiry.
Computing variances
Select an already approved inventory and run the calculation: Klyra compares theoretical against counted quantity for every product, showing the quantity and economic value of the variance, plus the total shrinkage for the period.
Explaining a variance
For each line you can add a free-text explanation: a recording error, untracked consumption or suspected theft. Documenting the cause makes the data useful in later months.
- Theoretical vs counted quantity side by side
- Economic value of the variance
- Free-text explanation per line
- Total shrinkage for the selected period
When to check it
Checking it right after every approved inventory helps catch a recurring problem on a product or department early, before it becomes a hard-to-fix habit.
What this guide covers
- inventory variances
- theoretical stock
- shrinkage
- variance explanation
- approved inventory
- unexplained loss
Steps
- Open Variances in stock
- Select an already approved inventory from the list
- Run the variance calculation
- Scroll the lines with a difference between theoretical and counted
- Add an explanation for the most significant lines
- Save the entered explanations
Common issues
- The calculation returns no lines → the selected inventory has not been approved yet → approve the inventory first in the dedicated section
- The total shrinkage looks very high → some losses were not recorded before the inventory → record losses daily instead of discovering them only at inventory time
- A saved explanation does not stick → the connection dropped while saving → try again and check the confirmation message appears
- The same product keeps showing variances → possible storage issue or theft → run a targeted check in the affected department
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between this page and losses?
Losses are voluntary reports of breakage, expiry or returns; variances emerge automatically from the theoretical-vs-counted comparison of an approved inventory.
Can I compute variances on a still-open inventory?
No, the calculation requires an already approved inventory, so the counted data is final.
What is the point of adding an explanation?
It documents the likely cause of the variance, making the analysis more useful in later periods and during an inspection.
Does the total shrinkage include all products?
Yes, it sums the economic value of all variances calculated for the selected inventory.
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