How to count stock with a PDA: counting by bin, blind counts and approved differences

November 13, 2026 · 7 min read

Counting stock means checking that what the software says matches what is on the racks. With paper and Excel that means stopping, printing lists, counting, typing everything up and cross-checking by hand. With a PDA the count is done bin by bin, it is recorded on the spot and the differences come out by themselves. This article explains how a PDA works for stock counting, what a blind count is and what to do with whatever does not match.

How a PDA works for stock counting

A warehouse PDA is a handheld terminal with a barcode scanner connected to the management software. In a count it does three things: it says which bin to count, it identifies that bin by its label and it collects the quantity counted. If you have never used one, warehouse PDA: what it is and how to use it explains it from scratch.

Using a PDA in a stock count always follows the same sequence:

→The PDA shows the bin that has to be counted.
→The operator goes there and scans the bin label. That scan confirms they are in front of the right bin and not the one next to it.
→They count what is there and record it: keying in the quantity or scanning unit by unit, depending on the item.
→If the item has a batch or an expiry date, each batch is counted separately.
→The PDA sends the count. The software compares it with what it had and, if it does not match, opens a difference.
→The PDA gives the next bin.

For this to work, every bin needs its barcode label and every item its code. How to make them is in location labels with barcodes.

What counting by bin is

In a traditional stocktake you count by item: “how many units of this SKU are there?”. That forces you to go round every place where it might be and to keep the warehouse still in the meantime. Counting by bin turns it around: you count what is in one specific bin, whatever it is.

The advantage is that the unit of work is small. A bin is counted in a short time, the rest of the building keeps picking orders and the count can be spread across the week. It is the basis of cycle counting: counting a little every day, starting with what moves most, instead of everything once a year.

As well as the scheduled counts, it pays to count when there is a reason: a picker who reaches a bin and does not find what the software says, a bin that drops to zero, an item with a doubtful return. Those “on alert” counts pay off well, because they go straight to where a problem has already been seen.

What a blind count is and why it is done

A blind count is counting without seeing on screen the quantity the software expects. The PDA shows the bin and the item, but not the number.

The reason is simple. If the screen says “24” and there is something like 24 in the bin, the easy thing is to confirm. With the quantity hidden, the operator has to really count, and if their count matches the software's it is because the stock is right, not because they agreed with the screen.

One detail worth demanding from the software: that it tells “I entered nothing” apart from “I counted zero”. Leaving the field empty cannot be the same as saying the bin is empty.

What to do with stock differences

A difference is not yet an adjustment. Before touching the stock you have to rule out the causes that are not losses:

→Half-finished movements: a pick that was done but not confirmed, or goods received that have not yet been put away.
→Goods in the bin next door: the item exists, but somebody left it in the wrong place.
→Unit of measure: boxes were counted and the software keeps units, or the other way round.
→Mixed batches: the total quantity matches, but the split by batch does not.

If the difference is still there after a second count, it is time to adjust. The usual approach is to separate two cases: small differences, within a margin set by the company, can be adjusted without further steps; those above that margin, and losses in general, are approved by a supervisor.

Who approves the adjustments

Whoever counts should not be the one who decides that stock is written off. Separating the two protects the operator and the company: the first records what they see; the second —warehouse manager or inventory supervisor— reviews the difference, decides whether it is accepted and leaves their name on the adjustment.

Each adjustment should keep at least the bin, the item, the previous quantity and the counted one, who counted, who approved and when. With that trail, differences stop being a loose number and can be studied: which items go wrong most, in which zone, on which shift. That is where inventory accuracy comes from, one of the warehouse KPIs most worth tracking.

Stock counting with a PDA, on paper or in Excel: differences

Swipe the table sideways to see all the columns →

	Paper	Excel	PDA with warehouse software
How you count	Printed list and pen	Printed list or tablet with the sheet	Scan of the bin and quantity on the PDA
Typing it up	Everything has to be keyed in afterwards	It has to be keyed in or copied	None: it is recorded as you count
Comparison with the stock	By hand	With formulas somebody maintains	The software does it on the spot
Blind count	Only if the list is printed without quantities	Only if the column is hidden	The software applies it
Who counted and when	If the sheet is signed	If somebody writes it down	It is recorded by itself
Warehouse stopped	Normally yes	Normally yes	Not needed: you count by bin
Approval of the adjustment	By word of mouth	By word of mouth or by email	Pending in the software until somebody approves

Excel works while the warehouse is small and one person runs it; where it starts to fail is covered in stock control in Excel.

Which PDA you need for stock counting

Counting does not need special equipment: any terminal that reads barcodes and opens the warehouse software will do. A phone with a camera is fine for one-off counts; for counting many bins in a row a dedicated scanner is welcome, since it reads faster and in worse light. What you do need is Wi-Fi coverage in every aisle, including the ones at the back.

How we do it at Ubika

In Ubika the PDA is a web page: it opens on a phone or on any Android device with a scanner, with nothing to install. Each operator signs in with their PIN and what they do is recorded under their name. “Count” is one of the tasks the PDA hands out: counting a bin when it does not match or when a stock count is due.

Counting is cyclic and by bin, without closing the warehouse, and blind. The software proposes what to count, giving priority to the items with the highest turnover (classes A, B and C), and cycle counting can be scheduled, for example weekly or monthly. Small differences, within the configured threshold, are adjusted automatically; losses always stay pending until a supervisor approves them. When a picker reports that goods are missing from a bin, the inventory controller is notified to count it. And every movement stays in the stock history with its balance.

More detail in stock control with a PDA, or you can ask for the demo with your data.

Frequently asked questions

How does a PDA work for stock counting?

The operator scans the bin label, counts what is inside and keys in the quantity (or scans each unit). The PDA sends that count to the warehouse software, which compares it with what it had on record and leaves the difference in view to be reviewed or approved.

What is a blind count?

It is counting without the screen showing the quantity the software believes is there. That way the operator really counts instead of confirming the number they see, and the differences that come out are real.

Do you have to close the warehouse to count stock with a PDA?

Not necessarily. Counting by bin, each count affects only one bin for a moment; the rest of the building keeps working. A full stocktake with the warehouse stopped is still possible, but it is no longer the only way to square the stock.

What do you do when the count does not match the software?

First you check: count again and look for half-finished movements (a pick that was not confirmed, an inbound delivery not yet put away). If the difference remains, a supervisor approves it and the software adjusts the stock, recording who counted, who approved and when.

Can a phone be used as a PDA for stock counting?

Yes, if the warehouse software runs in the browser or has a mobile app. The camera reads barcodes, although more slowly than a dedicated scanner; for counting many bins in a row, a PDA with a scanner or a handheld scanner pays off.

What advantage does a PDA have over paper and Excel in a stock count?

Nobody has to type the data up afterwards. The count is recorded on the spot, with the bin, the person and the time, and the software does the comparison with the stock. On paper and in Excel, the transcription and the later cross-check are a source of errors of their own.

Keep reading

What Ubika does: warehouse management software · software for 3PLs · WMS for e-commerce