Subject: Month-end inventory procedure Date Issue: June 6th, 2016
CC: Accounting Effective Date: August 1st, 2016
Prepared by:
Position: Financial Controller
Signature:
Approved By:
Position: General Manager
Signature:
OBJECTIVE
To ensure that all inventory items are counted regularly in order to verify the accuracy of the inventory ledger and general ledger.
POLICY
1. Physical stock takes must be performed on all inventories that are listed in the balance sheet.
2. The principle of “zero inventory” applies to all food stock maintained in the kitchens. For beverage, a physical inventory must cover all storerooms and outlets.
3. Physical inventory counts must be taken by two people simultaneously, one being responsible for the stock, the other independent.
4. All variances between physical count and theoretical stock must be formally explained.
5. For physical inventory counts of operating equipment and fixed assets, please refer to procedures VIII-9: “Accounting for Fixed Assets” and VIII-11: “Operating equipment procedures”.
PROCEDURE
I- Zero inventory concept
1. Zero-inventory refers to the accounting procedure of not reporting a particular stock value in the balance sheet.
2. The zero-inventory concept should apply to all food items delivered from stores to the kitchen and/or directly received by the kitchen. This concept allows for better calculation and follow-up of the month-to-date food cost, improves stability and reliability of cost of food ratios, and the helps maintaining a standard and lower stock level.
This inventory treatment may be applied to all stocks except beverage. Refer to additional specific guidelines that may be established by Regional Head Offices.
II- Inventory preparation and timing
1. A memo should be issued by the Cost Controller to every department head outlining the schedule for the month-end inventory, stating:
- Date and time for each storeroom to be inventoried
- People responsible for the counting
2. From the date of the physical inventory to the final inventory rollover, any good issued or received into stores cannot be posted until the system is rolled over to the next period.
3. The beverage storeroom and all beverage outlets (including mini bar stocks) must be counted during the month end inventory. If the zero-inventory concept is not applied, the following storerooms must also be counted:
- All stores maintained under direct finance management (general store, food store)
- Department’s stores (engineering and housekeeping only) if kept in specially assigned rooms and for which restricted access is guaranteed.
4. A typical schedule for a month-end inventory in a 31 day month is as follows:
- 28th All department stores
- 28th General store
- 28th Food and beverage store
- 28th Outlet service bars and beverage outlets (Physical count to be done after those operations have closed).
III- Inventory taking procedure
1. Where the hotel is equipped with an inventory system, blank stock count sheets must be printed from the system (ensuring that theoretical stock on hand is not displayed). Other hotels must use an Excel stock count sheet.
2. Counting should be performed by two people simultaneously (i.e. the person in charge of the stock plus another independent person). Upon completion of the count, the sheets must be signed and dated by all of those performing the count. The names of the Stock Takers should also be clearly displayed.
3. The physical count must be performed in a structural way for all shelves and locations. For example from left to right, to ensure that everything is being counted. When there are items not listed on the inventory count sheets, these items should be noted in a blank space and investigated to determine whether these are new inventory items.
With respect to packaged goods, the packages should be checked to determine whether the package or container actually contains the goods, with special attention paid to opened packages.
4. The Financial Controller (or delegate) should walk through the entire area and spot check a selection of items to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the physical count, after the count has been completed.
5. Once all inventory counts have been entered in the system, a variance report between the theoretical and the physical inventory should be produced for all stores and outlets. There are three possible scenarios:
• The inventory system is interfaced with the POS. The stock variance reports can be automatically generated for stores and outlets once physical counts are done.
• The inventory system is not interfaced with the POS. The stock variance report will be generated for stores and excel stock variance reports prepared for the outlets.
• No inventory system exists. In this case excel stock variance reports must be prepared for both Stores and all outlets.
When analysing variances, look for possib