Tracking stock when you have many design numbers: one sheet, one rule

With five products you can remember what you have. With fifty designs, in four sizes and three colours, you cannot. Orders arrive for items that ran out last week, shelves hold things nobody remembers buying, and an hour goes into counting every month. A small, strict system fixes most of this.

What is the core idea?

One sheet. One row per SKU, which means one design in one colour and one size. One rule for changing the numbers: stock changes only when something physically moves, and you note it the same day.

That is all. The details below make it work.

How do you name SKUs?

A SKU is a short code for one exact item. Make it readable by a human who is packing in a hurry. A pattern that works well is design number, colour code, size.

Examples: KUR-014-BLK-M, KUR-014-BLK-L, SAR-007-RED-FREE.

Rules:

• Always use the same length for the design number (014, not 14), so the sheet sorts properly.
• Use three-letter colour codes and stick to them.
• Never reuse a SKU for a different item, even after you stop selling the old one.
• Use the same SKU in your marketplace listings, so an order tells you exactly what to pick.

If you list on a marketplace with a tool that bumps SKU numbers after each fill, check the first few against your sheet to be sure they match. The Meesho Listing Autofill extension has an option for this.

What columns should the sheet have?

Column	What it holds
SKU	the unique code
Design name	a short description
Colour	text
Size	text
Opening stock	pieces at the start of the period
In	pieces received
Out	pieces sold or sent
Closing stock	opening + in - out
Reorder level	the number at which you reorder
Location	shelf or box

Keep it simple. You can add cost or supplier later if you need them.

A worked example: one design over a week

Take KUR-014-BLK-M with opening stock of 10.

• Monday: 2 sold. Out = 2.
• Wednesday: 1 returned and checked, good condition. In = 1.
• Thursday: 3 sold. Out = 5 in total.
• Friday: a new batch of 10 arrives. In = 11 in total.

Closing stock = 10 + 11 - 5 = 16. If your reorder level for this SKU is 4, you do not reorder yet. When the closing figure reaches 4 or fewer, the sheet tells you.

Use a formula in the sheet for the closing stock, so you only enter In and Out. Colour the cell red when it falls under the reorder level, using conditional formatting.

How do you handle returns?

A returned piece is not stock until you have checked it. Keep a separate "returns to check" box. After inspection, either it goes back to the shelf (record as In) or to a "damaged" list. Mixing unchecked returns with sellable stock is how a damaged piece gets shipped twice.

How do you reduce counting mistakes?

Update the same day. A sheet that is a week behind is wrong.

Put the SKU on the bag or the shelf label. Do not rely on memory.

Count a small part regularly. Each week, physically count a few SKUs and compare with the sheet. After a month you will have checked everything and found the leaks.

Record adjustments openly. If you find a mismatch, add a line "adjustment, reason" instead of silently overwriting. Over time it shows where you lose pieces.

One person owns the sheet. If several people edit it, agree on who and when.

When is a spreadsheet not enough?

If you handle hundreds of orders a day, several warehouses, or complex bundles, a dedicated inventory tool makes sense. For a small shop or a seller with a few dozen designs, a sheet is enough and costs nothing. Moving to software too early adds work without adding control.

How does this link to marketplace listings?

Your sheet is the source of truth, and the marketplace panel is the mirror. If an item runs out, set its stock to zero in the panel on the same day so that nobody can order it. Overselling leads to cancellations, which hurt your standing. For a related look at the cost of cancellations, see our post on why Meesho orders get cancelled or returned.

What can you learn from the sheet over time?

A stock sheet that is updated every day becomes a source of insight. Sort by the Out column to see your best sellers, and by closing stock to see slow movers. If a design has barely moved in two months, decide: discount it, bundle it with a bestseller, or stop buying it. Compare reorder levels with your actual lead time from the supplier, and raise the level for items that take long to arrive. Look at which sizes sell most within a design, and shift your next order accordingly. Dead stock is money sitting on a shelf, and the sheet makes it visible.

What to do next

Create the sheet this week with your top ten SKUs only. Count them physically, enter opening stock and keep it updated for two weeks. Add more SKUs once the habit holds.

FAQs

Should I use Excel or Google Sheets? Google Sheets is convenient if you update from a phone or share with a helper. Excel works well offline. Either is fine.

How often should I do a full stock count? A small part each week, and a full count every few months. If numbers differ a lot, count more often.

What if I sell the same design in many sizes? Give each size its own row. Never track a design as one total, because sizes sell at different speeds.