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Parts Physical Inventory Tip of the Week: Fix Bin Location Accuracy Before Your Next Count

  • Shane Kilburn
  • Aug 4
  • 1 min read


Well-organized parts department shelving with clearly arranged bin locations before conducting a physical inventory.

If your bin locations aren’t accurate, even the best physical inventory team will spend time chasing parts instead of counting them. Here’s a fast, practical way to tighten bin accuracy before your next inventory.


Why it matters

Bad locations create three problems: (1) missed counts, (2) duplicate counts, and (3) inflated variance because the part was ‘there’—just not where the system said it was.


The 30-minute fix (do this weekly)

  • Run a ‘no bin’ report and assign a temporary location (even if it’s a holding bin).

  • Spot-check 10 fast movers: verify the part is physically in the bin the DMS shows.

  • When you find a mismatch, fix the location immediately—don’t ‘wait until inventory’.

  • Lock in a simple rule: every part must have exactly one primary bin location.


Quick KPI to track

Aim for 95%+ of active part numbers with a valid bin location. If you’re below that, location cleanup will usually produce a faster ROI than any other pre-inventory task.


Need help getting inventory-ready?

If you want a quick pre-count readiness check (locations, obsolescence, and process), contact us today and I’ll outline the highest-impact fixes for your department.

 
 
 

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