Hello Experts, I have a question regarding the standard inventory count process followed in real-world NetSuite implementations. Suppose a warehouse has more than 1,000 inventory items. When performing a physical inventory count, what is the standard process that organizations typically follow? Do companies usually: • Perform the inventory count in batches (such as by location, item category, or cycle count) while normal warehouse operations continue? • Or do they temporarily stop all inventory-affecting transactions (Item Receipts, Item Fulfillments, Transfers, Inventory Adjustments, etc.) until the physical count is completed? My goal is to understand the real-time operational best practice rather than just the NetSuite functionality. How do companies balance inventory accuracy with ongoing warehouse operations during a physical inventory count? I would appreciate it if you could share your experience and the standard approach you follow. Thank you!

It's been my experience that the company will usually freeze all inventory-impacting activities for several hours, a day, etc to do the physical count if that's feasible. Typically, they'll schedule the physical for a time when they know historically order/shipping activity is light and then throw tons of people, maybe external auditors, etc at it to get it done as quickly as possible.

If a full count is needed as of a certain day (e.g. for a GAAP audit) then we usually see a full freeze for the count. For our clients that don’t need an audit, but just want to ensure mostly accurate inventory at any given time, then we usually work with them to setup cycle counts. To do cycle counts during working hours, they really need to have pick, pack, ship enabled.