This stock audit checklist sets out what an auditor typically checks when visiting a warehouse, whether it is an external auditor, group internal audit or an independent reviewer. Use it to prepare a site in Tashkent or anywhere in Uzbekistan, or as a quick self-assessment between audits.
How to use this checklist
Go through each point with the warehouse manager and someone from finance, on site rather than in a meeting room. For each item, ask two questions: do we have a rule for this, and can we show evidence that the rule is followed? A rule without evidence is usually treated by auditors as a weakness.
The checklist is grouped into four areas: the physical warehouse, the flow of goods, the records, and governance. Not every point will apply to every site, but most auditors will touch on all four areas.
It helps to run the checklist twice: once a few months before the audit, to find the gaps while there is time to fix them, and again a couple of weeks before, to confirm that the fixes are still in place. Keep a short note of the evidence for each point, such as a sample of signed receiving documents or a recent user rights extract, so that when the auditor asks, the answer takes minutes rather than days. Where your group has its own warehouse policy, add any extra requirements to the list, and where local practice differs from that policy, record the reason.
The physical warehouse
Auditors form a first impression within minutes of walking in. A tidy, labelled warehouse does not prove the numbers are right, but a disorganised one makes them doubt it.
- 1. Every storage location is labelled, and items are stored in their recorded location.
- 2. Damaged, expired, returned and blocked stock is physically separated and clearly marked.
- 3. Stock belonging to customers or suppliers is identified and recorded separately.
- 4. Access to the warehouse and high-value zones is restricted and logged.
The flow of goods
Next comes the movement of stock. The auditor wants to see that every receipt, transfer and shipment is documented and that documents and system entries are made at the right time.
- 5. Receipts are checked against purchase orders and delivery notes before acceptance.
- 6. Goods received are entered in the system promptly, not days later in a batch.
- 7. Shipments are supported by approved orders, and loading is checked before dispatch.
- 8. Internal transfers, samples and production issues have documents and approvals.
- 9. Cut-off is clean: movements around the period end are recorded in the correct period.
The records
This is where most findings arise. The auditor will usually test a sample from the system listing to the shelf and from the shelf back to the listing, and review how differences were treated.
- 10. Regular counts are carried out, documented and signed by people independent of the stock.
- 11. Count differences are investigated before adjustments are posted.
- 12. Adjustments and write-offs are approved by someone outside the warehouse and supported by documents.
Governance and system access
Finally, the auditor looks at who can do what. In smaller subsidiaries the same person often handles stock and its records, which is not always avoidable but needs a compensating control.
- 13. User rights in 1C, ERP or WMS match job roles, and leavers are removed promptly.
- 14. Slow-moving and obsolete stock is reviewed periodically, and the review is documented.
Warning signs auditors notice
Some patterns trigger extra testing almost automatically. Large adjustments posted just before the period end, round-number write-offs without supporting documents, shared system logins, and unexplained differences carried forward from earlier counts all invite closer attention.
Other warning signs are softer: staff who cannot explain how a process works, documents signed in advance or in bulk, and stock lying in aisles or loading areas without a recorded location. None of these proves a problem, but each makes the auditor less willing to rely on the records, which usually means larger samples and a longer audit.
Turning the checklist into action
Mark each point as in place, partly in place or missing, and attach the evidence you would show an auditor. For anything partly in place or missing, agree an owner and a date. Quick fixes such as labelling and separating damaged stock can be done in days; system access and approval rules may take longer and should be started first.
If you are unsure whether a requirement comes from local accounting or tax rules rather than good practice, confirm it with your local accountant or auditor. An independent pre-audit review can also test the checklist for you and give head office an objective picture before the real audit begins.
Key takeaways
- Auditors look at four areas: the physical warehouse, the flow of goods, the records and governance.
- A rule only counts if you can show evidence that it is followed.
- Most findings come from adjustments, write-offs and cut-off, so prepare those first.
- Warning signs such as shared logins and late large adjustments lead to more testing.
- Give every gap an owner and a date, and start with the slow fixes.