Changing an inventory number is easy; showing why that exact change was justified takes a little more care. A small boutique can preserve an audit trail with a short approval record: the evidence, the current balance, the proposed change, the authorized person, and the independently checked result.
This workflow begins after a discrepancy has been investigated. It is not a substitute for counting, and it should not become a second editable inventory ledger.
Approve a specific change, not “fix stock”
Give the proposal a case reference and name the exact variant and location. Include the original count, any recount, the relevant movement references, and the conclusion. Then state which quantity will change and why. “Reduce on hand by one complete set because case C-04 confirms one unit unlocated” is reviewable. “Inventory cleanup” is not.
The inventory worksheet explains how to define units and movements. Keep those definitions intact at approval. A missing earring from a held set should not automatically become a reduction of one complete set unless the chosen system treatment and physical records support that change.
Put before, change, and after on the same line
Here is a hypothetical proposal, unrelated to Rustic Jewel Co stock: variant DEMO-SET-4, one complete set per unit, Main Store, on hand 8, proposed adjustment −1, expected result 7. Attach the evidence timestamp and the reviewer. A second line records the live balance immediately before execution.
If that live balance is still eight and no intervening movement is missing, the proposal can be reviewed as written. If a genuine receipt has since added two, an instruction to “set to seven” would erase that receipt. Stop and rebuild the proposal against the new baseline. Do not silently change the target just to get the task finished.
| Field | What it protects |
|---|---|
| Baseline and timestamp | The quantity the decision actually reviewed |
| Delta and expected final quantity | The arithmetic of the intended correction |
| State and location | The scope of the change |
| Case and reason | The evidence behind it |
| Execution and readback references | What ultimately happened |
Choose a reason that the evidence supports
Shopify's adjustment documentation distinguishes manual reasons and system-generated events. Choose the reason that describes the supported event; a shortage alone does not establish theft. If the original entry was duplicated, preserve the original reference and explain the correcting entry.
Check the inventory state before proceeding. Shopify distinguishes on-hand stock from available, committed, and unavailable quantities. A physically present unit held for examination should not be removed from physical custody records merely because it cannot currently be sold.
Keep the reviewer separate from the edit where possible
For a small team, one person can prepare the evidence and another can approve the precise change. This is a suggested internal practice, not a claim that every inventory tool has a two-person approval feature. A sole operator can retain a dated proposal and perform a later fresh readback, while documenting that the review was not independent.
The gold-tone leaf brooch and stud earrings set illustrates why the approval needs a unit definition. Its listed set relationship must survive a correction; counting three visible objects does not create three retail units.
Read the result and watch for a second writer
After an authorized edit, reopen the exact variant and location. Compare the resulting quantity and recorded activity with the approved proposal. Confirm that the change occurred once. If an integration might also record the event, inspect its history before considering the case closed. Faire's integration guidance is a useful reminder that linking and delivery timing can affect updates.
Record verified, not applied, or needs investigation. A button click is not a verified result. Use wholesale inquiries for product identity questions; keep your internal correction evidence private and limited to the staff who need it.