How often should a critical item inventory count be conducted to maintain accuracy of product par levels?

Conducting a critical item inventory count three times a day is most effective for ensuring that product par levels remain accurate. This frequent monitoring allows managers to quickly identify discrepancies in inventory levels, preventing stock shortages or overages that could impact service and sales. By performing these counts multiple times throughout the day, there is a greater opportunity to adjust ordering and inventory practices based on real-time data, thus optimizing inventory management.

While conducting inventory counts once a week or once a day might suffice for routine items, critical items, which are vital to operations, require closer monitoring. Performing counts every two hours, although it provides real-time data, may result in unnecessary disruptions in workflow or staff resources. Therefore, three times a day represents a balanced approach that maintains accuracy without being overly burdensome on staff time.