Initial count and item coding
Before rollout, clean up item codes: one code per item, with a base unit and alternate units. Duplicate items under different names are the biggest source of stock differences.
Load opening stock from a full physical count, not from the old system. It is the one chance for system and reality to start from the same point.
After go-live, replace the annual full count with cycle counting: part of the items each week, with more attention on high-value items. Differences are found sooner and are smaller.
Define warehouse locations and label the racks before loading stock. Stock without a location is effectively lost, even if the system shows the right quantity.
For dated goods, record expiry on every lot from day one and let FEFO drive picking. Entry takes seconds; expired stock or an incomplete recall costs far more.
Agree on who may create new items. When every storekeeper and buyer can add products freely, duplicates appear within weeks. A short approval step for new item codes keeps the catalogue clean, and the duplicate-detection report catches anything that slips through.