How Do I Keep Track of Inventory When I’m Busy Running the Business

The first time I realized my “inventory system” wasn’t a system, it was on a Tuesday.

A customer ordered our best-seller. The website said “in stock.” The shelf said, “Not even close.” I did what most operators do under pressure: I refunded, apologized, and stayed late to “fix inventory” (which mostly meant guessing).

What finally made inventory manageable wasn’t a fancy tool. It was this shift:

Stop trying to “track everything perfectly.” Start running a simple inventory rhythm that prevents stockouts and overbuying.

Here’s the exact framework that works when you’re the one doing everything else.

Step 1: Pick an inventory tracking level you can actually sustain

Most inventory fails because the system is too heavy for real life.

Choose one of these “good enough” levels:

Level A: Spreadsheet + weekly update (fastest to start)
Best for: small catalogs, early-stage, services with supplies, and low SKU count.

Level B: POS/ecom tool + monthly cycle counts (most common)
Best for: retail/ecom, moderate SKUs, frequent sales.

Level C: WMS/warehouse workflows + continuous cycle counting (advanced)
Best for: high volume, multi-location, high SKU count, and teams.

Practical takeaways
If you’re busy, start with Level A or B.

A “simple system used consistently” beats a “perfect system used once.”

Step 2: Define your “truth source” (or you will argue with your own data)

Inventory gets messy when you have multiple numbers: what’s on the shelf, what the system says, what you think is coming in.

Pick one source of truth:

• POS/e-commerce platform
• Inventory spreadsheet
• Inventory software

Then make everything else reconcile to it.

Practical takeaways
One truth source prevents endless debates and “phantom stock.”

Every incoming shipment and outgoing sale must touch the truth source.

Step 3: Track only the fields that prevent expensive mistakes

You do not need 40 columns. You need the 8 that stop stockouts and overspending.

Minimum viable inventory tracker (copy/paste)

• SKU / Item name
• Supplier
• Unit cost
• Current on-hand
• Minimum stock (safety stock)
• Reorder point (when to buy)
• Reorder quantity (how much to buy)
• Lead time (days)

Optional (but useful):

• Location/bin (if you have a stockroom)
• Last count date
• Notes (substitutes, pack sizes)

Practical takeaways
If you track only one thing well: current on-hand + reorder point.

Everything else is secondary.

Step 4: Set reorder points so buying becomes routine

This is where busy owners win back their time.

A simple reorder point rule:
Reorder Point = Safety Stock + (Average Daily Use × Lead Time in Days)

If you don’t know the average daily use, approximate:
Weekly sales ÷ 7, or Monthly sales ÷ 30

Then set a reorder quantity:
Either “buy to max” (recommended), or a fixed pack size.

Example
Average daily use: 4 units
Lead time: 10 days
Safety stock: 20 units
Reorder point = 20 + (4×10) = 60 units
When you hit 60, you reorder.

Practical takeaways
Reorder points remove decision fatigue.

Your goal is not perfect forecasting. It’s preventing stockouts.

Step 5: Use an ABC system so you’re not counting everything

Busy businesses don’t count all items equally. They prioritize.

ABC categorization

• A items: high value or high velocity (you count these often)
• B items: moderate importance
• C items: low value/low velocity (count rarely)

Simple rule:

• A: count weekly
• B: count monthly
• C: count quarterly

Practical takeaways
You only need to be “tight” on 10–20% of items to avoid 80% of problems.

Most cash gets trapped in A items when overbought.

Step 6: Install a weekly inventory ritual (30 minutes, same day, no exceptions)

This is the part that makes the system real.

My weekly cadence

• Pull “low stock” list (items at/below reorder point)
• Quick spot-check top A items (10–20 SKUs)
• Create purchase order draft (don’t place yet)
• Confirm lead times/backorders
• Place orders in one batch

Practical takeaways
Weekly beats daily. Daily is how you burn out.

Batch ordering saves time, money, and mental load.

Step 7: Add two automations that catch issues early

If you’re busy, you need alerts—not memory.

Two simple automations:

• Low-stock alerts (email/Slack) when items drop below the reorder point
• Receiving checklist so stock doesn’t “arrive” but never gets entered

If you’re spreadsheet-based, you can still do this:

• Conditional formatting for low stock
• A simple “Receiving” tab with date, supplier, SKU, qty received, and who checked it in

Practical takeaways
Most inventory errors happen at receiving, not selling.

Alerts reduce the need for constant checking.

Step 8: Delegate the maintenance (this is where owners get their time back)

If you’re the operator, your job is not to update counts. Your job is to keep the business moving.

A VA or ops assistant can own:

• Updating the tracker after receiving
• Matching invoices to purchase orders
• Flagging low-stock items weekly
• Preparing reorder drafts for approval
• Following up with suppliers on lead times
• Maintaining SKU lists, pack sizes, and supplier notes

Practical takeaways
You keep decision rights (“approve spend”).

Someone else runs the rhythm (“keep it current”).

Common inventory traps to avoid

• “We’ll fix inventory later.” Later becomes stockouts.
• Not tracking lead time changes. Supplier delays silently break reorder points.
• No shrinkage allowance. Breakage/theft/returns create phantom inventory.
• Too many SKUs. Complexity is an inventory tax—prune slow movers.

The simplest system that works when you’re busy

If you want the shortest path to control:

• One truth source
• Reorder points on top items
• Weekly 30-minute reorder ritual
• Cycle count A items weekly
• Delegate updates and supplier follow-ups

That’s it. Inventory stops being a constant emergency and becomes a predictable routine.