The scope of a stock / inventory audit covers all critical aspects that impact a company’s working capital, inventory accuracy, valuation, and eligibility for bank financing (especially under hypothecation arrangements). It ensures comprehensive verification and compliance. The key areas typically included are:

• Physical Verification of Inventory
  Thorough counting and inspection of all stock items to confirm actual existence, condition, and quantities.
• Review of Storage Conditions
  Evaluation of how inventory is stored, including safety measures, environmental controls, and compliance with preservation standards.
• Valuation and Variance Identification
  Verification of inventory valuation methods and reporting any differences between physical count and book records.
• Evaluation of Obsolete / Non-moving Stock
  Identification, ageing analysis, and valuation of slow-moving, outdated, expired, or unsaleable items.
• Age-wise Inventory Classification
  Categorization of stock based on age to detect trends in movement and highlight potential issues.
• Assessment of Inventory Management Practices
  Review of procurement, storage, issue, and tracking processes to evaluate overall efficiency and control effectiveness.
• Reconciliation with Accounting & Bank Records
  Matching physical stock and submitted statements with internal books and bank-declared values (quantity, rate, age, etc.).
• Verification of Sundry Creditors & Raw Material Sourcing
  Checking creditors related to purchases and reviewing whether raw materials are sourced on cash or credit terms.
• Examination of Inventory Valuation Method
  Ensuring the chosen method (FIFO, Weighted Average, etc.) is consistent, appropriate, and compliant with accounting standards.
• Debtors – Age & Value Analysis
  Reviewing receivables by age and value to assess credit risk and its impact on the working capital cycle.
• Determination of Drawing Power
  Calculating eligible bank drawing power based on verified, good-quality inventory after exclusions (obsolete, unpaid, etc.).
• Review of Insurance Coverage
  Verifying that stock is adequately insured against risks like fire, theft, or damage, with proper hypothecation clauses.
• Verification of Documents & Securities
  Checking all stock-related documents, collateral, and securities submitted to banks for loan purposes.
• Profitability & Inventory Ratio Analysis
  Commenting on key ratios (inventory turnover, days inventory outstanding, etc.) and profitability trends linked to stock.
• Compliance Review
  Ensuring adherence to sanctioned bank terms, statutory requirements, and lending covenants.
• Review of Related-party Transactions
  Examining dealings with group entities, directors, or related parties that may affect inventory or finance.
• Any Additional Matters
  Highlighting other relevant observations or risks important to the lender or management.

A comprehensive scope ensures complete transparency, accurate working capital assessment, minimized risks, and full compliance — making the stock audit valuable for banks, management, and statutory purposes.

A stock audit is essential to verify that your company’s physical inventory matches financial and banking records. It ensures accurate valuation, identifies risks to working capital, detects discrepancies early, and supports compliance with banks, GST, and statutory requirements.

Key Reasons / Objectives of Conducting a Stock Audit:

• Ensure Proper Storage & Preservation
  Verifies that inventory is stored safely, systematically, and under suitable conditions to prevent damage, spoilage, or deterioration.
• Identify Obsolete or Slow-Moving Stock
  Locates expired, outdated, or non-moving items so the business can plan timely disposal, reduce holding costs, and improve cash flow.
• Assess Protection Against Risks
  Checks safeguards against theft, fire, unauthorized access, or other threats — ensuring your assets remain secure at all times.
• Verify Stock Value with Bank Records
  Confirms that physical stock matches the value declared in stock statements submitted to banks for working capital limits / drawing power.
• Confirm Genuine Ownership of Stock
  Ensures the inventory truly belongs to the company and is not tied up in unpaid supplier dues, consignment, or borrowed goods.
• Validate Financing Against Legitimate Stock
  Verifies that bank funding is only against fully paid, owned, and verifiable inventory — ensuring full compliance with lending norms.

In summary, a stock audit strengthens financial credibility, prevents inventory-related losses, optimizes working capital, and builds trust with banks, investors, and regulators.

To conduct a smooth, accurate, and compliant stock audit, certain key documents must be prepared and made available. The exact list may vary slightly based on your industry, business type, and banking requirements, but the following are commonly needed.

• Stock Registers / Inventory Records
  Updated stock ledgers, digital inventory reports, or software-generated summaries showing receipts, issues, transfers, and adjustments.
• Purchase Invoices & Bills
  Recent purchase invoices (usually last 6–12 months) to validate incoming stock quantities, rates, and vendor details.
• Goods Received Notes (GRN) / Delivery Challans
  GRNs for inward goods and delivery challans/dispatch notes for outward movement to track stock inflows and outflows.
• Latest Stock Statement (as on Audit Date)
  Current stock details certified/prepared as of the physical verification date, including quantity and valuation.
• Financial Statements & Trial Balance
  Latest audited financials, provisional balance sheet, trial balance, and profit & loss up to the audit date.
• GST / Tax Returns & Sales-Purchase Records
  Filed GST returns (last few months), sales & purchase ledgers, invoices, and breakup of domestic/export sales.
• Insurance Policy Copy
  Current stock insurance policy with hypothecation clause assigned to the bank (if inventory is under loan).
• Details of Slow-Moving / Obsolete / Damaged Stock
  List of non-moving items (typically >6 months), expired goods, or defective stock with reasons and proposed actions.
• Bank-Related Documents (if hypothecated stock)
  Sanction letter, previous month’s CA-certified stock statement, last 3 months’ bank statements, collateral details, Form 8/32 (if applicable), and total outstanding liability summary.
• Business Constitution Documents
  MOA/AOA, Partnership Deed, or other proof of entity legal structure, plus identity proofs if required.

Having these documents ready ensures a faster, more accurate stock audit, minimizes queries, supports correct drawing power assessment (for bank limits), and helps avoid compliance issues.

A professional stock audit follows a systematic procedure to physically verify inventory, reconcile records, identify discrepancies, and ensure accurate valuation and compliance. The importance and key steps of the process are outlined below:

• 1. Physical Verification of Inventory
  The process starts with a detailed physical count of all items in the warehouse/store. Quantities are matched against system records, often using barcode scanners for efficiency, especially in EOQ or Just-in-Time setups.
• 2. Cut-Off Analysis
  All stock movements (inward/outward) are paused during counting. Auditors review supporting documents to ensure transactions before the cut-off date are recorded in the correct period, avoiding timing errors.
• 3. Examination of Finished Goods
  For manufacturing units, auditors verify the quantity and cost of completed products, ensuring accurate reflection in financial statements and supporting better production planning.
• 4. Review of Freight and Transit Costs
  Transportation expenses, losses, damages, or discrepancies during transit are examined. Relevant documents (e.g., transport receipts) are checked to account for all items properly.
• 5. Cost & Overhead Analysis
  Overhead costs (rent, utilities, storage, etc.) are reviewed to determine their allocation to inventory valuation, aiding accurate costing and better budgeting.
• 6. Analysis of Goods in Transit
  Stock moving between locations is verified for receipt, condition, and timeliness. Transfer documents are cross-checked to detect missing, damaged, or delayed items.
• 7. Testing High-Value Inventory (ABC Analysis)
  Inventory is categorized by value and movement:
  • A: High-value, low-volume items (strict control)
  • B: Moderate value/movement
  • C: Low-value, high-volume items
  This helps prioritize security, placement, and monitoring to reduce theft and optimize storage.
• 8. Direct Labour Assessment
  For manufacturers, labour costs (wages, overtime, benefits, taxes) involved in production are reviewed to ensure proper inclusion in inventory costing.
• 9. Reconciliation of Inventory Records
  Final step: Physical count is reconciled with book records. Variances are investigated, reasons documented, and books updated — preventing recurring errors and ensuring reliable financial reporting.

Following this structured procedure ensures accurate inventory records, identifies control weaknesses, supports compliance (GST, banking, statutory), reduces financial risks, and builds trust with stakeholders and lenders.

A stock audit is a critical process that verifies physical inventory against records, ensuring accuracy, security, and compliance. As per banking norms, GST, and statutory requirements in India, it safeguards financial health and strengthens internal controls.

• Ensures Accurate Financial Reporting
  Verifies the physical existence, condition, and correct valuation of inventory — helping present a true and fair view of the company’s financial position in balance sheets and profit & loss statements.
• Improves Inventory Management
  Identifies issues like slow-moving, obsolete, expired, or damaged stock, poor rotation, and record mismatches — enabling optimized stock levels, reduced holding costs, and better procurement/sales decisions.
• Helps Prevent Fraud & Losses
  Acts as a strong deterrent against theft, pilferage, misuse, or manipulation of inventory. Early detection of irregularities allows businesses to tighten internal controls and protect valuable assets.
• Supports Regulatory & Banking Compliance
  Meets requirements for bank hypothecation limits (drawing power assessment), GST reconciliation, Income Tax scrutiny, and statutory obligations — minimizing penalties, legal risks, and audit objections.
• Builds Credibility & Stakeholder Confidence
  Provides transparent, reliable inventory data that reassures banks, investors, auditors, and management — supporting smoother credit access, due diligence, and long-term business stability.

In summary, a well-conducted stock audit enhances financial accuracy, operational efficiency, risk mitigation, and regulatory adherence — making it an essential practice for sustainable business growth.