What a bin card is and who uses it
A bin card is a record card kept physically next to the stock it tracks, on the shelf, bin or store rack. It lists every movement of that single item: goods received, goods issued or sold, and the balance remaining after each movement. Anyone picking or receiving stock updates the card immediately, so the card should always agree with what is physically on the shelf.
Bin cards track quantities only, not money. That is the key difference from a stock card (also called a store ledger card), which usually adds value columns like unit cost and total value. In many Kenyan shops the two terms are used loosely, but strictly a bin card is quantity-only and lives at the storage point, while the stock card lives in the store office and carries values.
Bin cards matter because they make stock counts fast and shrinkage visible. If the card says 40 units and the shelf holds 37, you have a three-unit gap to investigate before it becomes a habit. For a business without a POS, the bin card is the primary stock record; for a business with a POS, it is a useful physical backup during power or network outages.
The bin card format, column by column
Use these columns across the top of the card. One card per item.
- 1
Item details (header)
At the top, write the item name, item or SKU code, unit of measure (piece, kg, litre, carton) and the reorder level. This identifies the card and flags when to reorder.
- 2
Date
The date of each movement. Enter movements in order as they happen so the running balance stays correct.
- 3
Reference or document number
The delivery note, goods received note, invoice or requisition number behind the movement. This lets anyone trace a line back to its source document.
- 4
Quantity in (receipts)
Units received into the bin from a supplier or transfer. Enter the quantity from the goods received note.
- 5
Quantity out (issues)
Units issued, sold or transferred out. Enter the quantity from the sale, requisition or transfer note.
- 6
Balance
The running balance after each movement: previous balance, plus quantity in, minus quantity out. This number should always match the physical count on the shelf.
Common bin card mistakes
Updating the card later, not at the movement
A bin card only works if it is updated the moment stock moves. Batching updates at end of day invites forgotten movements and a balance that no longer matches the shelf.
Mixing quantities and values on a bin card
A bin card tracks quantities. Putting shilling values on it turns it into a stock card and slows down the person on the floor. Keep values on the separate stock ledger.
One card for several items
Each item needs its own card. Combining items makes the running balance meaningless and hides which item is short.
No reorder level
Without a reorder level on the card, no one knows when the balance is low enough to reorder, so items run out before anyone notices.
Never reconciling to a physical count
The card is only trustworthy if you periodically count the shelf and compare. A card that is never verified drifts from reality and hides shrinkage.
A hardware shop tracks cement bags with a bin card
A hardware shop in Nakuru keeps a bin card on the cement rack. The header reads: item Cement 50kg, code CEM50, unit bag, reorder level 20.
On 3 July, a delivery of 100 bags arrives on GRN 214. The storekeeper enters date 3 July, reference GRN 214, quantity in 100, and a new balance of 140 (from a previous 40). Through the week, sales of 30, 25 and 40 bags are entered as quantity out, dropping the balance to 45, then a transfer of 10 bags out leaves 35.
When the balance touches the reorder level of 20, the shop reorders. At month end, the storekeeper counts the rack: 35 bags, matching the card exactly. Because every movement was recorded as it happened, there is nothing to reconstruct and no unexplained gap.
Stock you cannot see is stock you lose: dead capital sitting on slow shelves, empty shelves on your fast movers, and shrinkage no one can explain.
Veira tracks every item in and out with reorder alerts, so you hold the right stock and losses surface early.
From paper bin cards to automatic stock records
Bin cards are a solid manual system, but they rely on every person recording every movement by hand. Veira keeps the same running balance automatically: every sale reduces stock, every goods received note increases it, and the balance is always current across every branch, with low-stock alerts at your reorder level.
You keep the discipline of the bin card without the manual writing or the end-of-day reconstruction, and your stock count reconciles to your sales and eTIMS invoices in one system, from KES 2,999 a month.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bin card?
What is the difference between a bin card and a stock card?
What columns should a bin card have?
How do you fill a bin card?
Is a bin card still needed if I have a POS?
Where can I get a free bin card template?
A bin card is one of the simplest, most reliable stock controls a Kenyan business can keep, as long as it is updated on every movement and reconciled to a physical count. Veira gives you the same always-correct running balance automatically, with low-stock alerts, so stock control stops depending on handwriting. See how Veira handles inventory.