Free Stock Card (Bin Card) Template
Use this stock card, or bin card, to track every movement of a single product, what came in, what went out, and the running balance, so you always know what you should have on the shelf. The table below is a filled sample showing the exact format — date, reference, in, out, running balance — and the CSV is the same layout, blank, ready to print or fill on a computer. It works alongside the two documents that create those movements: a goods received note for stock coming in, and a delivery note for stock going out. If you want the background first, what a bin card is and how it differs from a stock card covers that.
| Date | Reference | In | Out | Balance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/06/2026 | GRN-040 | 48 | . | 48 | Delivery |
| 11/06/2026 | Sales | . | 6 | 42 | . |
| 12/06/2026 | Sales | . | 8 | 34 | . |
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
Example rows shown. Download the CSV for a blank version to fill in, or open it in Excel or Google Sheets.
How to use the stock card (bin card) template
- 1One card per productKeep a separate card for each product so its movements are easy to follow.
- 2Record every in and outEvery delivery is an in; every sale or transfer is an out. Record each as it happens.
- 3Keep a running balanceAfter each movement, update the balance. This is what your shelf should hold at any time.
- 4Reconcile to a countWhen you do a stock take, the count should match the card balance. A gap is shrinkage to investigate.
- +Update the card at the moment of each movement, not later.
- +The card balance is your reorder trigger.
- +A digital system keeps these balances automatically across hundreds of products.
Frequently asked questions
Six columns are enough: date, reference (the delivery note, GRN or sale that moved the stock), quantity in, quantity out, running balance, and a notes column. The sample on this page uses exactly that format, and the CSV download is the same layout blank.
In most Kenyan businesses the two names are used for the same document: one card per product, recording every movement and a running balance. Some operations keep the bin card at the shelf with quantities only and the stock card in the office with values as well. Either way this template works for both.
A stock card, also called a bin card, tracks every movement of one product, recording what came in, what went out and the running balance. It tells you what should be on the shelf at any time.
The stock card is a continuous record of movements with a running balance. A stock take is a physical count at a point in time. You reconcile the two: the count should match the card.
The running balance shows when a product is approaching its reorder point, so you can order before you run out rather than discovering an empty shelf.
Manually, stock cards work for a small number of key products. For a shop with hundreds of items, a digital system keeps every running balance automatically, which is far more practical.
Veira maintains a live balance for every product as you sell and receive stock, so you get the benefit of a stock card for your whole catalogue without keeping cards by hand.
Veira records sales, stock and payments automatically, so this runs itself. From KES 2,999 a month, with a terminal included on annual billing.