---
title: "Stock - Comparative Stocktake"
url: "https://help.aurapos.com/en/article/stock-comparative-stocktake"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2026-10-30T10:01:29.268Z"
---
# Stock - Comparative Stocktake
The Comparative Stocktake report puts two of your stock takes side by side. For every stock item you see how much was counted the first time, how much the second time and the difference, and at the bottom you see what your total stock on hand was worth each time. Use it to understand why stock went up or down between two counts.
Updated Fri 30 Oct 2026
## Running the report
1
Open **Reports** and choose **Comparative Stocktake** under **Stock**.
2
Choose the stock takes to compare in **Select first stock take** and **Select second stock take**, then choose **Select your stock costing model**. See [Report options](https://help.aurapos.com/en/article/stock-comparative-stocktake#options).
3
Run the report. You get the two stock takes at the top, then every stock item grouped by stock type and category, then the value of your stock at each count.
**Earlier first, later second**A positive **Difference** means you had more of the item at the second stock take, a negative one means you had less. Pick the earlier stock take as the first one so the report reads forwards in time.
**Click through for detail**The **Counted on** dates open the full stock take, and every item name opens the Stock Item Audit report for that item. Underlined figures and names are the clickable ones.
## Report options
### Select first stock take
The first of the two stock takes you want to compare, normally the earlier one. The list shows your store's 100 most recent stock takes, newest first, including archived ones. Each line shows when the stock take was counted and its status, for example **Fri 2 Oct 2026 at 07:30: Posted**. The newest stock take is preselected.
Fri 23 Oct 2026 at 07:30: Posted
Fri 16 Oct 2026 at 07:30: Posted
Fri 9 Oct 2026 at 07:30: Posted
Fri 2 Oct 2026 at 07:30: Archived
### Select second stock take
The stock take to compare it with, normally the later one. It offers the same list as the first option. You can compare posted, draft and archived stock takes.
### Select your stock costing model
Decides which way the report values your stock in the [subtotals and total](https://help.aurapos.com/en/article/stock-comparative-stocktake#totals): FIFO, WAC or LC (see the [glossary](https://help.aurapos.com/en/article/stock-comparative-stocktake#terms)). The first choice is your brand's method. A second choice, your store's method, only appears when your store uses a different method from the brand. Store users see their store's method first and head office users see the brand's method first.
Brand's method (FIFO - First in First Out)
Store's method (WAC - Weighted Average Cost)
**The store is not an option**The report always runs for the store you are working in.
## The report at a glance
BOB'S BURGERS | BOB'S BURGERS TIMES SQUARE
Comparative stocktake report
For Fri 2 Oct 2026 at 07:30 and Fri 9 Oct 2026 at 07:30
The two dates are the dates and times the two stock takes were counted, in your store's local time, first stock take first. The logo at the top right and the small **Explain this report** link under it open this guide.
1. [Selected parameters](https://help.aurapos.com/en/article/stock-comparative-stocktake#params): the stock costing model you chose.
2. [Stock take details](https://help.aurapos.com/en/article/stock-comparative-stocktake#details): status, type, who counted and who posted each stock take.
3. [Items compared](https://help.aurapos.com/en/article/stock-comparative-stocktake#items): every stock item with its two quantities and the difference.
4. [Subtotals and total](https://help.aurapos.com/en/article/stock-comparative-stocktake#totals): the value of your stock at each count and how it changed.
## Selected parameters
A small panel under the heading repeats the stock costing model you chose, so a printed copy always shows how the values were worked out.
| Selected parameters |
| --- |
| STOCK COSTING MODEL |
| Brand's method (FIFO - First in First Out) |
## Stock take details
This block describes the two stock takes. The report does not label the columns: the left column is always your first stock take and the right column is your second.
| **Stock take status:** | Posted 1 | Posted |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Stock calculation method:** | FIFO 2 | FIFO |
| **Stock take type:** | Weekly Close 3 | Weekly Close |
| **Counted on:** | Fri 2 Oct 2026 at 07:30 4 | Fri 9 Oct 2026 at 07:30 |
| **Counted by:** | Sam | Sam |
| **Posted on:** | Fri 2 Oct 2026 at 09:12 | Fri 9 Oct 2026 at 08:47 |
| **Posted by:** | Alex | Alex |
### 1 Stock take status
**Posted** is shown in green, **Draft** and **Archived** have their own badges. A draft stock take has not been finished yet, so its figures can still change.
### 2 Stock calculation method
The costing model chosen in **Select your stock costing model**, shown as a FIFO, WAC or LC badge. It is the same for both stock takes.
### 3 Stock take type
How the stock take was set up: **Spot**, **Weekly Close**, **Month-End Close**, **Year-End Close** or **Opening**.
### 4 Counted on, Counted by, Posted on, Posted by
**Counted on** is the date and time of the count, in store local time, and it opens the full stock take when clicked. **Counted by** is the person who started the stock take. **Posted on** and **Posted by** show when and by whom it was finished and posted. They stay empty while a stock take is still a draft.
## Items compared
Every stock item that was counted in either stock take, grouped by **stock type** and then by **stock category**, with the items in alphabetical order. The stock type heading and the column headings repeat at the top of every page.
| Item name (code) - UoM 1 | First stock take
prepped equiv qty 2 | Second stock take
prepped equiv qty | Difference 3 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Food | | | |
| Stock category: Meat | | | |
| Beef patty 150g (BP150) - each | 120.000 | 96.000 | \-24.000 |
| Chicken fillet (CF01) - kg | 18.500 | 12.250 | \-6.250 |
| Stock category: Bakery | | | |
| Burger bun (BB01) - each | 150.000 | Not counted | n/a |
| Brioche bun (BR01) - each | Not counted | 90.000 | n/a |
| Stock category: Dairy | | | |
| Cheddar slices (CS01) - each | 200.000 | 340.000 | 140.000 |
### 1 Item name (code) - UoM
The item's name, its code in brackets if it has one, and its unit of measure, for example **Beef patty 150g (BP150) - each**. Click the name to open the Stock Item Audit report for the item.
### 2 Prepped equiv qty
The quantity you had at that stock take, in one number. Stock counted in bulk is reduced by the item's wastage percentage (what you lose when you prepare it) and then added to stock counted as prepped, so bulk and prepped counts can be compared fairly. When the item is counted in several places, all of them are added together. The wastage percentage is your store's current setting for the item.
Quantities print with three decimals. The pale grey zeros at the end are deliberate: they keep the decimal points, units, tens, hundreds and thousands lined up under each other, and they are shaded lightly so they do not clutter the page.
### 3 Difference
Second stock take minus first stock take. Negative means you had less at the second count, positive means more.
Not counted
Shown in red when the item was counted at one stock take but not the other. Its **Difference** then shows **n/a**, because there is nothing to compare it with.
## Subtotals and total
After the items of each stock type you get a subtotal, and at the very end the total stock on hand value. These are values in money, not quantities. The first value column is your first stock take, the second is your second, and **Difference** is the second minus the first. The values follow the costing model you chose.
| | First stock take | Second stock take | Difference |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Food subtotal: 1 | 14 250.00 | 13 180.50 | \-1 069.50 |
| Beverage subtotal: | 6 400.00 | 7 025.25 | 625.25 |
| Total stock on hand value: 2 | 20 650.00 | 20 205.75 | \-444.25 |
### 1 Stock type subtotal
The value of all the items of that stock type, including items that are not shown in the example above. The subtotal is sometimes greyed out with a red message such as **FIFO not in use at this time**: see the questions below.
### 2 Total stock on hand value
The value of all your stock at each stock take, and how it changed. Items counted in only one of the two stock takes count as nothing in the other, so they add or remove their whole value in the **Difference**.
## Watch the video
A short walkthrough of choosing two stock takes and reading the comparison.
[Report walkthrough video](https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Th5ZMwF9em0?rel=0)
Can't see the video? [Watch it on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th5ZMwF9em0).
## Frequently asked questions
Why does an item say "Not counted"?
The item was counted at one of the two stock takes but not the other. It may be a new item, an item you stopped stocking, or one that was missed at one of the counts. The report never guesses a quantity for it, so its **Difference** shows **n/a**. Its value is still part of the subtotals and total, counted as nothing at the stock take where it was not counted.
Why are my differences negative (or positive)?
The **Difference** is always the second stock take minus the first. If you chose the later stock take first, every sign is turned around. Choose the earlier stock take as the first one and the later one as the second.
The subtotals say "FIFO not in use at this time". What does that mean?
You asked for the values to be worked out with a costing model (FIFO here, or WAC or LC) that has no values stored on those stock takes, for example because the store used a different method when the stock takes were done. Run the report again and choose another option in **Select your stock costing model**. The quantities are not affected.
Why do the quantities not match what was typed in at the stock take?
The report shows the prepped equivalent quantity. Stock counted in bulk is reduced by the item's wastage percentage and then added to stock counted as prepped, and all counts of the item are added together. The wastage percentage used is the one your store has set today, so if it was changed after a stock take, the old stock take is shown with the new percentage.
Why can't I find an older stock take in the list?
The two lists only offer your 100 most recent stock takes. Archived stock takes are included, so they are not the reason an older one is missing.
Why is a stock item I know about missing from the report?
The report only lists stock items that were counted in at least one of the two stock takes, and items that have no stock type are left out. If an item should appear, check that it was part of the stock take and that it has a stock type.
The report says "Cannot find any stock items for this store". What should I do?
The report could not find one of the two stock takes for your store. Run the report again and make sure both **Select first stock take** and **Select second stock take** have a stock take chosen from the lists. If you still see the message, contact AuraPOS support.
Why is the value difference not simply the quantity difference times the price?
The values come from what each stock take recorded for the item under the costing model you chose, at the time it was done. Prices that changed between the two stock takes, and the wastage percentage, mean the money does not move in step with the quantity.
## Glossary
Archived
A stock take that has been put away. It can still be chosen and compared.
Bulk count
Stock counted in its raw, bulk form before it has been prepared.
Counted on
The date and time a stock take was counted, in your store's local time.
Difference
The second stock take minus the first, for an item's quantity and for the subtotals and total.
Draft
A stock take that has not been posted yet.
FIFO
First in, first out: stock is valued as if the oldest purchases are used first.
LC
Last cost: stock is valued at the price of the most recent purchase.
Not counted
The item was counted at one of the two stock takes but not the other.
Posted
A finished stock take whose figures have been accepted.
Prepped count
Stock counted after it has been prepared, for example cut or portioned.
Prepped equivalent quantity
One quantity for an item: its bulk count less the wastage percentage, plus its prepped count.
Stock category
The group an item belongs to inside its stock type, for example Meat or Dairy.
Stock costing model
The method used to put a value on your stock: FIFO, WAC or LC.
Stock take
A count of the stock you have on hand at a point in time.
Stock take type
How a stock take was set up: Spot, Weekly Close, Month-End Close, Year-End Close or Opening.
Stock type
The top-level group of your stock items, shown as a heading with a subtotal.
UoM
Unit of measure, for example each or kg.
WAC
Weighted average cost: stock is valued at the average price of everything you bought, weighted by quantity.
Wastage percentage
The share of a bulk item you lose when preparing it, set per item for your store.