Simple Stock Tracking for a Small Jewellery Shop: Sheet, Codes, Habits

Updated October 2026

You do not need complicated systems to know what is on your shelf. A notebook or a spreadsheet, filled in consistently, tells a small jewellery shop what to reorder, what to discount and what is missing. This guide describes a simple sheet that works with any tool you already use, whether paper or a spreadsheet, and does not recommend any specific software. It uses general retail practice and no figures. If you are still setting up, see our guide to starting a fashion jewellery retail business.

Which columns should a stock sheet have?

Keep it short: design code, category, colour, quantity received, quantity sold, balance, date of last sale and a notes column. Add the date the stock arrived and the cost if you plan to price from it. Resist adding columns you will not fill in, because a sheet that is half empty is worse than a short one that is full.

How should I use design codes?

Give every design one code and use it everywhere: on the sheet, on the tag, on the tray and in your messages to the supplier. If the supplier gives you a code, keep that code, so a reorder message matches your sheet. For different colours of one design, add a short colour suffix. Consistent codes turn a reorder into a one-line message, as in our guide to planning festive reorders.

What should I record when a parcel arrives?

Count it against the order, then enter each design code with the quantity received and the date. Note any faulty or missing pieces in the notes column. Doing this the same day, while you check the parcel, saves a lot of correction later. Our guide on checking a wholesale parcel on delivery gives the checklist.

What should I record when a piece sells?

Add one to quantity sold against its code, and update the date of last sale. If you sell at the counter and online, record both in the same sheet so the balance is right. In a busy shop, tick marks on a pad near the counter are fine, as long as you enter them into the sheet that evening.

How often should I count the actual stock?

Once a week, and fully before a festival. Count each tray against the sheet, correct any gap and note the reason, such as a sample piece or a returned item. Small differences are normal, but a growing gap means pieces are going out without being recorded. Store pieces by category in labelled pouches, as in our guide to storing jewellery, so counting is quick.

How do I use the sheet to decide what to reorder?

Sort by date of last sale and balance. Designs with a low balance and recent sales are the ones to reorder, and designs with a high balance and no recent sale are the ones to display better or price down. Our guide to displaying fashion jewellery in a small shop helps with slow designs, and the Navratri stocking guide shows how to apply this before a festival.

What mistakes should I avoid with stock records?

The common ones are updating the sheet only once a month, using a different name for the same design in different places, and forgetting to record sample pieces, gifts and returns. Each of these makes the balance drift from what is actually on the tray. Pick one person to own the sheet, keep the layout the same from season to season, and keep a spare copy so a lost notebook or a closed file does not wipe out your history.

Send your design codes and quantities on WhatsApp at +91 98705 89560 when you reorder, with your shop type and categories, and read the wholesale page for how an order works. Browse earrings, necklaces and combo sets to see designs, and find more articles on the blog home.