LABORATORY LOGISTICS

MANAGEMENT
LOGISTICS TOOLS AND GUIDELINES
TO MANAGE STOCK IN THE
LABORATORY
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this session students should be able to:
 Describe logistic tools used to monitor stock in the
laboratory
 Prepare and use bin card

 Prepare and use store ledger

 LOGISTIC TOOLS USED TO MONITOR
STOCK

 Bin card
 Ledger book
 Report and request form (R&R Form)
 Request and issue voucher
 Verification and claim form
 Requisition and issue voucher
 BIN CARD

Definition

A bin card
Is a simple, heavy weight cards kept for each item in
stock.
It is also known as stock card.
FEATURES OF BIN CARD

 Item name (concentration etc.)

 Order/catalog number
 Units
 Price per unit
 Reorder level
 Expiration date
 Special storage condition
  Item Name _______Unit:__________
 Supplier __________________
 Mini mum Stock ( Re-order Level)__________

Received Issued Quantity Quantity

Date *Balance Lot # Signature
From to Received Issued
USES OF BIN CARD:
 Record each supply receipt
 Record each supply issuing/removal.
 Record the date of supply receipt and quantity
received .
 Records the items actual stock on hand.
 Determines the stock status for the particular item/
supply .
LEDGER BOOKS (STOCK BOOK)

Definition
Is the principal book or computer file for recording and
totalling supplies transactions in separate columns and a
beginning balance and ending balance for each item.
OR
Is a register book that contains list of all items in the store.
It is updated monthly after physical count and information
from a stock cards.
USES OF LEDGER BOOK

 Used to account for supplies in storage.

 Used to record all items in the store.
 Used to maintain the physical inventory.
 Record supplies received
 Record supplies issued
 Track transfers
 Track losses/adjustments
 The ledger must be filled each time laboratory supplies
is received (e.g. from MSD or donated), transferred or
there is expires or damaged products.
 Must be filled by the Storekeeper of Central Storage
Facility or Laboratory personnel responsible for
managing lab supplies at Health facilities

The following is the Job aid on how to update Stores

Ledger
 Job Aid: Updating Stores Ledger

 SECTION A
 Updating Stores Ledger when recording receipts, issues, adjustments
TASK: (issues on loan/losses/receipt on loan), and physical inventory.

COMPL Dispensary or Health Center In-Charge, or Storekeeper and Hospital

ETED Pharmacy or Stores in-charge or Storekeeper
BY:
 To record supplies received
PURPOS  To record supplies issued
E:  To track transfers
 To track losses/adjustments

 When supplies are received or issued

WHEN
 When supplies are transferred from one facility to another facility
TO
 When supplies are removed from the storage area for reasons other than
PERFOR for issuing to clients (e.g. for demonstrations, expiration, damage)
M:
 When recording the result of a physical inventory

MATERI Stores Ledger, pen (red for receipts and blue/black for issues), supplies or
ALS receipt or issue voucher
NEEDED
:
PAGE
LEDGER PAGE NO: 01
DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLY MSD CODE
ITEM
008976
GIEMSA STAIN

UNIT OF DISPENSING MINIMUM STOCK

ISSUE UNIT
QUANTITY 2
LITRE HEALTH LITRE
CENTRAL
STORE
Date Ref To/Frm Qty Qty Adjustment Balance Remarks Name
No. Receive Issue s
d d

Stock on
30/5/14 1 - - - - 3L H.B
hand.

1issued.n
Para.D
01/6/14 03 - 1L - 2L ew order S.M
pt
pressed.
20L
Received
9/6/14 01 MSD 20 - 3 17L H.B
, 5L
spilled
EXAMPLE OF STORE LEDGER PAGE
LEDGER PAGE NO: 01
REPORT AND REQUEST FORM (R&R FORM)

This is triplet form filled by the laboratory to report on

usage of laboratory supplies and to request additional
laboratory supplies.
R&R FORM CONTI…….

 The form is usually filled by Laboratory managers or

any other laboratory personnel appointed to do the work.

 R&R forms are the means by which usage and stock

levels can be monitored by the laboratory and Medical
Stores Department (MSD). The filled and approved R&R
forms will be sent to MSD for order process.
R&R FORM CONTI…….

 Therefore, it is crucial that these forms be filled out and

submitted every quarter and every month for Quarterly
R&R and Monthly R&R respectively, at the specified
time, and not just when a facility needs supplies, since
the information reported on the forms is needed for
routine logistics management decision at the higher
levels of the Supply Chain.
R&R FORM CONTI…….

 NOTE: Filling of the R&R Form will be enabled by a

job aid guiding the user step by step the actions to be
taken when entering data on columns of the form to
ensure completeness.
R&R FORM CONT...

Filling Quarterly Report and Request forms (R&R) for

National, Zonal, Regional, District, Health centres and
Dispensaries laboratory facilities are the same. So during
filling, the following areas should be considered:

TASK:
 The procedure for completing quarterly R&R Forms for
Laboratory supplies.
R&R FORM CONTI…….

WHOM:
 The person responsible for completing report & request
forms(R&R forms) Laboratory manager /laboratory
supplies logistic officer.

PURPOSE:
 To provide a report on essential logistic data(stock
status ,consumption and losses/adjustments) of
laboratory supplies.
 To order laboratory supplies.
R&R FORM CONTI…….

WHEN TO PERFORM
⁻ At the end of the order interval (every three months)

whereby:
⁻ A report is prepared between the last day of the quarter

and the 5th day of the new quarter.

⁻ Report submitted for approval by the 10th day of the new

quarter
⁻ Report approved by the end of the second week on the

new quarter
R&R FORM CONTI…….

MATERIAL NEEDED:
 Ledger books(stock on hand/Physical inventory,
losses and adjustments)
 Daily usage summary registers from all
laboratory sections/departments in the facility
 Calculator, blue and black pen.
 Quarterly R&R Form or Monthly R&R form
24/10/2019 Jeanette Europe
VERIFICATION AND CLAIM FORM

Claim Form is the form that captures information to

be Send to MSD explaining about any discrepancies
on goods.

Verification is the process of making sure or

demonstrating that supplies received is true, accurate
and justified as per requested.
REQUEST AND ISSUE VOUCHER
 Request
Is a formal document used by the customer to
purchase goods or services that they need.
REQUISITION AND ISSUE VOUCHER
 Requisition
Is a documented request for an item or service made
by customer to the person in a store responsible for
purchasing and delivering by a certain date.

This document is used when there is a need to stock up

on goods or products running low.
It is used only for internal and no legal connotation.
REQUEST AND ISSUE VOUCHER

 Issue voucher
Is a document used to monitor laboratory supply
issued from store to other departments for use.
 QUIZ

 Mention 5 importance of using ledger book

PROCESS FOR CONDUCTING A
PHYSICAL INVENTORY/COUNTS
Physical inventory/count; Is an actual count of the
laboratory/medical items in stock.
This is a carefully coordinated counting process in
which counting areas are segregated and count
teams examine assigned inventory areas of recording
their counts on count sheet.
 Physical count can be divided into follows;

1.Monthly Physical counts

2.During Supervision
3.If suspected loss/thieft
METHODS OF PHYSICAL INVENTORY
 Physical counts can be completed by the
following methods.
a)Manual completion
This count uses paper count cards or sheets and
pencils to record inventory.
b)Electronic Counting
This count can use scanners RFID, barcodes or
mobile devices.
PRIOR TO A PHYSICAL COUNT THE
FOLLOWING TASKS SHOULD BE COMPLETED
o Set a date for the physical count. Select the physical
count team. Participants should be selected from the
facility.(The store keeper and pharmacist should be
members of the team).
o Do not issue items during the physical count or count
receipts on the day of the physical count. Receipts during
the physical count will be counted in the next physical
count.
CONT..
o Make sure that the stock cards or ledgers for the items
are updated to the day of the physical count. If the store
cards are not completed, complete them
o Prepare the store, make sure that all cartons are neatly
stacked and partial cartons are clearly visible.
CONT..
o Reorganize laboratory items/reagents by FEFO(First
Expiry First Out) before counting. Write expiry date
clearly, with large, dark numbers on each box or carton.
This step should have been taken during routine receipt
and management of drugs.
o Visually inspect the items as you organize them for
counting.
CONT..
o Separate any expired or damaged items/instrument.
o Establish two-persons counting teams, with one person
counting as the other person records the results of the
count.
Be sure to have the stock cards or ledger for the drugs to
be counted.
CONT..
 After the preparations, that you made above; The store is
ready for the Physical Count/ Inventory.
A. Count the usable items(instruments/reagents or other
laboratory commodities).Notes make sure that you have
just counted units that have the same name and same
quantity
 B. On the stock card for the items
i. Circle the last recorded balance.
ii. Draw a line through the next row of the stock card or
ledger.
iii. In the next row of the stock card, in the date column,
write the date of the physical count.
iv. In the stock balance column, write the actual quantity
on hand, the result of the physical count.
C. Calculate the difference between actual quantity and
registered balance.

To determine if you have any loses/ adjustments, subtract

the calculated Stock balance from the actual quantity on
hand
 If your results is zero(0),your stock cards matches the
number of units of the items in the store. Go to step ‘E’
 If your results is negative, you have a loss.

 If your results is positive, you have more units of the

items in stock than you had recorded on the ledger.
Sometimes the difference is due to a mistake/mathematical
error during counting in the stock card. Repeat the
physical count
 If mistakes are not found, the difference must be
recorded on the stock card.
D. Recording the difference between actual quantity and
registered balance
On the stock card(ledger), in the “To” or “From”
column. Write the difference as unexplained loss if it is
a loss or unexplained gain if it is a gain.
E. Remarks Physical count.
F. Finalization
Draw a line through the next row of the stock card, to
differentiate the Physical counts and the rest of the
information on the ledger.
On the stock card(ledger), in the “To” or “From” column.
Write the difference as unexplained loss if it is a loss or
unexplained gain if it is a gain.
E. Remarks Physical count.
F. Finalization
Draw a line through the next row of the stock card, to
differentiate the Physical counts and the rest of the
information on the ledger
The task of “Conducting a Physical Count” is complete
when:
 The stock on hand units of the drug have been counted
and recorded on the stock card or ledger.
 Loses/Adjustments have been calculated and recorded in
the stock card (If applicable)
 Loses/Adjustments have been documented and the
difference in stock explained (If appli)