Inventory & Supplies

Every drug, consumable, and supply item used by the facility is listed in the stock register with its generic name, unit of measure, storage category, and current quantity on hand. The register is the single source of truth for stock levels across the facility, visible to the pharmacy, the store manager, and the finance team without any data duplication.

Each delivery of drugs is recorded as a batch with the supplier, lot number, and expiry date. The system issues quantities from the earliest-expiring batch first (FEFO — first expiry, first out) so stock rotation happens automatically rather than requiring the storekeeper to check dates manually. A batch nearing expiry triggers a warning so the facility can use or return the stock before it becomes a write-off.

When a supplier delivers drugs or supplies, the storekeeper opens the pending purchase order and records the quantities received against each line. The system checks received quantities against ordered quantities and flags any shortages or over-deliveries before the stock is added to the register. The goods-received note is timestamped and linked to the supplier invoice for three-way matching.

Each item in the stock register has a minimum quantity threshold configured by the store manager. When a dispense or issue causes the quantity to fall below the reorder point, an alert appears in the procurement queue. The procurement officer can raise a purchase order directly from the alert without navigating away, reducing the lag between a low-stock warning and a new order.

A stock take generates a count sheet for the selected area — pharmacy shelves, the store, or a specific drug category. Staff enter the physical count against each item and the system calculates the variance between the counted quantity and the system quantity. Adjustments are reviewed and approved before being posted, with a reason code and an approver’s name on record for the audit trail.

Drugs and consumables issued from the main store to a department — the dressing room, procedure room, or an inpatient ward if the facility has one — are recorded as an internal issue. The store quantity decrements and the receiving department’s stock increments so the system tracks location of supplies across the facility, not just what entered the building.

The consumption report shows how much of each drug or supply was used in a given period, broken down by month. Comparing actual consumption to procurement quantities shows whether the facility is over-ordering slow movers or under-ordering high-demand essentials, providing the data a procurement officer needs to renegotiate supply quantities with confidence.