January 23, 2025

10 Proven Tips for Efficient Stockroom Organization

Companies strive for efficient and effective operations. This includes the maintenance department. Technicians work on assets. Assets need parts.

This implies that as part of a well-run organization, you'd need an organized stockroom. Otherwise, a major aspect of maintenance weakens the chain. In this article, we'll discuss ten ways to organize your stockroom. We'll also see how a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) can benefit.

Step 1: Master Stockroom Organization by Knowing Your Stock

As a maintenance supervisor, you need to know what you have. You don't want items "showing up" or going missing. This category has several aspects.

• Knowing the age of your stock.
• Knowing the last date used on items.
• Knowing classifications of stock. Which parts move faster than others? This becomes important when making purchasing decisions.
• Understanding the purpose of each part. Which assets use what parts? Knowing this, you can assign those parts to the specific asset to save the technician's search time. You'd do this through the CMMS (as seen later).

Step 2: Organize Your Stockroom with Accurate Quantity Tracking

How much of each part do you have? You can't overstate the importance of this point.

• Overstock means you have a wasted expense. For instance, if you purchased fifty widgets but use only two per year, then you have unused stock sitting around taking up space.
• Understock risks further expenses since you may not have enough to cover emergencies or unplanned downtime.
• Knowing quantity also means you understand how many items come in a package or the size of the bundle/roll/etc.
• Knowing quantity also means you understand how many items technicians use for each job. For instance, you don't want the job to require four widgets but have only three in a package. You'll need to adjust your purchasing quantity.
• You'll need to determine, through maintenance history, the optimal minimum to keep in stock. This way, you'll reduce the incidents of stockout.

Discover how streamlined maintenance processes can elevate production. Learn more.

Step 3: Maximize Stockroom Organization with Clear Part Locations

Remember the efficiency that I mentioned above. Knowing the location of items adds more than efficiency, though.

Save search time for technicians if they can go right to the aisle/shelf/bin and obtain the part.

Having a specific location for parts reduces clutter, especially when workers return unused parts.

This also helps with quantity in accuracy. One spot means workers don't put the same parts in various spots.

Step 4: Conduct Routine Physical Counts for Stockroom Efficiency

You'll appreciate the benefit of a routine physical count. Take the time. Take it in stages.

This gives you a direct look at the items in the stockroom and the quantities.

• Discover unused stock. Sometimes, employees pile parts and important items end up buried.
• Reconcile quantity differences.
• An accurate quantity reduces extra expense on purchases.

Step 5: Streamline Stockroom Organization with Issue and Return Policies

Instituting this policy helps reduce many problems. Missing items. Wrong items in the wrong locations. Parts "suddenly" showing up. Tips and benefits for this point include:

• "No work order, no part." A good policy to follow. That way workers don't come in a grab whatever they want. You have a record of the purpose of removing the part from the stockroom.
• Correct parts going out. The worker takes widget A when he should have taken widget B. With a stockroom issuer, you have better accuracy.
• Correct parts coming in. An issue/return person checks to make sure the technician returns the correct parts. Where did he obtain widget C when he was issued widget B? Why does the worker have it to return? You can investigate these questions.
• This serves as another reduction of search time.

Step 6: Use Kitted Parts to Simplify Workflow

An asset needs a certain set of inventory each time. Rather than picking up one piece at a time, you bundle those items. Put them in a bag, or a box, or use another way of keeping them together. That way, the technician takes one kit or bundle with everything he needs.

Step 7: Enhance Stockroom Safety While Staying Organized

Protect employees and stock. This reduces accidents and damaged goods.

• Guard rails.
• Walkway rails.
• Forklift safety.
• Extra support.

For more information on the following and others, visit the article at IMPO.

Ready to revolutionize your maintenance department? Schedule a live demo today.

Step 8: Train Employees for Effective Stockroom Organization

Yes, you hired a skilled and experienced team. Yes, you have a productive operation in place. However, don't forget extra training when needed, even on what seems like simple matters.

• Train employees about all of the above and the importance of staying accurate.
• Show the proper issue/return procedures.
• Explain the functions of parts if needed.

Step 9. Note Critical Spares and Repairable Parts.

Why would you want to know these?

• Reduces expenses if you can swap out one part for another and repair the used part.
• Reduced risk of stockout of parts needed for emergencies.

Step 10: Periodically Review and Refine Stockroom Organization Practices

Periodically, you need to review everything to:

• Look for improvements.
• Find ways to dispose of obsolete parts.
• Update safety regulations.
• Keep PPE gear updated.
• Update veteran employees and familiarize new employees with operations.

How a CMMS Simplifies Stockroom Organization

If you want to organize your stockroom, a CMMS should top your list. Review the above ten points. How can a CMMS assist you with everything?

• Detailed records of your stock, including classifications, cost, and other pertinent information.
• Automated quantity tracking. Notifications or purchase requests when an item reaches a minimum threshold.
• A CMMS helps you organize your stockroom by assigning a location for each part.
• Generate count sheets and reconcile your totals in the CMMS. That way, the system and the "shelves" stay in sync.
• The stockroom manager can use the CMMS for issues/returns. Check work orders, assign parts, return parts, and keep quantities accurate.
• Set up preventive maintenance inspections for the stockroom. Plan and schedule them on the CMMS scheduling calendar.
• Take advantage of the training opportunities the CMMS provider offers. In-house, onsite, and online. Bring in supervisors and technicians to learn the system and how to improve operations by learning about the stockroom.
• Look for these notations in your inventory records for critical spares and repairable parts. That way, system users understand the importance of these particular items.
• A CMMS offers reports on all aspects of your maintenance operations. Generate reports for the input information. Discuss your inventory practices.

Staying Committed to Stockroom Organization

Unfortunately, chaos and clutter tend to be the directional challenges in our lives. Think about the last time you cleaned your garage. What did it look like three months later?

If we don't take the time and effort to keep organized, we drift to messiness. You don't want that environment and can't afford that situation in your workplace.

Using the above tips will help keep your stockroom looking good. The adage "A place for everything and everything in its pace" should remind you to stay vigilant and dedicated.

A CMMS will be the best "tool" you'll use for organization. Call MAPCON at 800-922-4336 to discuss the best system for your operations.