Audits
Run physical inventory audits with structured scan workflows, automatic found/missing/unexpected detection, and exportable reports.
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Audits
Audits let you verify that your physical inventory matches your records. Define which assets should be in a location, hand someone a phone, and let them scan. Shelf flags what was found, what is missing, and what showed up unexpectedly. When the audit is complete, export a PDF or CSV report.
Audits is a paid add-on available on any Shelf plan, with a 7-day free trial to test it on your own inventory.
Why Physical Audits Matter
Digital records drift. Equipment moves, gets misplaced, or is retired without updating the system. Without periodic physical verification, your asset database becomes a fiction:
- Ghost assets: Records show items that no longer exist, inflating counts and distorting budgets.
- Untracked equipment: New items enter the field without being logged, creating blind spots.
- Location mismatches: Assets are recorded in one building but physically sitting in another.
- Compliance gaps: Insurance audits, regulatory reviews, and internal controls all require proof that equipment exists where records say it does.
- Shrinkage blind spots: Without verification, missing items go unnoticed for months.
Regular audits close the gap between what your system says and what actually exists.
How Shelf Audits Work
1. Define the Scope
Create an audit session and select which assets to include. You can scope by location, category, team, or any combination. Shelf builds the expected asset list automatically from your existing records.
2. Assign and Scan
Assign the audit to a team member. They open a dedicated scan page on any phone or tablet — in any browser, or in the free Shelf Companion app on iPhone — and start scanning QR labels. Each scan registers the asset as Found.
The scan page is purpose-built for audits — separate from regular check-in/check-out — so there is no confusion about what workflow is active.
3. Review Results
As scanning progresses, Shelf tracks four statuses in real time:
- Found: The asset was scanned and matches the expected list.
- Missing: The asset was expected but never scanned.
- Unexpected: An asset was scanned that was not part of the expected list — flagging items that have moved or were never recorded.
- Pending: Not yet scanned.
In the web app, auditors can add notes and photos to any asset during the audit — documenting damage, wrong labels, or condition issues. Per-scan notes and photos from the iOS Companion app are on the iOS roadmap and not available today; run the audit from the iPhone if you need on-the-floor scanning, and add evidence from the web when you have a moment at a desk.
4. Complete and Report
When scanning is finished, complete the audit. Shelf sends a summary email to the audit creator with counts of found, missing, and unexpected assets. Export the full results as a PDF report or CSV file for compliance documentation, insurance records, or internal review.
5. Duplicate, Archive, and Delete for Record-Keeping
Once a completed or cancelled audit is no longer actively referenced, admins and owners can archive it. Archived audits are removed from the default audit list but remain accessible by filtering for the Archived status.
To archive a single audit, open it and select Archive from the actions menu (⋯). To archive several at once, return to the audit list, use the checkboxes to select audits, then choose Archive from the Actions dropdown. See Bulk Archive Audits for step-by-step instructions.
When you want to permanently remove an archived audit and all its scan data, notes, and images, you can delete it. Deletion requires the audit to be archived first — open the archived audit, choose Delete from the actions menu, and type the audit name to confirm. Bulk deletion is also available: filter the list to Archived, select multiple audits, and choose Delete from the Actions dropdown. See Permanently Delete Archived Audits for full instructions.
For recurring audits — monthly stock counts, post-event sweeps, quarterly compliance checks — you don't have to rebuild the scope each time. Duplicate any Completed, Cancelled, or Archived audit and Shelf creates a fresh Pending session with the same name (with a "(Copy)" suffix), description, and asset list. If some of the original audit's assets have since been deleted, the dialog warns you with the dropped count before you proceed; if every original asset is gone, the duplicate is blocked. See Duplicate an Audit for full instructions.
Key Capabilities
- Structured verification: Define expected assets up front so scanning confirms presence rather than just listing what was found.
- Found / Missing / Unexpected detection: Three-way reconciliation that catches both losses and untracked items.
- Dedicated scan page: Purpose-built audit scanning interface, separate from check-in/check-out workflows.
- Notes and photos on the web: Document conditions, discrepancies, or issues from the web app during the audit. Per-scan evidence capture from the iOS Companion app is on the iOS roadmap.
- Real-time progress: Live counts of found, missing, unexpected, and pending assets update as scanning happens.
- Location context in scan list: When auditing by tag, category, or any non-location filter, each asset in the scan list shows its current location beneath its name — helping auditors identify where they need to look without leaving the scan view. Location is automatically hidden when the audit is scoped to a specific location to avoid redundancy.
- PDF and CSV export: Generate reports for compliance, insurance, or management review.
- Completion notifications: Email summaries sent automatically when an audit is completed.
- Full audit lifecycle management: Archive completed or cancelled audits to remove them from the default list while keeping the data accessible. When the data is no longer needed, permanently delete archived audits — individually or in bulk — removing all scan records, notes, and images. Archive individually or in bulk from the Actions dropdown; delete follows the same pattern with a type-to-confirm safety step.
- One-click recurring audits: Duplicate any Completed, Cancelled, or Archived audit to re-run it on the same asset list. The copy starts clean (no notes, no scans, no assignee, no due date) and inherits the source's name, description, and scope. If the source's assets have shifted, Shelf reports the dropped count up front and blocks the duplicate if every asset is gone — no silent failures.
- Runs on any device: Browser-based scanning on phone, tablet, or laptop, and a native iPhone experience via the Shelf Companion app. Android is in development.
Common Use Cases
- Annual inventory reconciliation: Verify every asset in your system against what physically exists. Identify ghost assets, untracked items, and location mismatches in a single pass.
- Location-based spot checks: Audit a specific room, warehouse, or vehicle to confirm its contents match records — useful after moves, events, or shift changes.
- Compliance and insurance audits: Generate documented proof that equipment exists where records say it does. Export PDF reports with timestamps for audit trails.
- Post-event equipment verification: After a conference, production shoot, or field deployment, scan everything that comes back to confirm nothing was left behind.
- Onboarding new locations: When taking over a new facility or inheriting equipment from another department, audit to establish a verified baseline in Shelf.
- Shrinkage detection: Run periodic audits to identify patterns of loss before they become expensive.
Pricing
Audits is a paid add-on, available on any Shelf plan. Pricing is managed through your Shelf account with monthly or yearly billing options. A 7-day free trial is included so you can test the feature on your own inventory before committing.
Visit the Audits section in your Shelf workspace to activate the trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Audits included in my Shelf plan?
No. Audits is a paid add-on, separate from your Shelf subscription tier. It is available on every plan — Free, Plus, Team, and Enterprise. You can activate a 7-day free trial from within your Shelf workspace.
Do I need a special app to run audits?
Not mandatory. Audits run in any modern phone browser using the device's camera — nothing to install. For an iPhone-native experience, you can also run audits from the free Shelf Companion app on the App Store: scan, watch found/expected counts update in real time, and complete the audit on the floor. Android is in development. Adding photos or notes per audit scan is currently web-only on iOS and on the iOS roadmap.
Can I scope an audit to a specific location or category?
Yes. When creating an audit session, you select which assets to include. You can filter by location, category, or other criteria to focus the audit on exactly what you need to verify.
What happens to assets marked as missing?
Missing assets are flagged in the audit report but are not automatically changed in your Shelf database. You decide what action to take — follow up with the last known custodian, mark the asset as lost, or investigate further.
Can multiple people scan during the same audit?
Currently, each audit session supports a single assigned scanner. For large-scale audits, you can create multiple audit sessions scoped to different areas and assign each to a different team member.
How do I export audit results?
Completed audits can be exported as PDF reports or CSV files. The PDF includes a summary with found, missing, and unexpected counts. The CSV provides detailed line-item data for further analysis.
Can I cancel an audit?
Yes. The creator of an audit can cancel their own audit at any time before it reaches a terminal state. Workspace owners and admins can also cancel any audit in the workspace — including audits created by other team members. Open the audit, click the actions menu (⋯), and select Cancel. Once an audit is Completed, Cancelled, or Archived it can no longer be cancelled.
Cancelling sends a notification email to the audit creator and any assigned scanner.
Can I archive an audit?
Yes. Admins and owners can archive any audit that is Completed or Cancelled. Open the audit, click the actions menu (⋯), and select Archive. You will be asked to confirm before the action is applied. Archiving removes the audit from the default list but it remains accessible by filtering for the Archived status. Archiving is permanent — it cannot be undone.
To archive multiple audits at once, go to the audit list, use the checkboxes to select the audits you want to archive, and choose Archive from the Actions dropdown. See Bulk Archive Audits for full instructions.
Can I permanently delete an audit?
Yes. Admins and owners can permanently delete any Archived audit. Archiving must happen first — it acts as a safety step before deletion. Open an archived audit, click the actions menu (⋯), select Delete, and type the audit name to confirm. Deletion permanently removes all scan data, notes, and images and cannot be reversed.
To delete multiple archived audits at once, filter the audit list to the Archived status, select the audits using checkboxes, and choose Delete from the Actions dropdown. See Permanently Delete Archived Audits for full instructions.
Can I duplicate an audit to re-run it?
Yes. Admins and owners can duplicate any Completed, Cancelled, or Archived audit from the actions menu (⋯). The new audit inherits the source's name (with a "(Copy)" suffix), description, and asset list, and starts in a clean Pending state — no notes, scans, assignee, or due date carry over. If some of the source audit's assets have since been deleted, Shelf shows a yellow warning with the dropped count before you proceed; if every asset is gone, the duplicate is blocked and you'll need to create a new audit instead. Pending and Active audits don't show the Duplicate option — they have their own Edit and Cancel actions. See Duplicate an Audit for full instructions.
The free Shelf Companion app on the App Store lets you run audits live from the floor on iPhone — scan, watch found/expected counts update in real time, complete the audit when done. Free with any Shelf account. Android is in development. Adding photos or notes per audit scan is currently web-only on iOS — capture evidence from the web today; native mobile evidence capture is on the roadmap.
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