How to Manage Stationery

The cost of stationery is sometimes quite high, so managing the quantity and demand for stationery is often very important. If you’ve never done a tally, you’ll probably feel confused. Don’t worry, this is an article to help you understand the process to be able to manage stationery professionally! We’ll start with basic setup tips and then move on to understanding the specific steps in the tracking and ordering process.

Table of Contents

Designate a stationery manager.

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Delegating responsibility to someone helps to optimize the management process. Stationery managers are responsible for arranging, monitoring and tracking the use of stationery every day. Any questions regarding stationery will be directed to this person for immediate response. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Stationery is quite expensive, so the manager is also responsible for looking after and limiting the people who go in and out of the stationery warehouse.

Gather stationery at one point.

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Choose a separate area for stationery for easy management. Maybe you already have a separate area for stationery, but if not, you should prepare now! Stationery management and tracking will be simpler when everything is gathered in one area. ^{[2] X Research Source}

If the office is short on space, you can make use of large shelves, cabinets or empty areas. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Organize your stationery so it’s easy to find.

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Categorize and label for easier finding and tracking. First, sort your stationery and group it. Next, arrange stationery in the warehouse so that it is reasonable. You need to classify items used daily, weekly or monthly. The next step is to arrange so that the things you use often are easy to see and easy to get. After you’ve done this, you’ll label a shelf, basket, or bin with the name of each item. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

For example, place frequently used stationery within easy reach. Items like ink and printers can be placed on higher shelves if you don’t need them often.
If you have a lot of stationery, arranging the item names in alphabetical order will make it easier to find.
You can also categorize stationery according to the needs of each department. For example, place the stationery of the accounting department and the administrative room in two different shelves.

Make a list of all stationery.

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It’s easier now to make a list once the stationery is sorted and sorted. You just need to take out a pen and paper and list everything you have. Add your brand, name, number, color and other details to help you know when to order. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

For example, note the brand and type of ink used by the primary printer. Thus, you do not need to find information every time you have to change printer ink.

Turn your stationery list into a spreadsheet.

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The management of stationery by spreadsheet is suitable for small or medium-sized offices. You don’t need to buy special software to manage stationery! Using spreadsheets on Excel or Google Sheets is also effective. First, make a column for stationery and fill in the names of each type in the boxes. Next, make another column to fill in details like brand, number, color, etc. ^{[6] X Research Source}

Tally and record the total number of stationery in the spreadsheet.

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Add a final column to track the amount of stationery available. Enter the available quantity of each item in the last column of the spreadsheet. Save this spreadsheet and place it on your computer’s home screen so it’s easy to access and update. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

If you want a more detailed spreadsheet, create a “minimum” column and enter numbers in it. The minimum indicates the required amount of stationery. When the quantity of stationery is less than the minimum, you must proceed to order! That way, you’ll never be short of stationery. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Use warehouse management software for large offices.

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The software simplifies the process of managing large amounts of stationery. For a large office with a lot of stationery, equipping warehouse management software is a wise decision! First, enter the name and number of stationery. Next, the stationery manager will enter the remaining quantity after taking the stationery out of the warehouse. ^{[9] X Research Source}

If it is not possible to update the information immediately, the manager can write the information on paper and enter the data later.
Set up the software so that you will receive a notification message when certain stationery is less than the minimum to avoid shortages!
Each software has a different way of operating, so you need to make the right choice for your office. For example, some programs allow you to scan barcodes to update current stationery stock. This is the right choice for large offices with lots of stationery.

Periodic inventory to track the amount of stationery.

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Stationery inventory is important to keep your spreadsheets up to date. Depending on the needs of the office, you need to check the stationery periodically every week, every two weeks or every month. On the day of the tally, go into the warehouse and count each type of stationery. Next, update the spreadsheet with available stationery and order as needed. ^{[10] X Research Source}

If you’ve set a minimum, it’s a good idea to compare this number instead of just looking at the total number of products remaining.

Schedule orders to avoid shortages of stationery.

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Schedule your order by a specific date to avoid confusion. Setting aside a day for ordering is a way to help you avoid running out of stationery and avoid placing multiple orders at different times. You simply order everything you need in one day so it all arrives at the same time. ^{[11] X Research Source}

The frequency of ordering will depend on the demand for stationery and the frequency of periodic counting.

Limit access to stationery warehouses.

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Set a rule that only managers are allowed to enter the stationery warehouse. Allowing employees to pick up their own stationery whenever they want makes it difficult to keep track of the quantity. The cost will also be higher because stationery often “disappears” quickly. To prevent this problem, you should lock the warehouse or make it a rule that only the manager (and 1-2 other employees) are allowed in and out of the stationery warehouse. ^{[12] X Research Source}

This means that employees must notify their manager (or designated support person) every time they need stationery.

Steps