Inventory Write-Offs
Who is this article for?
- Store Owners or Admins with full access to manage inventory and record stock reductions within the wicadu Assistant.
- Sellers or Suppliers with permissions to report inventory reductions and record adjustment reasons.
About Inventory Write-Offs
An inventory write-off is the process of removing products from your stock records when items are damaged, lost, stolen, expired, or no longer sellable at their original value.
In wicadu, reporting an inventory write-off helps keep your stock levels accurate, prevents order errors, and ensures your financial reports reflect the real value of your inventory.
This guide will walk you through how to register a write-off step by step, explain the most common reasons for doing so, and help you resolve any issues that may arise during the process.
Before you begin
Make sure you have the following ready:
Identify the products to be adjusted, including SKU (optional), product name, quantity, and estimated value.
Determine the reason for the write-off (e.g., damaged, expired, or lost items) to properly categorize the adjustment. See the section "Common reasons for Inventory Write-Offs"
Ensure that the quantity to be written off is currently available in your system to avoid negative stock errors.
If you make a mistake when registering a write-off, you can reverse it from the inventory history—if your role has the necessary permissions.
Preparing this information in advance will help you complete the write-off process faster, more accurately, and with full traceability.
Important: Free plans do not include the inventory write-off feature. Please check or upgrade your plan under Settings > Plans & Billing.
Common reasons for Inventory Write-Offs
Inventory loss can result from various factors, often acting together. Here are some of the most frequent causes:
Damaged Product: Items with dents, breaks, or defects that prevent proper sale or use, failing to meet minimum quality standards.
Deterioration: Products that have lost quality due to humidity, light exposure, or improper storage, affecting their saleability.
Expiration: Products past their expiry or recommended use date, prohibited from sale by health regulations.
Lost Product: Items physically missing from inventory due to counting errors, misplacement, or unrecorded movements.
Theft or Robbery: Products taken without authorization by third parties or internal personnel.
Prohibited Sale by Law: Items no longer allowed for sale due to legal changes or country-specific restrictions.
Administrative Adjustment: Corrections of record errors such as duplicates or discrepancies found during audits, without actual physical loss.
Production Errors: Products with serious manufacturing defects that prevent sale, even if no visible damage is present.
Obsolescence: Products out of market due to low demand or technological replacement, with no commercial value but occupying inventory space.
Internal Use: Products used internally for testing, demonstrations, or staff consumption, recorded as inventory outflow.
Opened or Tampered Product: Items with opened or altered packaging that compromise presentation or safety, making them unsellable.
Supplier Error: Products received with defects or incorrect specifications, excluded from usable inventory.
Steps to Report an Inventory Write-Off
Go to the Inventory module:
Access the Inventory section within the wicadu Assistant.
Select a product:
Use the search bar or browse the product list to locate the item you want to adjust. Click on its name to open the product details.
Start the write-off process:
In the General section, click on Inform to initiate the inventory write-off.
Enter the details:
Choose the reason for the adjustment, specify the quantity to deduct, and enter the value of the write-off.
Confirm and submit:
Click Inform to finalize the process. This will update your inventory and create a record under the Inventory Write-Off section, visible as part of the product history.
How to Cancel an Inventory Write-Off
Go to the Inventory module:
Access the Inventory section within the wicadu Assistant.
Select a product:
Use the search bar or browse the list to find the product you want to update. Click the product name to open its detail view.
Locate the write-off record:
Within the General section, find and select the write-off entry you wish to cancel.
Cancel the write-off:
In the record details, click the Cancel button. Once confirmed, the system will automatically restore the removed units back into your inventory.
Next Steps
Once the inventory write-off has been recorded or canceled, consider the following actions to ensure consistency across your operations:
Notify your team:
If other team members handle inventory tasks, inform them about the update to maintain proper coordination and avoid duplicate actions.
Verify the updated stock:
Double-check that the adjusted stock is correctly reflected in both the wicadu Assistant and your online store.
Update reports and accounting records:
If you use spreadsheets, ERP systems, or have an accounting integration with wicadu, make sure to synchronize the change to reflect the updated inventory value across all platforms.
Common Issues
Missing "Report" Button: Verify that you have an active plan that includes this feature. Free plans do not support inventory write-offs.
Stock not updated after cancellation: This may be due to a temporary synchronization error. Wait a few minutes and check again, or update manually if you use external systems.
Unavailable Write-Off Reason: The available reasons are fixed. If you need to record a special case, select "Other" and add a note in the comments.