Template

Shrink & Inventory Loss Investigation Template (Interactive)

An interactive, repeatable investigation form to capture variance details, surface likely root causes, assign corrective actions with owners and due dates, and record verification and escalation. Designed to save time, reduce inconsistency in investigations, and create a recorded trail that can feed dashboards and improvement work.

Interactive Tool

Shrink & Inventory Loss Investigation

This structured investigation form helps managers convert inventory variances into clear evidence, prioritized corrective actions, and verified closure. Use it during or immediately after a cycle count, spot check, or when an unexplained variance appears. Be specific: recorded detail makes it easier to identify patterns, involve loss-prevention or operations, and stop repeat losses.

Tips: paste small tables into the Variance Items field (SKU, expected, counted, variance, location), record CCTV times precisely, and use YYYY-MM-DD for dates. If you need a site-specific copy, acquire and tailor this template for your location standards.

Person completing this investigation (first and last name).
Use YYYY-MM-DD. Date the investigation was opened.
Physical location, store number, or site name.
One-line summary: top SKUs, total variance value, and which area (freezer, dry storage, bar, etc.).
Paste rows like: SKU | Expected | Counted | Variance | Unit cost | Area. This helps later analysis and sampling.
How the variance was detected or counted.
Who counted, how long it took, any interruptions, tooling used (scales/labels), and confidence in counts.
Record camera IDs and exact times to review. Note if footage unavailable or overwritten.
Any recent deliveries, shorted invoices, over-receipts, or receiving exceptions that could explain variance.
Relevant prep reports, comp tickets, or waste logs for the period. Note if logs are missing or inconsistent.
List observed or suspected theft methods (front-of-house pocketing, vendor collusion, unauthorized voids, off-menu comp usage). Be factual—avoid accusations without evidence.
Where standard work wasn’t followed (receiving, POS entry, waste recording, storage, rotation). Tie to documented SOPs if possible.
Controls you applied during or immediately after the investigation to reduce further loss.
Describe what was done, who did it, and when. Useful for verification.
1 = minor / low cost; 5 = major / material to profitability.
1.0 10.0
List one or more likely root causes (e.g., receiving error, prep waste undercounted, POS void abuse). Explain the evidence or indicators for each hypothesis.
Format each action like: Action — Owner (name), Due (YYYY-MM-DD), Acceptance criteria / verification method.
Person accountable for ensuring listed actions complete and verification occurs.
YYYY-MM-DD. Date by which actions should be complete.
How will you verify actions worked? e.g., re-count on X date, trend check for 30 days, POS reconciliation. Include who will verify and how.
YYYY-MM-DD. Planned date to verify and close the investigation.
If true, notify loss-prevention, operations manager, or corporate.
Select who to escalate to if required.
Anything else to record: vendor follow-ups, training needs, policy changes, or monitoring recommendations.
List filenames or locations of supporting files (CCTV clips, count sheets, POS export, photos). Your site tools may store these; record where to find them.
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