In a previous post, we walked through the inventory KPIs that matter when you’re planning for growth. Those metrics help you understand what’s happening, spot problems early, and set better goals.
But once you’ve defined your KPIs, an important question comes next:
Are the numbers behind those KPIs solid enough to trust?
Because KPIs don’t create clarity on their own. They only work if the inventory data underneath them is clear, consistent, and shared across the business. This is where many growing companies run into trouble.
KPIs Don't Fail—The Foundation Beneath Them Does
Most businesses don’t struggle because they chose the wrong KPIs. They struggle because those KPIs are built on inventory data that isn’t aligned. That misalignment often shows up as:
- The system says one number, the warehouse sees another
- Finance and operations report different results
- Dashboards exist, but no one fully trusts them
The KPIs are doing their job—they’re just reflecting confusion instead of insight.
What Growing Companies Need Before Another Dashboard
In enterprise software implementations, there’s a concept called “Phase Zero.” It’s the work that happens before you deploy new technology—the step where you align processes, define terms, and make sure everyone’s working from the same playbook. You don’t need to be implementing an ERP to use this thinking.
For inventory management, Phase Zero simply means getting clear before you automate, integrate, or scale.
It’s the step where you make sure everyone understands how inventory actually works—before technology locks in assumptions.
Phase Zero for Inventory: Three Steps to Get Clear
Step 1: Agree on How Inventory Really Works
Before any dashboard can help you, your team needs shared answers to basic questions
- What actually counts as inventory? (Products in the warehouse? Items in transit? Goods allocated to orders? Returns?)
- When does something officially enter or leave inventory?
- Who’s responsible for recording changes—and when?
- Which system is the source of truth?
If your warehouse manager, your finance team, and your operations director answer these questions differently, your KPIs will never line up. Period.
Step 2: Make Sure Systems Tell the Same Story
Most businesses your size are running multiple systems:
- Accounting software
- Inventory or order management tools
- Spreadsheets
- Ecommerce or warehouse systems
Phase Zero asks:
- Do item names and SKUs match across all systems?
- Do quantities sync—or are you reconciling manually every week?
- When you make an adjustment in one place, does it ripple everywhere it should?
- Are you fixing the same errors over and over again?
When systems disagree, KPIs don’t drive decisions. They create arguments.
Step 3: Get People on the Same Page
Inventory problems aren’t usually caused by bad intentions. They happen because teams are busy, reactive, and working around gaps.
Phase Zero creates space to:
- Align operations, finance, and leadership
- Set clear expectations
- Remove guesswork from day-to-day decisions
This is how inventory stops being a constant fire drill.
Why This Matters for KPIs—and for Growth
When inventory clarity is in place:
- KPIs become meaningful
- Dashboards become trusted
- Decisions move faster and with more confidence
As the Tableau Blueprint puts it: “Realizing the full value of your data means empowering everyone to make better decisions with it.”
That empowerment starts with inventory data people actually trust.
Most Companies Skip This Step—and Feel It Later
Many businesses jump straight from defining KPIs to building dashboards or adding new tools.
Without this clarity step:
- Errors move faster
- Confusion scales with growth
- Leaders lose confidence in the numbers
Skipping clarity doesn’t save time. It delays real progress.
The Right Next Step After Defining KPIs
If you’ve already identified the inventory KPIs that matter, the next step isn’t more reporting.
It’s answering one honest question:
How accurate and aligned is your inventory today?
Most teams don’t actually know—they assume.
Take the Inventory Accuracy Audit
The Inventory Accuracy Audit is designed to give you clarity before complexity.
It helps you:
- See where inventory data breaks down
- Understand how systems and teams interact
- Identify gaps before they impact growth decisions
Before you automate, integrate, or scale, start with clarity.
Take the Inventory Accuracy Audit and make sure your KPIs are built on a foundation you can trust.