Kardex inventory stock card template in Excel: free download
Kardex inventory stock card template in Excel: free download
If your business keeps inventory, at some point you need to answer three questions: how much you have of each product, what your stock is worth, and how much came in and went out during a period. The classic way to answer them is the kardex stock card, and the most practical way to keep it is in Excel. This kardex stock card template is ready to download for free: fill in the product data, record each movement, and the entries, exits, balance and valuation calculate themselves using the average cost method.
⬇ Download kardex stock card template (Excel .xlsx)What is a kardex stock card and what is it for
A kardex stock card is the movement record of a single product. In it you write down, in chronological order, the date, the supporting document, the movement type, the quantity coming in, the quantity going out and the remaining balance, expressed in units and in value. Purchases increase stock; sales decrease it; and returns, counting adjustments, transfers between warehouses and shrinkage or damage are also movements that must be recorded.
With a well-kept stock card you can know in minutes how many units you have of a product and at what cost, spot differences against a physical count, answer how much was bought or sold in the period and value your inventory to make decisions. It is the foundation of inventory control for any business, from a corner store to a warehouse with thousands of references.
It is worth distinguishing two ways of keeping a stock card: the physical or unit kardex, which only controls quantities, and the valued stock card, which also records the cost of every movement and the value of the balance. This template is the valued kind: besides knowing how many units you have, you know how much money they represent, which is essential to calculate the cost of goods sold, review a product's profitability and present reliable inventory information. That is why it is used by store owners and warehouse managers as well as accounting assistants who need to reconcile stock with financial records. The average cost method is also the most common criterion among small and medium businesses because it smooths out supplier price changes and is easy to explain and audit.
What this downloadable template includes
The template is an Excel file (.xlsx) with two sheets, fully in English and ready to use without advanced spreadsheet skills:
| Component | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Stock Card sheet | Product movement table with formulas already set up across 200 rows. |
| Instructions sheet | Step-by-step guide, explanation of every column and a solved average cost example. |
| Product data | Fields for company, product, code, unit, location and valuation method. |
| Opening balance | Special row to start the period with the product's quantity and unit cost. |
| Drop-down list | Preloaded movement types: purchase, sale, returns, adjustments, transfers, shrinkage or damage. |
| Automatic calculation | Entry and exit totals, unit balance, average cost and balance value. |
| Print ready | Set up in landscape orientation (A4) for filing or auditing. |
How the sheet is organized
The table follows the classic stock card layout: one row per movement and three groups of columns read from left to right:
| Columns | What they record |
|---|---|
| A – C | Movement date, supporting document number and movement type (drop-down list). |
| D – F | In: quantity, unit cost and total of what enters the inventory. |
| G – I | Out: quantity, unit cost and total of what leaves the inventory. |
| J – L | Balance: quantity, unit cost and total value remaining after each movement. |
Values are shown without a currency symbol so the template works with any currency: just apply your local currency format to the cost columns if you prefer.
How the average cost is calculated (with an example)
The template uses the average cost method (weighted average). Every time you record a purchase, the sheet recalculates the unit cost of the balance with this formula: (previous total value + new purchase value) ÷ (previous quantity + purchased quantity). Exits are valued at the current average cost and do not change it. Here is the same solved example you will find in the instructions sheet:
| Movement | In | Out | Unit cost | Movement total | Balance (units) | Average cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening balance | 10 | – | 1,000.00 | 10,000.00 | 10 | 1,000.00 |
| Purchase | 5 | – | 1,200.00 | 6,000.00 | 15 | 1,066.67 |
| Sale | – | 4 | 1,066.67 | 4,266.67 | 11 | 1,066.67 |
The new average cost after the purchase is (10,000.00 + 6,000.00) ÷ (10 + 5) = 1,066.67. The 4 units sold go out at that cost and the balance ends at 11 units valued at 11,733.33.
How to use the template step by step
- Download the file and save it with the product or period name, for example stock-card-engine-oil-2026.xlsx.
- Fill in the top fields: company, product, code, unit and location.
- In the first table row (Opening balance) type the quantity and unit cost at which the product starts the period.
- In each new row record one movement: date, document number and movement type chosen from the drop-down list.
- For an entry, type quantity and unit cost in columns D and E. For an exit, type only the quantity in column G: the sheet prices it automatically at the current average cost.
- Use one sheet per product and keep a copy of the file when you close each period.
Tips to keep your stock card accurate
- One movement per row: do not mix entries and exits on the same line.
- The unit balance should never be negative. If it happens, review the sale or exit before continuing.
- Always write the supporting document number (invoice, delivery note) so you can audit later.
- Compare the sheet balance with a physical count at least once a year and record differences as adjustments.
- Do not mix valuation methods for the same product: if you use average cost, keep that criterion for the whole period.
- If you need more than the 200 rows, select the last formula row and drag it down to copy the formulas.
- Keep the stock card up to date, not once a month: an unrecorded movement becomes a difference that is hard to trace.
- Assign one person as responsible for recording movements; if several people enter data, mistakes become more likely.
You can also use the template as a working exercise: take a product you know well, reconstruct its movements for the last month and check that the final balance matches what you physically have on the shelf. That quick test almost always reveals where the information gaps are in your current process.
When to move from Excel to inventory software
An Excel template is an excellent first stage: it costs nothing, it is flexible and it is enough for small businesses with few products and few documents per day. But it has real limits: each product lives in a separate sheet, stock does not update by itself when you invoice or purchase, and any typing error carries into the balance. When volume grows, inventory software such as Kardex Tauro updates the stock card automatically with every sale, purchase or movement, controls minimum stock levels and removes manual data entry: the template helps you get your control in order today and understand what you will need tomorrow.
Download the free kardex stock card template in Excel, try it with one product from your business and confirm that inventory control does not have to be a headache.
⬇ Download kardex stock card template (Excel .xlsx)