Count variances

Tolerance, recount, valuation and approval authority for count adjustments, including discovered stock and unusable costs.

Request with "decision": "variance" and one of these operations: controller_confirm, manager_approve.

Clauses applied

variance.tolerance: Both configured absolute quantity and percent tests must pass for a first count to be within tolerance; otherwise an independent recount and review are required.
variance.found: Zero expected with found stock has null percent and requires independent review; missing/stale cost never becomes zero value.
variance.manager: Discovery, identity change, reserved/owned stock, above-threshold value or exceptional cost requires independent Warehouse Manager.
variance.cost: A usable cost and matching approval packet remain mandatory.
variance.controller: Existing-stock correction within the USD threshold may use explicit ControllerConfirmation after any required independent recount/review and when usable cost and unreserved/unowned eligibility checks pass; the controller may confirm their own draft only on that path.

Evidence questions

`discovered_stock@1`

This is the reason given for a count adjustment at one location. Does it describe stock that was not on record there, such as found, unexpected or misplaced stock, or a change of item, lot or serial identity?

Answer	Meaning
`true`	The reason describes stock not on record at this location, such as found, unexpected or misplaced stock, or a change of item, lot or serial identity.
`false`	The reason describes a correction to stock that was on record: a miscount, damage, loss, a missed pick or a unit-of-measure slip.

`cost_usable@1`

This is the evidence offered for an item's unit cost when valuing a count adjustment. Does it establish that cost as current, from an accountable source such as a recent invoice, purchase order, price list or the finance team?

Answer	Meaning
`true`	The evidence establishes the cost as current, from an accountable source such as a recent invoice, purchase order, price list or the finance team.
`false`	The cost is a guess, a placeholder, zero for lack of a cost, or older than the evidence admits.

Examples

Found stock with no usable cost

{
  "decision": "variance",
  "proposal": {
    "operation": "controller_confirm",
    "by": "u-inv-07",
    "drafted_by": "u-inv-07"
  },
  "today": "2026-10-02",
  "policy": {
    "tolerance_qty": "2",
    "tolerance_pct": "5",
    "value_threshold": "500",
    "cost_max_age_days": 90
  },
  "count": {
    "expected": "0",
    "counted": "5",
    "recounted": true
  },
  "reason": "Found a sealed case behind the reserve pallet, not on record for this bin."
}

Response from the rules with no model loaded, so every question abstains.

{
  "verdict": "review",
  "next": {
    "action": "obtain_cost",
    "text": "No usable unit cost, so the controller path is closed. Missing or stale cost never becomes zero value.",
    "role": "Warehouse Manager"
  },
  "questions": []
}

Download the request

Request schema

{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "decision",
    "proposal",
    "count",
    "policy",
    "today"
  ],
  "additionalProperties": false,
  "properties": {
    "decision": {
      "const": "variance"
    },
    "proposal": {
      "type": "object",
      "required": [
        "operation",
        "by"
      ],
      "additionalProperties": false,
      "properties": {
        "operation": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": [
            "controller_confirm",
            "manager_approve"
          ]
        },
        "by": {
          "type": "string",
          "minLength": 1,
          "maxLength": 200
        },
        "drafted_by": {
          "type": "string",
          "minLength": 1,
          "maxLength": 200
        }
      }
    },
    "count": {
      "type": "object",
      "required": [
        "expected",
        "counted"
      ],
      "additionalProperties": false,
      "properties": {
        "expected": {
          "type": "string",
          "format": "decimal"
        },
        "counted": {
          "type": "string",
          "format": "decimal"
        },
        "recounted": {
          "type": "boolean"
        }
      }
    },
    "policy": {
      "type": "object",
      "required": [
        "tolerance_qty",
        "tolerance_pct",
        "value_threshold",
        "cost_max_age_days"
      ],
      "additionalProperties": false,
      "properties": {
        "tolerance_qty": {
          "type": "string",
          "format": "decimal"
        },
        "tolerance_pct": {
          "type": "string",
          "format": "decimal"
        },
        "value_threshold": {
          "type": "string",
          "format": "decimal"
        },
        "cost_max_age_days": {
          "type": "integer",
          "minimum": 0
        }
      }
    },
    "cost": {
      "type": "object",
      "required": [
        "unit_cost"
      ],
      "additionalProperties": false,
      "properties": {
        "unit_cost": {
          "type": "string",
          "format": "decimal"
        },
        "as_of": {
          "type": "string",
          "format": "date"
        },
        "source": {
          "type": "string",
          "minLength": 1,
          "maxLength": 4000
        }
      }
    },
    "cost_evidence": {
      "type": "string",
      "minLength": 1,
      "maxLength": 4000
    },
    "reason": {
      "type": "string",
      "minLength": 1,
      "maxLength": 4000
    },
    "reserved_or_owned": {
      "type": "boolean"
    },
    "identity_changed": {
      "type": "boolean"
    },
    "today": {
      "type": "string",
      "format": "date"
    }
  }
}