What is the primary use of a bin card in stock management?

• A. It records receipts, issues, and current balance for an item in a bin
• B. It tracks staff attendance
• C. It calculates annual budget
• D. It displays supplier performance metrics

Answer: (A)

In stock management, a bin card is a simple, location-based stock record attached to each bin. Its primary use is to record receipts and issues and to show the current balance for the item in that bin. When goods arrive, the quantity is added to the balance on the card; when goods are issued, the quantity is subtracted, so the card always reflects how much is left. This enables quick checks of stock levels, assists with reordering decisions, and supports accurate stocktaking and reconciliation between physical counts and records. Other processes like tracking staff attendance, calculating budgets, or measuring supplier performance aren’t related to the day-to-day management of inventory at a bin level, so they don’t fit the purpose of a bin card.