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Merch Inventory

Church of Whitestone — step-by-step guide for inventory leads and counters

Two Roles

Inventory Lead

Syncs from Square, creates the session, watches everyone's progress in real time, exports the final count, and pushes updated counts back to Square.

Counter

Uses their phone to walk around and count items. Enters what they find as they go.

What This Is For

This app lets your whole team count merch at the same time — each person on their own phone — while the Inventory Lead watches everything come in live on their screen.

By the end of a session you will have:

✓ A complete count of every item, combined across all counters
✓ A spreadsheet you can download or copy to send anywhere
✓ Square inventory updated to match what you physically counted (if you use Square)

A typical session with 4–6 counters takes about 20–30 minutes from start to export.

Before You Start
1
Open the app on every phone
Everyone opens the same link in their phone's browser.
whitestone.lowerysolutions.app
2
Enter the team password
Type in the team password and tap Unlock. You only have to do this once — the app remembers you.
Inventory Lead — Do This First
1
Select Inventory Lead on the landing screen
Tap Inventory Lead. Enter the lead password, your name, and a session code — the code is a short word you make up, like MAY25 or JUNE. Everyone must use the exact same code.
2
Tap Create Session (or Open Existing)
Tap Create Session to start a brand new count — this opens the session so counters can join. If you are returning to a session that was already started, tap Open Existing instead. Any sessions you've run before appear as a Recent Sessions list below the login form — tap one to fill the code in automatically.
3
Sync from Square
Tap Sync from Square before counters start counting. This pulls the full item catalog, all variants, and Square's current stock numbers. The catalog tab on every counter's phone updates automatically. Do this step every time you start a new count.
4
Share the session code with every counter
Text it to the group or say it out loud. Every counter types this exact code when they start. This is how all their counts connect to your screen.
5
Watch the live view update as counters add items
Your screen refreshes automatically — you do not need to reload it.

At the top you will see:
  Green dot = counting
  ✓ done = that person finished

The table below shows every item counted so far. In Merged mode, items from different counters are combined. Switch to Raw to see each entry individually. The Square column shows what Square currently has — an amber row means the counted quantity differs from Square.

If a counter leaves without tapping Mark as Done, tap the small Mark done button that appears next to their name. Their status updates instantly. Counters are also auto-marked done after 45 minutes of no activity. The Session card in the summary row shows how long the session has been running.
6
Fix any mistakes
Switch to Raw view. Each row has an Edit button (to change the quantity) and a ✕ button (to remove the entry entirely).
7
Export when everyone is done
Tap Export CSV to download a spreadsheet you can open in Excel or Google Sheets. Or tap Copy Text to paste the results into a text message or email.
8
Push to Square
Tap Push to Square to update Square's inventory to match what the team counted. Review the list — green rows will be updated, amber rows mean the item wasn't matched in Square and will be skipped. Tap Confirm Push twice to send. Square is updated immediately.
9
Close the session
Tap Close Session when everything is done. Every counter's phone shows a red lock banner instantly — their add, edit, and delete buttons are all disabled. You can still view, edit, and export everything from the lead screen.

Changed your mind? Tap Reopen Session (appears after closing) to unlock everything and let counters add entries again.
Search tip

There is a search box above the table. Type any part of an item name to filter the list — helpful when there are a lot of entries.

Not yet counted

Below the table you will see a Not Yet Counted section — these are items Square shows as in stock that nobody counted yet. Expand it to see which items are missing before you push. If you want to zero them out in Square, use the Zero out uncounted items toggle in the Push modal.

Counter — How to Count
1
Select Counter and enter your name and the session code
Tap Counter, type your name, type the session code the Inventory Lead shared, and tap Start.
2
Browse the catalog to see what to count
Tap the Item Catalog tab to see the full list of items with photos. Items you have already counted show a ✓. Tap any item to jump straight to the entry form with that item pre-filled.
3
Add an item to your count
Tap the My Entries tab, then:

1. Type the item name (suggestions appear — tap one to select it)
2. A photo of the item appears so you can confirm it's the right one
3. Tap the variant (size, colour, etc.)
4. Set the quantity using − and +
5. Tap + Add to Count
4
Fix a mistake
In the My Entries tab, find the entry and tap Edit to change the quantity, or tap ✕ to remove it.
5
Tap "Mark as Done" when you're finished
This tells the Inventory Lead your count is complete. A ⏱ counting for X timer above the button shows how long you've been counting. When you tap it, a confirmation animation plays on your screen.

Your entries do not disappear — tap the button again to resume and keep editing. If you add an item after marking done, the app automatically resumes you.

If you are idle for 45 minutes the app will auto-mark you as done. Once the Inventory Lead closes the session, a lock banner appears on your screen and no further changes can be made — but you can still see all your entries.
Progress bar

At the top of the counter screen there is a thin bar and a count like "12 of 65 catalog items." This shows how many different items you have counted so far out of the full catalog. It goes up each time you add a new item.

Team status

Below your entries you will see a Team section showing the other counters in the session and whether they are still counting or have marked done. This updates live — useful for knowing when the whole team is wrapping up.

Lost your connection? Keep counting — your entries are saved on your phone and will sync to the Inventory Lead's screen as soon as you are back online. The dot in the top corner turns red when you're offline and green when you're back.

Quick Reference
What you see What it means
Green dot Connected to the internet
Red dot Offline — will sync when reconnected
✓ done That counter tapped "Mark as Done"
counting… That counter is still working
Amber row in table Counted qty differs from Square qty
✓ in Catalog tab You have already counted this item
⏱ counting for X How long you've been counting this session
🔒 Red lock banner Session closed by lead — no more entries can be added
Common Questions
I counted the wrong number — how do I fix it?
In My Entries, find the item and tap Edit. Change the quantity and tap Save. If you're the Inventory Lead, switch to Raw view first.
Two counters both counted the same item — is that a problem?
No. The Inventory Lead view has a Merged mode that automatically adds them together by item name and size. For example, if Alice counted 3 Black Hoodies (Medium) and Bob counted 2, Merged view shows 5. This is useful when different people count the same shelf.
I get "Session not found" when I try to join
The Inventory Lead must tap Create Session before any counter can join. Ask your Inventory Lead to open the app, enter the session code, and tap Create Session. Then try again with the exact same code.
The app is asking for a password every time I open it
This happens if you opened the link in a private/incognito tab. Use a regular browser tab and the app will remember you.
I lost my connection halfway through — did I lose my data?
No. Everything you entered is still there. When you reconnect, it syncs automatically. The red dot in the corner tells you when you're offline.
What if an item I need isn't in the autocomplete list?
The catalog comes directly from Square. If an item is missing, it needs to be added in Square first (via the Square app or Square Dashboard), then the Inventory Lead taps Sync from Square to pull it in.
My phone locked or I accidentally closed the app — did I lose my entries?
No. Everything is saved to the server the moment you tap + Add to Count. Just reopen the app, enter the same name and session code, and all your entries will be there exactly as you left them.
I pushed the wrong numbers to Square — can I undo it?
There is no undo button, but it is easy to fix. Edit the incorrect entries in the app (switch to Raw view, tap Edit), then tap Push to Square again with the corrected numbers. The new push overwrites the previous one.
Can counters see what other counters have entered?
No — each counter only sees their own entries. Only the Inventory Lead can see everyone's counts combined on their screen.
Does the Inventory Lead have to stay on their screen the whole time?
No. The lead can lock their phone or switch apps — everything syncs automatically. When they come back the screen will be up to date. They just need to be available when counters have questions.
Do I need WiFi or does cell data work?
Either works. WiFi, cell data, or a mix — the app just needs an internet connection. If you lose signal temporarily, keep counting and everything will sync automatically when you reconnect.
Does it matter what session code I use?
It just needs to be something everyone can type easily and remember for that day — like MAY25 or JUNE1. Keep it short, no spaces. Everyone must type the exact same code to be in the same session.
A counter left without tapping Mark as Done — what do I do?
In the lead view, any counter still showing counting… has a small Mark done button next to their name. Tap it to flip their status manually. Counters are also auto-marked done after 45 minutes of no activity, so if you wait it out their status will update on its own.
What happens to counters when the lead closes the session?
The moment the lead taps Close Session, every counter's phone shows a red banner: "Session closed by the lead — no more entries can be added." Their add, edit, delete, and Mark as Done buttons are all disabled. If the lead reopens the session, the lock clears automatically.
What is the Square column in the lead's table?
After syncing from Square, the lead's table shows two quantity columns — Square (what Square thinks you have) and Counted (what the team physically found). If they match, the row is normal. If they differ, the row turns amber — that's the whole point of the count, to find and correct those differences.