What is the purpose of maintaining a perpetual stock register?

• A. To list the purchase order numbers only.
• B. To publish to the public.
• C. To continuously track chemical quantities on hand and reconcile with physical counts.
• D. To track employee training records.

Answer: (C)

Maintaining a perpetual stock register centers on continuously tracking chemical quantities on hand and reconciling them with physical counts. This keeps an up-to-date view of inventory, showing what has been received, what has been used, and what remains. With each transaction—receipts, disposals, or adjustments—the register is updated, so the balance reflects reality. Regular reconciliation with a physical count helps uncover discrepancies caused by errors, loss, or theft and supports regulatory compliance and safety by ensuring accurate stock levels for controlled chemicals. In practice, you’d record details such as chemical name, quantity, unit, lot numbers, expiry dates, and storage location, then compare the system balance to the actual count during stock checks to trigger timely reorders and maintain tight inventory control.

Other options don’t fit because listing purchase order numbers alone doesn’t capture on-hand quantities or reconciliation, publishing to the public is inappropriate and insecure, and tracking employee training records is unrelated to inventory management.