Everything you need to get started with Shelfcount — plus honest answers about what it can and cannot do.
Shelfcount is a browser-based audit checklist for vending-machine route drivers and micro-market QA staff. You pick a machine layout, tap each column to mark its fill level (Full, Low, Empty, or Could not determine), and export a restock summary at the end. It is designed to replace pen-and-paper column counts and reduce missed low-stock columns.
1. Open the Shelfcount app in any modern browser
(Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox).
2. Choose a machine layout or enter how many columns your machine has.
3. Tap each column to cycle through the fill states. The progress bar
shows how far through the machine you are.
4. When you finish, tap "Export summary" — a clean restock list is
ready to email or print. That is it.
There is no login, no sign-up, and no saved history. Everything runs in the browser. When you close the tab, your audit is gone. Export the summary before you leave — that is your permanent record.
No. Shelfcount does not count automatically. It is a structured audit checklist — you look at each column, decide the fill level, and tap to record it. The page is honest about this: there is no computer vision. A human eye makes the call; the tool just helps you record it faster and more consistently than a scribbled notepad.
Not yet — and this is an important honest answer. Photo-based fill estimation would require computer vision capability that the current version does not have. The product is a manual audit tool only. If photo-based counting is something you need, that is a feature request worth recording (see Contact us below).
Shelfcount does not save audits on a server. Everything runs entirely in your browser. There is no database, no login, and no route history. You should export your summary (tap "Export summary") at the end of each machine. That file is your record. If you need cloud-saved history, that is a feature we have noted for future development.
Yes. When you start an audit, you can choose a preset layout or enter the exact number of columns your machine has. You can label columns by product name, column number, or leave them numbered by default. See Getting Started above.
No. Shelfcount is a standalone tool with no API and no integrations. The export is a plain-text restock summary that you can copy, paste, or email into whatever system your route uses. There is no integration with DEX, VMS, POS, or telemetry systems — those are outside the current scope.
The app works in any modern browser on a phone or tablet — no native app download needed. Offline use depends on whether the page has loaded at least once while online (your browser may cache it). If you need guaranteed offline operation, we recommend loading the page on Wi-Fi at the start of your shift. A dedicated progressive-web-app version with full offline support is on the wish list.
Shelfcount is an early-stage tool. We are transparent about what it does not do, so you are never surprised. If a limitation blocks your workflow, please let us know.
Photo uploads note: Shelfcount does not accept, store, or process photographs. If photo uploads are added in a future version, images will be transient and deleted after processing. Any image of a retail location that contains a person must never be stored, indexed, or reused as an example.
Email support is not yet available.
Shelfcount is still in early development and does not have a customer-support mailbox configured. If you have a question, feature request, or bug report, the best way to reach the team right now is through the project owner.
This page will be updated with a contact route as soon as one is available.