meaning and functions of storekeeper?

Answer 1

The following answer is based on the assumption that 'storekeeper' refers to a company or organisation, and in respect of items used for consumption of raw materials, capital goods, consumables, etc. required for production.
A storekeeper is responsible for maintaining a record of all receipts of various items ordered and also of items delivered from the store. He has to organise and store the items in such a way that they are protected from damage due to dust, water, leakage, explosions, theft, etc., as also in a manner that affords easy reach of the items to authorised persons. He needs to work out the requirement of items from time to time and ensure that the purchase dept. places orders so that no stock out position is faced.
A storekeeper is also sometimes required to control the inventory of the items in the store so that the optimum inventory is maintained without resulting in loss of production due to non-availability of items. He is thus the coordinator between the production, finance, and accounts departments in respect of store items. Generally, an inventory budget is given to the storekeeper within which he has to operate.
A storekeeper also takes periodic review of non-moving or slow-moving items, analyzes the causes therefor, and takes steps to dispose of these items. He assists the purchase department in locating alternative suppliers or alternative products for the store items, by market intelligence and interaction with suppliers.
As a consequence of his responsibilities as a receiver of ordered items, a storekeeper also coordinates with the material quality control department so that only items of the approved quality are received and accepted.
In many organizations, a storekeeper also processes the bills of suppliers and approves them for payment by the accounts department, if he has been given this additional responsibility by the management. It goes without saying that the storekeeper maintains a record of all transactions pertaining to the store and provides the necessary reports to the concerned departments as a part of management information system of the organization.