Set stock targets and choose replenishment sources
Set a reorder point and target stock for each material and location to help identify replenishment needs. Zapstra Inventory Management compares those thresholds with available and incoming supply, then shows a raw suggested quantity for review.
Saving a planning policy does not place orders, start production, request transfers, or change Shopify's available inventory. You still decide what to put on an Order plan and review the resulting work before executing it.
Before you begin
Confirm the material's base unit and the physical location you want to plan for. Stock must have a reliable opening balance, and quantity tracking must be enabled for the item to receive a usable recommendation. Missing or unavailable stock information should be resolved before using a suggested quantity.
Set thresholds for each location separately. Main Warehouse and Outlet may have different demand and replenishment needs even when they hold the same Kraft mailer.
Configure a location's policy
- Open Materials, select the material, and open Stock Levels.
- Find the relevant location. Open its actions menu and select Set planning targets.
- In Planning policy — [location], check Base unit of measure. Enter all stock thresholds in that unit.
- Set Planning method to Min / Max (reorder point + target).
- Enter Reorder point, the inventory position at or below which replenishment is triggered.
- Enter Target stock, the position you want to replenish towards. It must be at least as large as the reorder point.
- Review Planning Buffer, Replenishment source, and Lead time override (days) as described below.
- Read the live preview, including any blocked or unavailable result, and select Save.
Both the reorder point and target are required for min/max planning. A successful save closes the dialog. If another edit has changed the policy, review the current configuration before saving again. Closing an unsaved edit asks whether to discard it.
Choose No automated planning when you deliberately do not want min/max recommendations for that material at that location. Reset configuration retires the existing planning configuration; it does not delete physical inventory or cancel purchasing work already created.
Understand the recommendation
The min/max calculation uses:
Inventory position = available stock + incoming purchase-order stock + stock in transit.
Replenishment is triggered when that position is at or below the reorder point. The raw target gap is the target minus the position, with a minimum of zero. This is an amount in the material's base unit, before supplier case sizes, minimums, or order increments.
For example, configure Kraft mailer at Main Warehouse with a reorder point of 60 each and a target of 120 each:
| Input | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Available | 35 each |
| Open purchase orders | 24 each |
| Other incoming or in-transit supply | 0 each |
| Inventory position | 59 each |
| Raw target gap | 61 each |
The position of 59 each triggers replenishment because it is below 60 each. If Northwind Packaging sells cases containing 24 each, with a one-case minimum and one-case order increments, a reviewed requirement of 61 each becomes 3 cases, or 72 each, in the purchasing proposal.
Supplier minimum order quantities apply after a positive requirement exists. If the available and incoming supply already covers the target, the need is zero and the supplier's minimum does not create an order.
A raw gap can also exist without a trigger. At a position of 80 each, the gap to 120 each is 40 each, but a reorder point of 60 each has not been reached. Read the trigger or status alongside the quantity. The Below minimum filter helps you find triggered locations; its name includes positions exactly at the reorder point.
Understand the other settings
Planning Buffer records the buffer used in your threshold policy. Include that buffer in the reorder point you choose; it is not subtracted a second time when the raw gap is calculated. Changing the buffer alone does not change the target-gap calculation. It is also separate from stock withheld from Shopify's available inventory.
Lead time override (days) records a location-specific planning constraint. Use material lead-time default returns it to the material's setting. Continue to check the supplier's own lead time and the required-by date when reviewing a purchase proposal.
Lot size rule and Order frequency are marked Captured for Restock; not used by planning today. Do not rely on those fields to schedule replenishment or control today's proposed quantities. Supplier purchasing minimums and increments are configured on the supplier's linked products.
Choose and review a replenishment source
Replenishment source offers Auto-select, Supplier, Production, and Transfer. These record the intended sourcing approach; they are not instructions to create or run work automatically.
| Source | How to take the next step |
|---|---|
| Supplier | Review supplier mappings and the source selected in Order plan, then create and send the appropriate purchase order. |
| Production | Check the bill of materials and plan the build through Production. A Build choice in Order plan plans component purchases; it does not create the production run. |
| Transfer | Review stock at the supplying location and use the transfer-request workflow. Saving this source does not create a transfer. |
| Auto-select | Review the actual choices offered in Order plan. This setting does not promise an automatic comparison and execution of purchasing, production, and transfers. |
A saved preference does not guarantee an eligible supplier or usable bill of materials. The threshold preview does not perform those sourcing checks, and the options offered later depend on the material's configuration.
Turn the suggestion into reviewed work
In Inventory, use Below minimum and compare Suggested with Planned. Open Add or update order plan, check the destination, and enter the total purchasing quantity you intend. The entry field starts with what is already planned, not with the suggestion.
For the example above, review the gap of 61 each and any existing planned amount before entering your decision. Follow Build and maintain an order plan, then review the supplier-rounded quantities before creating drafts.
If planning reports missing configuration, an unrecorded opening balance, disabled tracking, or an unavailable read, fix that condition first. A visible raw quantity can still be blocked by a retired location or a material/location status that prevents replenishment. A number on screen is not confirmation that an order can be created.