Resolve preparation and inventory-sync problems
Use this guide when Zapstra Inventory Management is preparing your workspace, cannot confirm current stock, or is not sending expected inventory changes to Shopify.
Start from Home. Its workspace status separates Shopify updates, workspace preparation, live sync and connected shops. Each describes a different part of the setup; one successful indicator does not certify all the others.
Read the workspace status
| Message or state | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify updates connected | The preparation view reports that its live-update connection is ready. | Continue checking preparation and inventory-sync settings if the issue concerns quantities. |
| Connecting Shopify updates | Connection work is still underway. | Open preparation details and follow the current run. |
| Shopify updates need attention | Connection preparation reported a warning or problem. | Read the details and use the recovery action shown. |
| Preparing workspace | Initial preparation or a refresh is still running. | Work on available setup tasks while it progresses; wait for dependent inventory tasks to become ready. |
| Prepared with warnings | Preparation completed with information requiring review. | Inspect the warnings before relying on the affected data. |
| Preparation needs attention | Preparation did not establish everything it needs. | Open its run and inspect the reason. |
| Live sync paused | The workspace is currently pausing live synchronization. | Check the pause reason and the appropriate account or inventory recovery path. |
| Catching up on changes | Synchronization is resuming and refreshing data. | Follow its progress before relying on a current comparison. |
| Checking, unknown or unavailable | Zapstra Inventory Management has not confirmed the value. | Refresh the view or inspect details. Do not treat this as zero stock, no usage or a completed setup. |
The absence of a preparation card can be normal once preparation is complete. You can still reach preparation details through Home → Settings → Orchestration.
Inspect or refresh preparation
- Open the preparation indicator on Home, or open Settings → Orchestration.
- Open the current or relevant run and review the work that completed, is waiting, or needs attention.
- If the run is still active, follow that run instead of repeatedly starting another.
- Use a retry or resume action only when offered for the reported problem.
- When you need a fresh full preparation run, choose Run full refresh on the preparation details area.
- Open the progress link after the request is accepted and check the outcome.
An accepted refresh request means the work was accepted or an existing run was found. It does not mean preparation has already finished. If the request fails or the response is unclear, check the run list before starting another request.
Preparation does not by itself decide which inventory system should control Shopify. Review opening inventory and inventory authority separately.
Zapstra Inventory Management stock changed, but Shopify did not
Check these layers in order:
- Material identity. Open the material and confirm the intended Shopify listing is linked. Similar names or SKUs do not prove that two listings share one material.
- Location. Confirm the stock belongs to the intended pool and that its Shopify location mapping is correct.
- Tracking. Check whether the material is quantity-tracked. A Zapstra Inventory Management tracking override does not change Shopify's own Track quantity setting.
- Inventory authority. Check who controls that stock. A Shopify-led or view-only configuration has different write behavior from a Zapstra Inventory Management-led one.
- Stock syncing. Check whether the relevant position is already set to sync. Recording stock and enabling future outbound synchronization are separate effects, even when one confirmation performs both.
- Shop writeback pause. In Inventory → Locations & pools → Authority and sync, check whether an operator separately paused writes to the shop. Resuming workspace synchronization or reconfirming authority does not clear that independent pause.
- Workspace live sync. Check for an explicit pause, recovery state or refresh in progress.
Do not change the quantity again simply to make a second system react. First establish which layer prevented the expected update.
Resolve a “Start syncing to your store” blocker
| Message | Next step |
|---|---|
| Record stock first | Review the opening quantity and create the intended stock position through the supported stock-recording workflow. Read its confirmation for any combined sync action. |
| Another system controls this stock | Open inventory authority and review the current controlling system. Change it only if Zapstra Inventory Management should manage this stock. |
| Fix the stock mismatch first | Investigate the Shopify/Zapstra Inventory Management difference and resolve it using the appropriate reconciliation choice. |
| Refresh your store's numbers first | Refresh the current store observation, then return to the same stock position. |
| Already syncing | Verify the displayed position is the one you intended. It is not necessary to repeat the initial setup for an already-synced position. |
Enabling sync establishes the basis for later updates; it does not immediately post a new quantity to Shopify. Afterward, later changes to that pool's available stock go to Shopify automatically. Make this decision only after checking the material, pool and stock comparison.
See Choose who controls inventory and enable syncing for the full procedure.
Stock was recorded, but enabling sync failed
Some stock-entry confirmations combine recording the quantity with starting future sync. These effects can have different outcomes.
If the message says stock was recorded but syncing could not be enabled:
- Reopen the material's stock position.
- Confirm the recorded quantity and the corresponding activity.
- Read the sync blocker and resolve its cause.
- Retry the missing sync step for that position.
Do not enter the stock change again to complete the sync setup. The first stock change may already be recorded.
A billing or inactivity pause appears
Use the exact reason displayed. Ordinary Control, an inactivity pause, and explicit billing recovery or cancellation have different rules.
- Exhausting ordinary Control's operational allowance does not by itself mean that live synchronization has stopped.
- An inactivity pause can require resumption and fresh preparation.
- A payer-recovery or cancellation state can pause live sync and device writes.
- An inventory safety hold may require a separate authority review even after account recovery.
Use Billing management for payer and plan problems. Use Pause operations or uninstall to understand the different effects of those choices.
Get connection details for support
Open System Health from the relevant Home status link, select Refresh, and note the time and checks requiring attention. The page provides Export JSON if support needs the displayed diagnostic information.
System Health helps identify connection and account problems. It does not replace checking an individual PO, receipt, transfer, material or Shopify quantity. Include those references in your support ticket when the symptom concerns a specific operation.