Catch shortages earlier
Alerts factor in lead time as well as current stock. An item with a long lead time triggers earlier than an item with a same-day supplier. Action happens in time.
Feature
Low-stock alerts
Most low-stock alerts are noise. This one shows up with the lead time factored in, the right owner attached, and a next action one click away. Hand off to the purchasing agent for a draft, request a transfer from another location, or dismiss with a documented reason. Dashboards that nobody opens twice were not the goal.
What you get
Three outcomes operators can see
Tune reorder points over time
Usage history feeds back into reorder thresholds. An item that has gotten busier surfaces a suggested threshold update, so rules stay accurate as the business shifts.
Route warnings to the right owner
Alerts can be assigned per category, per vendor, or per location. The right person sees the right item, instead of one generic feed for the whole company.
How it works
From action to record
- 01
Set a threshold or accept an AI suggestion
Pick a fixed reorder point or let Order3 suggest one based on usage and lead time. Suggestions are recommendations; you approve or change them before they go live.
- 02
Watch usage and lead time
The system updates the projection for each item as scans, transfers, and approvals accumulate. Items trending toward stockout move toward the alert state.
- 03
Trigger the alert
When projection crosses the threshold, the alert fires to the assigned owner via in-app notification and optional email. Includes the item, location, and current state.
- 04
Create a reorder or transfer action
From the alert, the owner can hand off to the purchasing agent for a draft PO, request a cross-location transfer, or dismiss with a reason. Every choice is logged.
How it works
How alerts work
Each item can have a reorder threshold, optionally per location. The system projects on-hand counts forward using recent usage, open POs, and supplier lead times, then compares the projection to the threshold. When the projection crosses, an alert fires. Thresholds can be set manually, imported from prior systems, or suggested by Order3 based on observed usage; suggestions never apply without an operator confirming. Alerts deduplicate so one item bouncing around a threshold does not generate twenty notifications. They close when the underlying condition resolves through receipt, transfer, or threshold change.
In your day
Where it fits in your day
Restaurants prevent shortages on supplies between deliveries; the alert reaches the GM in time to add the item to the next order. Medical and dental practices alert on lot-sensitive supplies before they expire or run low at chairside. Manufacturing teams alert on raw materials with long supplier lead times because catching those late means a stalled line. Retail operators route alerts per category (apparel to one buyer, accessories to another) so notifications stay specific. The pattern is the same: the alert is a prompt to do something, and the next click should be the doing.
Controls
What you keep in control
Alerts do not place orders. They notify a human, who chooses the next action: reorder draft, transfer, count, or dismiss with a reason. Routing is configured per category, vendor, or location, with optional escalation if the first owner does not act within a window. Email and in-app notifications can be tuned independently. Noisy items can be muted with a documented reason. Every fired alert, dismissal, and escalation lands in the activity log, so you can audit whether the right person saw the right warning at the right time.
Low-stock alerts FAQ
How do reorder thresholds get set?
Thresholds can be set manually per item, imported from a prior system, or suggested by Order3 based on observed usage and lead time. Suggestions never apply automatically; an operator confirms or edits each one. For items where usage data is thin, a manual threshold is a good starting point and the system will surface a suggested update once enough movement history has accumulated. The reorder points guide walks through how to think about thresholds when you don't have years of data.
Can alerts go to different people for different items?
Yes. Routing supports per-category, per-vendor, and per-location ownership, plus an optional escalation if the first owner does not act within a configurable window. A retail operator can route apparel to one buyer and accessories to another. A multi-location operation can route per-store alerts to per-store managers. Workspace admins can override routing in a single place rather than item-by-item, which matters when an owner changes role and you do not want to walk through a thousand items.
Will I get spammed with alerts?
We work hard to avoid that. Alerts deduplicate on the same item bouncing around a threshold. They close automatically when the underlying condition resolves. Owners can mute noisy items with a documented reason that lives in the activity log so the mute is auditable. Email frequency is tunable independently of in-app notifications. The intent is that an alert means something. If your team is ignoring them, the routing or thresholds need adjustment, and the system surfaces that signal too.
Does the AI ever order things automatically?
No. Alerts are a notification; the purchasing agent prepares a draft when invited; a human approves the draft. Until higher-control modes are ready and explicitly enabled, the model is simple: alert, recommend, draft, human approves, action happens.
Can I get alerts on things other than low stock?
Yes. The same alert framework supports exceptions like aging stock crossing a threshold, count variance above a tolerance, lots approaching expiration, and transfers stuck in transit. Each runs on the same routing and escalation logic. If there is a specific signal that would change how your team operates (say, a sudden usage spike on a critical part) mention it during the conversation and we can scope whether it fits.
Free tools
Try the math before you commit
Try Low-stock alerts in Order3.
Start with one recurring inventory problem. Add the SKUs, locations, and counts that matter first, then bring in expert help when the rollout gets complex.