Reorder notifications
Set up and understand stock warnings: when SimpliServ reports that an item falls below the minimum stock, who gets the notification, how the reorder point and safety stock drive the colours, and why open purchase orders stop the warning
→ Open stock · Open reorder settings · Your notifications
The reorder notification (stock warning) fires as soon as an item falls below its reorder point – automatically, in the app, to everyone with access to stock. That way you reorder before something runs out, without constantly checking the stock list.
In short: reorder point = when a warning is issued. Safety stock = a buffer that turns yellow earlier. An open purchase order for the shortfall stops the warning. Each item reports once and only again after it's been replenished.
How the warning works
SimpliServ compares not the bare stock but the stock position with the reorder point:
Stock position = available stock + already-ordered (not yet delivered) quantity
If the stock position falls below the reorder point, the item is considered "to reorder". Because open supplier orders are counted in, an item stops warning as soon as you've triggered a purchase order – even if the goods haven't arrived yet.
available 3 + ordered 0 = position 3 < reorder point 5 → Reorder ⚠️
available 3 + ordered 10 = position 13 ≥ reorder point 5 → ok ✅ (PO covers it)Only real open purchase orders count as "ordered" (submitted, placed, partially delivered). Order drafts don't count – nothing has been triggered there yet.
Once only, no spam
An item triggers the notification once when it slips below the reorder point. Only when its stock position rises back to or above the reorder point (goods receipt or a triggered order) does it "re-arm". So a series of small sales doesn't produce dozens of notifications.
When it's checked
- Immediately on every stock movement (sale, booking out of an order, manual correction).
- Immediately on a change to a purchase order (triggering covers it, cancelling/expiring releases it again).
- Daily as a safety net at 07:00 – catches cases that don't trigger a movement: a raised reorder point, a changed default, notifications enabled after the fact, or a purchase order expired by date.
Reorder point & safety stock
Two values drive the warning and colour:
- Reorder point (also minimum stock): the threshold. Below this value → Reorder (red).
- Safety stock: a buffer above the reorder point. In this band the item is Low (yellow) – the early warning before it gets critical.
The stock display in the warehouse uses these values for the traffic light:
| Status | Meaning | Stock vs. threshold |
|---|---|---|
| In stock (green) | enough available | above the warning band |
| Low (yellow) | reorder soon | in the safety-stock buffer above the reorder point |
| Reorder (red) | below the reorder point | available stock < reorder point |
| Unavailable (grey) | empty | 0 or less |
Without a safety stock set, the yellow "Low" band falls back to its earlier width (up to twice the reorder point), so items without a buffer still keep an early warning. An item with no reorder point at all (threshold 0) is never marked as to reorder – there's no reorder rule then.
Where thresholds come from (precedence)
SimpliServ determines the effective reorder point for each stock row in this order:
Per stock row
A value set directly on the stock row wins. In stock you click a row's minimum stock and enter it inline.
Per product
If nothing is set on the row, the minimum stock stored on the product applies – for all warehouses of this product.
Account default
If neither applies, the default minimum stock from the reorder settings applies.
Setting it up
Turn on notifications
Open Administration → Inventory management and enable the Send reorder notifications toggle in the Reorder notifications area. (Needs admin.settings.update.)
Set default thresholds (optional)
Enter a default minimum stock and optionally a default safety stock. These apply to all items without their own values. 0 for the minimum stock = no warning for such items.
Maintain important items individually
For items that should be controlled more precisely, set the minimum stock directly on the product or inline in stock.
Check recipients
Make sure the right people have the stock permission (see below) and their personal notification is active.
Who gets the notification
The stock warning goes to all users with the View stock permission (inventory.view) whose personal setting Notify on low stock is active.
Everyone controls this for themselves under Settings → Notifications: switch the Notify on low stock option on or off. But the global toggle in inventory management overrides this – if it's off, no one gets warnings.
Seeing & acting on the warning
- Bell / notifications: a message in the format "Item name below minimum stock (available of reorder point)". A click takes you straight to stock.
- Stock list: at the top a note "X items below minimum stock" appears with a Show items button. Via the quick views you filter to the Reorder segment and see exactly the affected rows.
- Reorder: trigger a purchase order for the shortfall. As soon as the open order lifts the position back to/above the reorder point, the warning disappears – the goods don't have to have arrived yet.
Warning doesn't appear? Checklist
- Is the global Send reorder notifications toggle active? (Inventory management)
- Does the item even have a reorder point > 0 (row, product or default)?
- Does an open purchase order already cover the shortfall? Then "silent" is correct.
- Does the recipient have the
inventory.viewpermission and the personal option active? (Notifications) - Has the item already reported and not yet replenished (a one-time notification)? The daily safety net at 07:00 catches the rest.
Related topics
- Inventory management & storage — the default warehouse and the reorder settings in one place
- Manage inventory — stock, movements and stock count
- Inventory logic & stock control — how availability and reservations are calculated
- Workflows — automate reordering instead of reacting manually
How is this guide?