Why move stock before you buy more
When an item runs low in one warehouse, buying more is not always the answer. Another warehouse may already be holding more than it needs. Moving that extra stock is usually quicker and cheaper than placing a new purchase order. The Replenishment dashboard in Inventory points this out for you.
Before you start
- You need permission to view the replenishment report. Without it the Replenishment tab is not shown.
- To create or post the transfer, you also need permission to create and post stock transfers.
- Your items need a reorder point, and ideally a lead time and safety stock, so the dashboard has something to work with.
Find the surplus
Select Dashboard in Inventory, then the Replenishment tab. The page is called Replenishment planning. It lists items that are at or below their reorder point, largest suggestion first, under Replenishment recommendations.
Next to the list is the Suggested action card. It shows the item the dashboard is currently looking at, with its available stock, confirmed inbound, daily demand, lead time and safety stock. By default this is the most urgent item. Under it sits the Rebalance before purchase card.
Read the Rebalance before purchase card
The card tells you how much of the item is above what the location needs for its own safety stock and lead time. It also shows roughly how many days of demand that extra stock would cover. The surplus is worked out after the location has kept what it needs for itself, so moving it should not create a new shortage where the stock came from.
The card only appears when the item has a suggested quantity and there is some surplus. If you see Nothing to rebalance, nothing is being held above the location's own needs, and buying is the way to cover the gap.
Raise the transfer
Select Raise a transfer on the card. The New Stock Transfer screen opens, described as a way to move stock between warehouses, locations or branches. The dashboard never moves stock by itself, so you fill in the details yourself:
- Check the Document Date. Leave Document No. empty to number the transfer automatically.
- Choose the From Warehouse that holds the surplus and the To Warehouse that needs stock. Both are required.
- Choose a Transfer Reason.
- Under Items, add the item and the quantity to move. You can also use Scan Barcode or Import (CSV).
- Select Save as draft to keep it for later, or Save & post to move the stock.
Keep the quantity within the surplus shown on the card, so the sending warehouse is not left short.
If it still is not enough
If the surplus does not cover the whole gap, transfer what you can and use the rest of the suggested quantity to plan a purchase. Select Review calculation on the Suggested action card to see every input behind the number.