How do I manage inventory levels?

Inventory Levels allows you to set minimum and maximum stock thresholds for products in your warehouses. When stock drops below your minimum level, you can choose to receive an alert or have the system automatically create a restock order to bring inventory back to your maximum level. This guide will show you how to create, edit, and manage your inventory levels.

Creating an Inventory Level

To create a new inventory level:

From the sidebar, go to Asset Management → Inventory Levels
Click the Actions dropdown in the top right corner
Select New inventory level
Select your warehouse from the dropdown
If you see a region field, select the region where this inventory level applies
- The region field only appears if your organization has regional transfer disabled
Choose a product from the dropdown
- Only products with pricing for your selected warehouse and region will appear
Set your minimum level - the stock quantity that triggers restocking (default is 1)
Set your maximum level - the target stock quantity after restocking (default is 2)
- Maximum must be greater than minimum unless they're both 1.
Configure your restocking options:
- Include used inventory - Turn this on to count used items toward your stock levels when calculating availability
- Enable automatic reordering - Turn this on to automatically create restock orders when stock drops below minimum, or leave it off to receive manual alerts instead
If automatic reordering is enabled and your current stock is below the minimum, you'll see an order preview in the right sidebar
- Review the products, quantities, and pricing
- Check the confirmation box to acknowledge the order details
Click Save inventory level

You'll see a success message and the new inventory level will appear in your table.

Editing an Inventory Level

To edit an existing inventory level:

From the Inventory Levels table, find the inventory level you want to change
Click the Actions menu (three dots) in that row
Select Update level
The edit dialog opens with your current settings pre-filled
You can adjust:
- Minimum level
- Maximum level
- Include used inventory toggle
- Enable automatic reordering toggle
Note: You cannot change the warehouse, region, or product - these fields are locked once created
If your changes require a restock order (for example, raising the minimum above current stock), you'll see an order preview in the right sidebar
- Review the products, quantities, and pricing
- Check the confirmation box to acknowledge the order details
Click Save changes

Your inventory level will be updated, and if a restock order was needed, it will be created automatically.

Removing an Inventory Level

To remove an inventory level:

From the Inventory Levels table, find the inventory level you want to remove
Click the Actions menu (three dots) in that row
Select Remove level
A confirmation dialog appears asking: "Are you sure you want to remove this inventory level for [Product Name]?"
Click Yes, remove level to confirm (or No to cancel)

The inventory level will be removed immediately and you'll see a success message. Once removed, the level will no longer trigger alerts or automatic orders.

Note: If you need to manage this product again in the future, you'll need to create a new inventory level with the same warehouse and product.

Understanding Minimum and Maximum Levels

What is the Minimum Level?

The minimum level is the threshold that triggers restocking:

When your available stock drops to or below this number, the system takes action
If automatic reordering is enabled, the system creates a restock order automatically
If automatic reordering is disabled, you'll receive an alert to place an order manually
Must be at least 1

What is the Maximum Level?

The maximum level is your target stock quantity:

This is the amount of stock you want to reach when restocking
When a restock order is needed, the system calculates: Order quantity = Maximum level - Available stock
Must be greater than your minimum level unless they're both 1

Example

Let's say you set:

Minimum level = 5
Maximum level = 20

How it works:

When stock drops to 5 or below, a restock order is triggered
If you have 3 units available, the order will be for 17 units (20 - 3 = 17)
This brings your stock back to your target of 20 units

Choosing Between Automatic Reordering and Manual Alerts

When you create an inventory level, you can choose how the system responds when stock drops below your minimum level.

Automatic Reordering (Enabled)

When you enable automatic reordering:

The system automatically creates a restock order when stock drops below minimum
No manual intervention required
Order quantity brings inventory back to your maximum level
You receive a notification: "Automatic restock order created"
Click the notification to view the order details
The order appears in Inventory Orders and is ready for fulfillment

Best for: Predictable, high-volume items where you always want to maintain stock without manual review.

Manual Alerts (Disabled)

When you disable automatic reordering:

The system sends you an alert when stock drops below minimum
You must manually decide whether to place an order
Click "Place order" in the alert to open the inventory order flow
Product, warehouse, and quantity details are pre-filled for you
You can review, adjust if needed, and submit the order yourself

Best for: Items where you want to review before ordering, such as seasonal products, expensive items, or products with variable demand.

You can change this setting at any time by editing the inventory level.

Understanding Include Used Inventory

The "Include used inventory" toggle controls whether used items are counted when calculating your available stock.

When Turned On

Available stock = New items + Used items + Pending orders
The system considers both new and used inventory when checking if you're below minimum
Restock orders are triggered based on total availability (new + used)

When Turned Off (Default)

Available stock = New items only + Pending orders
Used items are ignored in availability calculations
Restock orders are triggered only when new items drop below minimum

Example

Let's say you have:

Minimum level = 10
Maximum level = 20
Current stock: 4 new items, 8 used items

With "Include used inventory" turned ON:

Available stock = 12 (4 new + 8 used)
No restock order is triggered because you're above the minimum of 10

With "Include used inventory" turned OFF:

Available stock = 4 (new items only)
A restock order for 16 units would be triggered (20 - 4 = 16)

When to Use This Setting

Use "Include used inventory" based on whether you treat used items as readily available for your inventory strategy. If your organization regularly deploys both new and used equipment, turn this on. If you only want to maintain new inventory levels, leave it off.

Viewing and Managing Alerts

Inventory Levels can generate alerts that appear in the notification bell icon at the top right of your screen.

Where to Find Alerts

Look for the bell icon in the top right corner of the navigation bar
A badge shows the count of active alerts
Click the bell icon to open the alerts dropdown
Alerts refresh every 60 seconds automatically

Types of Alerts

Stock Below Minimum Level

This alert appears when stock drops to or below your minimum level and automatic reordering is disabled.

What it says: "Stock for [Product] in [Warehouse] dropped below its minimum level. Review this item and place a restock order to reach your maximum level."

What to do:

Click the alert to view details
Click the "Place order" button
The inventory order flow opens with product, warehouse, and quantity pre-filled
Review the details, adjust if needed, and submit the order

The alert disappears once stock rises above the minimum level.

Automatic Restock Order Created

This alert appears when stock drops to or below your minimum level and automatic reordering is enabled.

What it says: "Stock for [Product] in [Warehouse] dropped below its minimum level. A restock order has been automatically created to replenish up to your maximum level."

What to do:

Click the alert to view details
Click "View order details" to see the order that was automatically created
You'll be taken to the inventory order page where you can track the order status

This is informational only - no action is required. The alert remains visible for 7 days after the order is created.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What's the difference between minimum and maximum levels?

The minimum level is the threshold that triggers restocking. When your available stock drops to or below this number, the system takes action (either creating an automatic order or sending you an alert). The maximum level is your target stock quantity after restocking. When a restock order is needed, the system calculates: Order quantity = Maximum level - Available stock. For example, if your minimum is 5, maximum is 20, and you have 3 units available, the restock order will be for 17 units (20 - 3 = 17).

2. What does "Include used inventory" mean?

This toggle controls whether used items are counted when calculating your available stock. When turned on, available stock includes new items + used items + pending orders. When turned off (default), available stock only includes new items + pending orders. For example, if you have 4 new items and 8 used items with a minimum of 10: with the toggle on, your available stock is 12 (no restock needed); with the toggle off, your available stock is 4 (restock order triggered).

3. What's the difference between automatic restock and manual alerts?

Automatic reordering (enabled): The system automatically creates a restock order when stock drops below minimum. No manual intervention required. You receive a notification that an order was created, and you can click to view the order details.

Manual alerts (disabled): The system sends you an alert when stock drops below minimum. You must manually review and decide whether to place an order. Click "Place order" in the alert to open the inventory order flow with details pre-filled.

Use automatic reordering for predictable, high-volume items. Use manual alerts for items where you want to review before ordering, such as seasonal products or expensive items.

4. What does the order preview show when I'm creating a level?

The order preview appears in the right sidebar when automatic reordering is enabled and your current stock is below the minimum level you've set. It shows the product breakdown grouped by category, quantity needed for each product, unit price per item, and the subtotal cost. For subscription items, it shows both the first month cost (including one-time warranty) and the monthly cost after that. You must check the confirmation box before you can save the inventory level.

5. Why is the Save button disabled?

The Save button is disabled when required fields are missing (warehouse, product, minimum level at least 1, maximum level greater than minimum), when the order preview is still loading (if automatic reordering is enabled), or when validation errors exist. If a restock order is needed and automatic reordering is enabled, you must also check the confirmation box before the Save button becomes active.

6. Can I change the warehouse or product after creating an inventory level?

No. Once an inventory level is created, you cannot change the warehouse or product. These fields are locked when you edit an inventory level. You can only change the minimum level, maximum level, include used inventory toggle, and automatic reordering toggle. If you need to change the warehouse or product, you must remove the existing inventory level and create a new one with the correct warehouse and product combination.

7. How do I filter and search for specific inventory levels?

Use the search bar at the top of the page to search by product name, SKU, brand, or other product details. Click the Filters button to open a drawer with filter options including brand, category, warehouse, inventory levels (number range for minimum or maximum quantities), and dynamic product metadata filters. Active filters appear as chips below the action bar. Click the X on any chip to remove that filter, or click "Clear all" to remove all active filters at once.

8. How do I export my inventory levels?

To export your inventory levels, go to Asset Management → Inventory Levels, optionally apply filters or search to narrow down the data, click Actions → Export, and wait for the progress bar to complete. The CSV file automatically downloads to your computer. The export includes only the columns currently visible in your table and only the rows that match your active filters and search. Use the column configurator to show or hide columns before exporting.

9. What do the alerts in the bell icon mean?

Inventory Levels generates two types of alerts in the notification bell at the top right:

"Stock below minimum level" appears when stock drops to or below your minimum level and automatic reordering is disabled. The alert tells you which product and warehouse needs restocking. Click "Place order" to open the inventory order flow with details pre-filled. The alert disappears once stock rises above minimum.

"Automatic restock order created" appears when stock drops to or below your minimum level and automatic reordering is enabled. This is informational - the system has already created the order. Click "View order details" to see the order. These alerts remain visible for 7 days.

10. How do I respond to a "Stock below minimum" alert?

Click the alert in the bell icon dropdown to view details. Review the alert message to see which product and warehouse needs restocking. Click the "Place order" button. The inventory order flow opens with the warehouse, product, and quantity pre-filled for you. Review the order details, adjust if needed, and submit the order. The alert will disappear once stock rises above the minimum level (alerts refresh every 60 seconds).

11. What should I do when I see an "Automatic restock order created" alert?

No action is required - this is an informational alert. The system has already created and submitted a restock order on your behalf. To view the order, click the alert in the bell icon dropdown and click "View order details." You'll be taken to the inventory order page where you can see the order status, products being restocked, and quantity and pricing details. These alerts remain visible for 7 days after the order is created.

12. What types of notifications are supported for inventory levels?

Currently, inventory level alerts appear only in the notification bell within your Firstbase account. You'll receive alerts when stock drops below minimum levels (for both automatic and manual restock scenarios). We're planning to expand notification options in a future release to include email notifications and webhooks, giving you more flexibility in how you receive and manage inventory alerts.

13. Can I access inventory levels via API?

Not currently. Inventory levels are only available through your Firstbase account interface. We're planning to add API access in a future release, which will allow you to programmatically retrieve and manage inventory levels for integration with your external systems.

14. What happens if I delete an inventory level by mistake?

Once you remove an inventory level, it's removed immediately and will no longer trigger alerts or automatic orders. The level is hidden from your Inventory Levels table. If you need to manage this product again, you'll need to create a new inventory level with the same warehouse and product combination. Historical data is preserved for audit purposes, but you won't be able to recover the exact settings - you'll need to reconfigure the minimum, maximum, and toggle settings.

15. Can I set up inventory levels for multiple products at once?

No, you must create inventory levels one product at a time. Each inventory level requires you to select a warehouse, product, and configure the minimum level, maximum level, and restocking options individually. This ensures you can set appropriate thresholds and automation settings for each product based on its specific needs and usage patterns.