You are halfway through a job and the part you need is not on the truck or the shelf. So you stop, drive to get it, and come back. The job runs long and the day slips.
Most shops handle this by “just knowing” what is low. That works until the week someone is away and nobody notices the shelf is empty.
Free: the Stock and Reorder Checklist. Know what is on the shelf and when to reorder, in one page. Get the checklist
What running out costs you
Running out of a part mid-job costs you twice: once in the delay and again in the trip to get it. Ordering too much costs you differently, with cash sitting on a shelf in stock that is not moving.
Why shelves run empty
Nobody decides to run out. Stock levels live in someone’s head, there is no set point at which to reorder, and the check only happens when someone happens to look. A written minimum and a weekly check remove the guesswork.
The process: four steps from guessing to reordering
1. Set a minimum and a maximum for each regular item
Decide how low you are willing to let it go, and how much you want on hand after you restock.
Example: “Minimum 5 filters, maximum 20.”
Pro tip: Start with the ten items you reorder most often. You do not need to cover everything on day one.
2. Check one list weekly
Look at a single list of what is below its minimum, instead of walking the shelves.
Example: “Friday afternoon, review what is under minimum.”
Pro tip: Put the check on the calendar so it does not depend on who is in.
Free: the Stock and Reorder Checklist. Know what is on the shelf and when to reorder, in one page. Get the checklist
3. Review the order before it goes out
Look at the suggested quantities and adjust. You know things the list does not, like a big job coming up.
Example: “Increase pipe fittings for next week’s install.”
Pro tip: Compare against what you actually used last month before you approve.
4. Adjust for the season
Things that move differently in summer and winter need different limits. Update them twice a year.
Example: “Raise the winter minimum on heater parts in October.”
Pro tip: Write a note when you change a limit so you remember why.
Where this runs
The four steps work with a notebook or a spreadsheet. In the business system we set up for clients (Odoo Community), you set a reordering rule on each product with a minimum and maximum, and when stock drops below the minimum Odoo suggests a purchase, or drafts the purchase order depending on how you configure it. A replenishment view lists everything that needs attention in one place. The process is the point. The tool just keeps it going when you are busy.
Your next step
Pick your ten most-used items and write down a minimum and a maximum for each today. If you want to see it running, the free 7-Day Growth Challenge on inventory shows you how.
Free: the Stock and Reorder Checklist. Know what is on the shelf and when to reorder, in one page. Get the checklist