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Inventory Alert History Documentation

Menu Location: Products > Reports > Inventory Alert History

Access Level: Manager and above

Last Updated: 2026-03-01

Overview

The Inventory Alert History page displays a log of all low-stock alerts generated by your inventory management system. When product inventory drops below predefined minimum thresholds, alerts are created and logged here. This page helps you track stockout warnings, monitor alert resolution, ensure timely reordering, and analyze inventory management effectiveness.

Primary Functions:

  • View history of low-stock inventory alerts
  • Track which products frequently trigger alerts
  • Monitor alert response times
  • Verify alerts were addressed
  • Analyze patterns in inventory shortages
  • Improve reorder point settings

Page Layout

Header Section

  • Date Range Filter - Filter alerts by when they were generated
  • Product Filter - View alerts for specific products
  • Status Filter - Resolved vs. unresolved alerts
  • Export Button - Download alert history data
  • Search Box - Find specific products or alerts

Main Content Area

Table displaying inventory alerts with columns:

  • Alert Date - When alert was generated
  • Product Name - Product that triggered alert
  • Quantity at Alert - Inventory level when alert fired
  • Minimum Threshold - Configured reorder point
  • Alert Severity - Critical, Warning, or Info level
  • Days to Resolve - Time from alert to restocking
  • Resolved - Whether inventory was replenished
  • Actions - View product, dismiss alert

Understanding Alert Levels

Alert Severity Types

Critical (Red):

  • Inventory at 0 or below
  • Complete stockout
  • Orders cannot be fulfilled
  • Immediate action required
  • Customer impact imminent

Warning (Yellow):

  • Inventory below minimum threshold
  • Stock running low
  • Reorder needed soon
  • May cause stockout if not addressed
  • 1-3 days until stockout estimated

Info (Blue):

  • Inventory approaching minimum
  • Early warning signal
  • Plan reorder
  • No immediate risk
  • Informational only

How Alerts Are Generated

Automatic Triggers:

  1. Inventory drops below configured minimum threshold
  2. System generates alert
  3. Alert logged in this history page
  4. Notification sent (email/SMS if configured)
  5. Alert remains until inventory replenished above minimum

Manual Triggers:

  • Admin can manually generate alert for specific product
  • Used for anticipated shortages
  • Pre-ordering reminders

Common Use Cases

Use Case 1: Daily Alert Review and Response

Goal: Ensure all inventory alerts are addressed promptly

Steps:

  1. Filter: "Alerts Last 24 Hours" + "Unresolved"
  2. Review each alert:
    • Critical alerts: Order immediately, consider substitutions for today's orders
    • Warning alerts: Place order today for delivery tomorrow
    • Info alerts: Add to weekly order list
  3. For each alert:
    • Check supplier availability
    • Place order or contact supplier
    • Note expected delivery date
    • Set follow-up reminder
  4. Mark alerts as "Action Taken" in notes

Frequency: Every morning before order fulfillment

Impact: Prevent 70-80% of potential stockouts

Use Case 2: Identify Chronic Problem Products

Goal: Find products that frequently trigger alerts

Steps:

  1. Export: "All Alerts Last 90 Days"
  2. Analyze in spreadsheet:
    • Count alerts per product
    • Products with 5+ alerts = chronic issue
  3. Example findings:
    • "Organic Chicken Breast": 12 alerts in 90 days
    • "Wild Salmon": 8 alerts in 90 days
    • "Grass-Fed Ground Beef": 2 alerts (acceptable)
  4. For chronic alert products:
    • Increase minimum threshold (reorder sooner)
    • Increase order quantities
    • Find backup supplier
    • Consider substitution options
  5. Monitor if alert frequency decreases

Success Metric: Reduce alerts by 50% for chronic products

Use Case 3: Measure Alert Response Time

Goal: Track how quickly team responds to alerts

Steps:

  1. Filter: "Resolved Alerts Last 30 Days"
  2. Review "Days to Resolve" column
  3. Calculate averages:
    • Critical alerts: Avg 0.5 days (same day) ✓
    • Warning alerts: Avg 1.2 days
    • Info alerts: Avg 3.5 days
  4. Set targets:
    • Critical: Same day (0 days)
    • Warning: Within 1 day
    • Info: Within 3 days
  5. Identify delays and address:
    • Supplier lead time too long?
    • Order process bottlenecks?
    • Insufficient alert monitoring?

Benchmark: 90% of critical alerts resolved same day

Use Case 4: Optimize Reorder Points

Goal: Adjust minimum thresholds to reduce unnecessary alerts

Steps:

  1. Find product with frequent alerts
  2. Review alert history:
    • Alert at 10 lbs
    • Order placed same day
    • Delivery 2 days later
    • Usage during those 2 days: 15 lbs
  3. Calculate optimal minimum:
    • Lead time usage: 15 lbs
    • Safety buffer (20%): 3 lbs
    • New minimum: 18 lbs
  4. Update product minimum threshold
  5. Monitor if alerts still appropriate

Result: Fewer false alerts, better stock management

Use Case 5: Prepare Weekly Alert Report

Goal: Summarize alert activity for management review

Steps:

  1. Export alerts from last week
  2. Create summary:
    • Total alerts: 45
    • Critical: 8 (all resolved same day)
    • Warning: 25 (avg 1.1 days to resolve)
    • Info: 12 (avg 2.8 days to resolve)
    • Top 5 products by alert count
    • Average response time
  3. Stockouts prevented
  4. Include action items:
    • Products needing threshold adjustment
    • Supplier issues identified
    • Process improvements needed
  5. Present to management

Frequency: Weekly or monthly

Alert Management Best Practices

Alert Configuration

Setting Appropriate Minimums:

  • Calculate lead time demand
  • Add safety stock buffer (20-30%)
  • Account for demand variability
  • Consider supplier reliability

Formula: Minimum Stock = (Average Daily Usage × Lead Time Days) × Safety Factor

Example:

  • Chicken Breast usage: 10 lbs/day
  • Supplier lead time: 3 days
  • Safety factor: 1.25 (25% buffer)
  • Minimum: (10 × 3) × 1.25 = 37.5 lbs

Alert Response Process

Critical Alerts:

  1. Assess immediately (within 1 hour)
  2. Check current orders for this product
  3. Contact supplier for emergency order if possible
  4. Implement substitution plan for today's orders
  5. Document issue and resolution

Warning Alerts:

  1. Review same day
  2. Place order within 24 hours
  3. Verify expected delivery
  4. Monitor inventory until resolved

Info Alerts:

  1. Add to order list
  2. Include in next regular order
  3. No immediate action required
  4. Monitor doesn't escalate to warning

Alert Escalation

When to Escalate

Escalate to Manager If:

  • Critical alert unresolved after 4 hours
  • Supplier cannot fulfill emergency order
  • Product needed for today's orders unavailable
  • Chronic alert pattern indicates systemic issue
  • Multiple critical alerts simultaneously

Escalation Actions:

  • Manager contacts backup suppliers
  • Approve substitutions
  • Communication to customers if needed
  • Budget approval for premium shipping

Troubleshooting

Too Many Alerts

Symptoms:

  • Dozens of alerts daily, overwhelming to manage

Causes:

  1. Minimums set too high
  2. Demand forecasting inaccurate
  3. Ordering frequency too low

Solutions:

  • Review and lower minimum thresholds
  • Improve demand forecasting
  • Increase ordering frequency (daily vs. weekly)
  • Adjust safety stock percentages

Missing Alerts

Symptoms:

  • Stockouts occurring without prior alerts

Check:

  1. Are minimum thresholds configured for all products?
  2. Is alert system enabled?
  3. Are alert notifications being delivered?
  4. Is inventory being updated correctly?

Solution: Configure missing minimums, verify alert system functioning

False Alerts

Symptoms:

  • Alerts firing but inventory actually sufficient

Causes:

  • Inventory count inaccurate
  • Minimum too high for actual usage
  • Seasonal demand not accounted for

Solutions:

  • Physical inventory count to verify accuracy
  • Adjust minimums based on actual usage
  • Seasonal threshold adjustments
  • Inventory (inventory.php) - Current inventory levels, set minimums
  • Inventory History (inventory-history.php) - Historical inventory trends
  • Products (product_classifications_active.php) - Configure product minimums
  • Menu Inventory (build_menu.php) - View projected inventory needs

Permissions & Access

Required Access Level: Manager or higher

Access Level Capabilities:

  • Manager: View alerts, export data, basic management
  • Administrator: All manager capabilities + configure alert thresholds
  • Kiva Admin: All features + system alert configuration

Best Practices

Alert Monitoring

  1. Check daily - Review alerts every morning
  2. Prioritize by severity - Critical first, then warning, then info
  3. Track response times - Measure days to resolve
  4. Document actions - Note what was done for each alert
  5. Trend analysis - Weekly review of patterns

Threshold Management

  1. Review quarterly - Adjust minimums based on actual usage
  2. Seasonal adjustments - Higher minimums in peak seasons
  3. Account for lead times - Longer lead times = higher minimums
  4. Safety stock - 20-30% buffer above lead time demand
  5. Test and refine - Adjust based on stockout frequency

Process Optimization

  1. Automated ordering - Trigger orders from alerts automatically
  2. Supplier integration - Real-time lead time updates
  3. Demand forecasting - Better predictions = better minimums
  4. Alert routing - Different alerts to different team members
  5. Mobile notifications - SMS/push for critical alerts

Quick Reference Card

Task Action/Location
View today's alerts Filter: Last 24 Hours
Find critical alerts Filter: Severity = Critical
Check unresolved alerts Filter: Resolved = No
Find problem products Export data, count alerts per product
Measure response time Review Days to Resolve column
Set product minimum Products > Edit product > Minimum Inventory
Dismiss alert Click action > Dismiss (only if resolved)
Export alert data Click Export button

FAQs

How are minimum thresholds set?

Usually configured per product in product settings. Based on lead time, average usage, and safety buffer. Should be reviewed quarterly and adjusted based on actual experience.

What happens when alert fires?

Alert logged in this history page. Optionally: Email/SMS notification sent to inventory manager. Alert shows on dashboards until resolved.

How do I know when alert is "resolved"?

Alert auto-resolves when inventory replenished above minimum threshold. Or can manually mark as resolved with notes about action taken.

Why am I getting alerts for products we discontinued?

Product still marked as active but not ordered anymore. Either mark product inactive or set minimum to 0 to stop alerts.

Can I configure different alert thresholds for different days of the week?

Usually no in basic systems. Some advanced systems allow day-specific minimums. Otherwise, set minimum based on highest-demand day.

How do I reduce false alerts?

Review minimum thresholds vs. actual usage. Lower minimums if stock always adequate despite alerts. Verify inventory counts are accurate.

Should I keep info-level alerts enabled?

Yes, they're helpful early warnings for ordering planning. Can disable if truly too noisy, but losing advance notice.

What if supplier lead time changes?

Update minimum thresholds accordingly. Longer lead time = higher minimum needed. Review and adjust all products from that supplier.

Can customers see these alerts?

No, internal only. Customers don't see low stock warnings unless you choose to communicate stockouts separately.

Change Log

2026-03-01

  • Initial documentation created
  • All sections completed per template requirements
  • Included alert severity levels
  • Added threshold calculation formulas

End of Documentation

For additional help, contact your system administrator or Kiva Logic support.