📗Guide

Introduction:

Firstly let us understand what is "Low Stock Notifier" ? How does it work? And what are it's benefits?

What is Low Stock Notifier ?

Low Stock Notifier application helps users to create a notifier so that whenever the stock items reaches to a threshold value (minimum value) then users will get detailed notification on low stock items via email/slack.

The main purpose of Low Stock Notifier is that merchants can have a track on low stock items in the store so that the items can be replenished on time without having any impact on the services.

How does Low Stock Notifier works?

“Low Stock Notifier” application works in such a way that it compares the total available number of variant inventory or product inventory with threshold level. If the available number of product inventory or variant inventory is less than or equal to the threshold level then a notification is sent to the recipient email id (email id given at the time of creating notifier).

For example, If the threshold value is set to zero and if the product inventory value reaches less than or equal to the threshold value then a an email will be triggered for a given email ID.

Advantages of Low Stock Notifier:

✔️ Users can track low stock items location wise.

✔️ Configuring frequency of scheduler is highly flexible.

✔️ Users can configure notifier on instant real-time basis.

✔️ Users can edit existing notifiers as per their requirement.

✔️ Users can customize notifiers based on the filters available.

✔️ User can configure notification channel either it can be email or slack.

✔️ Users can get notifications with an attached CSV file. A CSV file gives detailed description of all the low stock items.

The steps involved in creating a notifier are described in detail below:

Firstly download "Low Stock & In Stock Notifier" app in the shopify platform.

After successful download launch the application the welcome screen is presented as shown in the below image:

To create a notifier click on "Add New Notifier" which is present on the top right corner of the dashboard page.

Let's follow step-by-step procedure to create a notifier:

STEP 1 : Enter the notifier details:

To create a notifier merchant should enter all the details.

In the details section the available fields are - Name field, Location, Stock threshold level and Compare stock threshold level with variant inventory or product inventory.

➡️ Name field :

• The name of a notifier has to be provided by the user. It can have any name and it is customizable by a user.

• It is the mandatory field.

• Length of a name should be between 3 to 70 characters.

• The name given for a notifier is visible in the dashboard. And also it is visible in the emails body such as like “Notifier : Notifier name”.

• Use of a name field is that an user can identify a notifier by the name which they have given at the time of creating a notifier.

➡️ Location :

In the shopify platform a merchant can configure multiple locations in the settings which is available in the store. Here location implies that the physical presence of the stock items or products in that particular location.

We can set a notifier by selecting the location of the stocks. So that if stock value becomes less than or equal to threshold value for that particular location then an email will be sent to recipients email id.

➡️ Stock threshold level :

It's basically a numeric value. An user can set any value based as per their requirement. The value which is set here is compared with the number of stocks available. If any of the stock value becomes less than or equal to the threshold value then notification will be sent to the recipient email id.

➡️ Compare stock threshold with :

A stock threshold level can be compared with product inventory or variant inventory.

Compare stock threshold with product inventory - In the shopify platform for a product the total inventory number is available - as shown in the screenshot below.

Total inventory number is compared with the threshold level and if the number is less than or equal to the threshold level then a notification is sent to recipient email id.

Compare stock threshold with Variant inventory - In the shopify platform for a product the total inventory number is available - as shown in the screenshot below.

For each variant there is a number of availability of stocks based on locations is shown. This number is compared with threshold level and if the number is less than or equal to the threshold then a notification will be sent to recipient email id.

After entering all the details let's move forward to configure frequency.

STEP 2 - Frequency : “Configure the timing for the scheduler to execute and send notification.”

In the “Frequency” section the merchant can predefine timings and select specific days on which a low stock notification has to be sent.

There are two ways to set frequency or to configure timings of the scheduler to send notifications.

1. Scheduled:

We have options such as -

➡️ Run on following days:

• Users can select any day.

• Low stock email notifications will be sent on those selected days.

➡️ Time to run (*Timezone: America/New_York) :

• Users can define time so that a notifier email will be sent for that particular time which is set by the user.

➡️ Repeat interval - There are 4 options available

a. Run once in a day - A scheduler which is set for a particular period of time and day(s) will run only once a day.

b. Run in every 3 hours - A scheduler will run for every 3 hours.

c. Run in every 6 hours - A scheduler will run for every 3 hours.

d. Run in every 12 hours - A scheduler will run for every 12 hours.

➡️ Filters:

a. "Send notification only if there is at least 1 low stock item" - Whenever this option is enabled then the email will be sent only if there is at least one low stock item . If there is no low stock item then email will not be sent.

b. "Do not send same items again until the stock is replenished" - Whenever this option is enabled then unless and until the stock is replenished(recover/fill products in the store) an email will not be sent.

2. Instant (Real-time):

This is a very special feature wherein a notification will be sent automatically based on real time. Whenever a stock value reaches a threshold value set by a user while creating a notifier.

And there is one option available that is - Do not send the same items again until the stock is replenished. Whenever this option is enabled then unless and until the stock is replenished(recover/fill products in the store) an email will not be sent.

STEP 3 - Set Filters:

There are 13 filters available they are:

1. “Products inventory tracked by shopify only” -

This filter will check whether in the inventory “Track quantity” is enabled or not (Shown in image below). If enabled then for such products the available number is compared with the stock threshold level. If the product available number is less than or equal to the value which is set as a threshold level then an alert email will be sent. Indicating that the stock level is low.

2. “Products must be visible to online store” -

This filter will check whether the product is visible for the online store or not. In the below image we can find out whether the product is visible as online store or not.

3. “Exclude products/variants which are set to "Continue selling out of stock"

This filter will check whether the “Continue selling out of stock” option is enabled or not. If enabled then this filter will exclude all such products and considers remaining products and compares the available number of products with threshold level.

4. “Product status must be” dropdown -

This filter will work based on the status of the product. There are three status of the products : Active, Draft and Archived. The dropdown is available to select status of the product as shown in the below image.

If active is selected in the dropdown then all the active product available number is compared with threshold level and email is triggered.

Same for draft and archived products.

5. “Include items from following Collections only” - (A dropdown with collection list)

This filter will work based on the name of the collection. This filter will check only for the products belonging to the particular collection. It will compare product available value with threshold level set. And hence the notifier email will be triggered if the product value is less than or equal to the threshold value set.

A list of collections available in the store is as shown below in the image.

6. “Include only following Products” - (A dropdown with product list)

This filter will work based on the product name. A user can select any number of products and if this filter is applied then it will check for only selected products and compare the product available number with threshold level set. If the product available value is less than or equal to threshold level set then a notifier email will be sent to recipients email id.

7. “Include only following Variants” - (A dropdown with variants list)

This filter will work based on the variant's name. A user can select any number of variants available in the list. and if this filter is applied then it will check for only selected variants and compare the products available number with the threshold level set. If the product available value is less than or equal to threshold level set then a notifier email will be sent to recipients email id.

The below images appears once when you click on the link to set stocks at variant levels. We can set stock threshold levels for any variant and we can add it to filter.

8. “Exclude following Variants” - (A dropdown with variants list)

This filter will work based on the variant's name. A user can select any number of variants available in the list. and if this filter is applied then it will check for only selected variants and excludes those variants from comparing with threshold level.

9. “Variant-Title must contain any of the following Substring of the Title”

This filter will work based on the variant's title. For example if the variant name is “XL / green and golden / Silk” and in the filter if any substring is entered such as “Green” then the variants whose title consists of substring “Green” is filtered and the available number of such variants is compared with the set threshold level. If the available variant number is less than or equal to the threshold value set then the notifier email will be sent to the recipient.

10. “Product-Title must contain any of the following Substring of the Title”

This filter will work based on the product's title. For example if the product name is “Kurthi - clothes” and in the filter if any substring is entered such as “kurthi” then the products whose title consists of substring “kurthi” is filtered and the available number of such products is compared with the set threshold level. If the available product number is less than or equal to the threshold value set then the notifier email will be sent to the recipient.

11. “Product must contain any of the following Vendors”

This filter will work based on the product vendor's name. For example if the product vendor's name is “Nakshatra” and in the filter the same vendor name is entered then the products with the given vendors name is filtered and the available number of such products is compared with the set threshold level. If the available product number is less than or equal to the threshold value set then the notifier email will be sent to the recipient.

12. “Product must contain any of the following Tags”

This filter will work based on the product tags name. For example if the product tag name is “Modern” and in the filter the same tag name is entered then the products with the given tag name is filtered and the available number of such products is compared with the set threshold level. If the available product number is less than or equal to the threshold value set then the notifier email will be sent to the recipient.

13. “Product must NOT contain any of the following Tags”

This filter will work in such a way that if any tag names for a product is added then such products will be excluded

STEP 4 - Notifications :

Merchants can configure the channel to send the low stock notification via email or slack.

If a merchant selects email, Then an alert will be sent to a particular email Id which is given at the time of creating a notifier.

An email notification received will have the content which is provided in the editor at the time of creating a notifier. A csv file which contains all the stock details can also be attached to an email just by enabling csv file functionality and also data can be sorted in the email content and excel sheet by choosing a required sort type.

Here is the detailed description for configuring the channel via email to send alerts:

➡️ “Emails To” text field:

• This is a mandatory field.

• Multiple email ids can be given.

• Email ids which are added to a notifier can also be deleted.

• Email Id’s are entered in this text field to which low stock notifications/alerts are sent.

➡️ “Bcc” text field:

• This is an optional field.

• Multiple email ids can be given.

• While sending alert emails, bcc also can be added.

• After adding emails to bcc and later if it has to be deleted then delete option is available.

➡️ “Reply-To” text field:

• This is an optional field.

• If email is given to this field then in the alert email we can reply to that email id. It is customizable by a merchant as per their requirement.

• By default low-stock-notifer@xeonapp.com is available.

➡️ “Email subject” text field:

• “ Shopify - Low Stock Items - [{{ meta.current_date }}] ” by default this subject line is available in the field. A merchant can customize email subject lines as per their requirement.

➡️ “Message” text field:

• It is basically an email body..

• WYSIWYG editor that lets you create email templates quickly and easily.

➡️ “Attach CSV file”:

• By default the csv file is selected and the csv file consists of a list of sku, products, product type, variant, vendor, barcode, inventory_quantity, price, trade_price, stock_threshold, below_threshold_quantity and location.

Please find the attached screenshot below:

➡️ “Items sort type”:

There are 6 different types of sorting options available they are:

1. Inventory quantity - low to high

2. Inventory quantity - high to low

3. Product title - A-Z

4. Product title - Z-A

5. Vendor title - A-Z

6. Vendor title - Z-A

This sorting is applied for the csv file and also in the email body/template.