Inventory Forecasting
The Inventory Forecasting page projects future demand based on historical sales velocity. It shows when each product will stock out, how much revenue you could lose, and factors in inbound purchase orders. Use it to identify which products need reordering and when.
Key Concepts
Sales Velocity
The average units sold per day over your selected lookback period (default: last 30 days). Velocity is normalized by actual in-stock days — if a product was out of stock for 10 of 30 days, velocity is calculated from the 20 days it was available, giving a more accurate demand signal.
Estimated Stockout Date
The date when a product's inventory is projected to reach zero, based on current velocity and on-hand stock. If inbound POs exist, the projection accounts for when those units will arrive and extend coverage.
Stockout Lost Sales
The estimated revenue you'll lose during days a product is projected to be out of stock within the projection window. Calculated day-by-day: for each day inventory is at zero, lost revenue = velocity × average selling price.
Inbound Purchase Orders
Purchase orders with status 'ordered', 'confirmed', or 'in transit' are factored into the forecast. The projected inventory line shows when inbound units arrive and how they extend your coverage window.
Estimated Growth
Apply a growth percentage to adjust velocity upward for growing products. This affects recommended reorder quantities and stockout projections. Set per-product or as a page-level default.
How to Use
Review Your Forecast
Select a forecast period (7, 14, 30, 60, or 90 days) and a velocity lookback window. The chart at the top shows aggregate projected sales, revenue, and inventory across all products. The table below shows per-product details.
Identify Stockout Risk
Sort by 'Est. Stockout' column to see which products will run out soonest. Products with stockout dates within your lead time need immediate reordering. The 'Stockout Lost Sales' column shows the financial impact.
Adjust Velocity & Growth
Click a product's velocity value to override it inline. Use the 'Est. Growth' column to apply growth factors to individual products. Changes recalculate instantly without an API call.
Start a Purchase Order
Select products using the checkboxes, then click 'Start Purchase Order' to create a PO pre-populated with recommended quantities. Or click 'Start Purchase Order' at the top to include all products that need reordering.
Tips & Best Practices
- ✓Use the 30-day forecast for routine reordering and the 90-day forecast for seasonal planning.
- ✓Focus on the 'Stockout Lost Sales' column to prioritize — it shows the financial impact, not just the timing.
- ✓If a product's velocity seems off, check the Sales History tab to see if there were anomalies (promotions, stockouts) in the lookback period.
- ✓Set growth factors for products you're actively marketing or expect seasonal uplift on.
- ✓The forecast chart's 'Extrap. Available Inventory' line shows when your total inventory crosses zero — that's your aggregate stockout threshold.