Reordering
Set a reorder point. When stock drops below it, Lana puts a card on your Ops Board. Batch everything by vendor when you're ready to order.
Reordering connects your inventory levels to your LeanBoards. The system watches your stock and surfaces what needs attention, so you're placing orders before anyone runs out.
How Reorder Points Work
Every item can have a reorder point and a reorder quantity.
Reorder point is the threshold. When on-hand quantity drops to this number, the item needs attention. Set it based on how quickly you go through the item and how long it takes to get more.
Reorder quantity is how many you order when restocking. This might be a case, a pallet, or whatever makes sense for that item and your vendor's minimums.
When someone adjusts quantity through Lana or by scanning a QR code and it drops at or below the reorder point, Lana automatically creates a card on your Ops Board in the New column.
Those cards are your early warning system. Check the Ops Board, see what's running low, and decide how you want to act on it. Most of the time, the move is to batch order, which is the next section.
Here's What This Looks Like
Six crews are out working. Throughout the day, they're consuming materials and telling Lana. By end of day, you've got reorder cards from multiple trailers on your Ops Board.
See What's Running Low
You check the Ops Board and see cards from multiple crews. Six items are running low across six different trailers.
Go to the Catalog and Grab What You Need
Open the Needs Reorder saved view. You can see everything that's below its reorder point. Select the items and hit Reorder in the action menu. The system groups them by preferred vendor, so all six Home Depot items end up on one card.
Hand Off the List
Export the items to a spreadsheet and send it to the person making the run. They've got the items, the quantities, and they know which trailers need restocking.
One Trip, Six Crews Restocked
One person goes to Home Depot, buys everything six crews need, restocks the trailers, and updates inventory. One trip instead of six emergency runs tomorrow morning.
Batch Reordering by Vendor
That's the idea behind batch reordering. Instead of reacting to each card one at a time, you group everything by vendor and make one run or one order per supplier.
Select Items That Need Reordering
Switch to the Needs Reorder saved view to see everything below its reorder point. Select the items you want to order using the checkboxes.
Create Reorder Cards
Click Reorder in the action menu. Choose who should own the cards (your purchasing person, ops manager, whoever handles ordering). You'll see a summary of how many items and cards will be created before you commit.
Cards Grouped by Vendor
The system creates one card per preferred vendor on your Ops Board. Each card includes a table with the items, SKUs, current on-hand quantities, and reorder amounts for that vendor.
Work the Cards
Open each card, grab the item list, and send it to the vendor however you normally order. Email, phone call, supplier portal. Move the card through the Ops Board columns as the order progresses: Ordering/Scheduling, Delivering, Done.
Update Inventory When It Arrives
When the order arrives, update your on-hand quantities. Tell Lana or edit directly in the catalog.
Setting Good Reorder Points
A reorder point that's too low means you run out before the order arrives. Too high means you're reordering constantly. Here's a simple approach:
Think about lead time. If it takes 3 days to get trimmer line and you use 2 rolls a day, your reorder point should be at least 6. Add buffer if your vendor is inconsistent.
Think about your ordering cadence. If you only place orders once a week, your reorder point needs to cover a full week of usage plus lead time.
Start with gut feel, then adjust. You know your consumption patterns better than any formula. Set something reasonable, then tweak it after a few cycles when you see how it actually works.
The Preferred Vendor Field
The preferred vendor field on each item drives the batch reorder grouping. When you create reorder cards, items with the same preferred vendor end up on the same card.
Take a few minutes to fill in preferred vendors when you set up your catalog. It makes batch reordering work the way it should.
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