Configure Reorder Levels and Automatic Material Requests

Use automatic reordering to create Material Requests when the projected quantity of an item reaches a set level. This helps the purchasing or stock team act before available stock becomes too low.

This guide explains how to set a warehouse reorder rule, include supplier lead time, enable the daily check, and review the Material Request that NexWave creates.

Before you start

Make sure that:

  • You have access to update Item and Stock Settings records.

  • The item is a stock item.

  • The destination and availability-check warehouses are available.

  • The item has the correct stock unit of measure.

  • You know whether the required action is to purchase, transfer, manufacture, or issue stock. Use Material Issue only for planned outbound demand, not replenishment.

  • You know the minimum quantity that the business wants available and the normal replenishment quantity.

  • You know the usual supplier lead time if the item will be purchased.

Use one clear owner for reorder settings. A person with access to Stock Settings can enable or stop the automatic process for all items.

How automatic reordering works

NexWave runs a scheduled stock check each day when automatic reordering is enabled.

For each active rule, NexWave compares the projected quantity with the Re-order Level. Projected quantity considers stock on hand and open demand and supply. This includes quantities from open Material Requests, Purchase Orders, and reservations.

When the projected quantity is equal to or below the Re-order Level, NexWave creates a Material Request. The request quantity starts with the Re-order Qty. If a larger quantity is needed to restore the projected quantity to the reorder level, NexWave uses the larger quantity.

For example, if the projected quantity is 1, the Re-order Level is 5, and the Re-order Qty is 10, the request quantity is 10. If the projected quantity is minus 8, the shortage to the level is 13, so the request quantity is 13.

NexWave groups triggered items by company and request type, so one automatic Material Request can contain several items. It normally creates and submits each request. A validation, such as a NexWave Budget control, can prevent a purchase request from being submitted. Review each request before you create the next transaction.

Choose the rule values

Set values that match the way the item is replenished.

Field

Use

Request for

Select the destination warehouse that will receive or use the requested stock.

Check Availability in Warehouse

Select the warehouse or warehouse group that NexWave will use to calculate projected quantity.

Re-order Level

Enter the projected quantity that triggers the request.

Re-order Qty

Enter the normal replenishment quantity.

Material Request Type

Select Purchase, Transfer, or Manufacture for replenishment. Select Material Issue only to plan stock leaving the warehouse.

If Check Availability in Warehouse is a warehouse group, Request for must be a warehouse within that group.

Re-order Level and Re-order Qty use the item's stock UOM. For a purchase request, NexWave converts the quantity to Default Purchase Unit of Measure when it is configured. NexWave rounds up after conversion when the purchase UOM must be a whole number.

Use the following guidance when you choose quantities:

  • Set Re-order Level high enough to cover expected use during the replenishment lead time.

  • Set Re-order Qty to a practical purchase, transfer, or production quantity.

  • Consider minimum supplier quantities, pack sizes, storage capacity, and normal demand.

  • Review the values after demand, lead time, or supplier terms change.

Configure the item reorder rule

  1. Open the Item record.

  2. Open the Inventory section.

  3. Find Auto re-order.

  4. Select Add Row.

  5. Set Request for.

  6. Set Check Availability in Warehouse.

  7. Enter the Re-order Level.

  8. Enter the Re-order Qty.

  9. Select the Material Request Type.

  10. Save the Item record.

Item reorder settings with a warehouse rule

Item reorder settings with a warehouse rule


Open the row to review all rule values together.

Reorder rule details for purchase replenishment

Reorder rule details for purchase replenishment


Use warehouse-based reorder levels

Use the Reorder level based on Warehouse table when each warehouse needs its own reorder rule. Add one row for each required destination and availability-check scope.

Keep the setting clear when more than one warehouse can hold the same item. A broad warehouse group can prevent a new request if another warehouse in that group has enough projected stock.

Set purchasing information and lead time

For a purchase rule, open the Purchasing section of the Item record and review:

  • Default Purchase Unit of Measure: NexWave uses this unit on the purchase Material Request when it is available. Otherwise, it uses the stock unit of measure.

  • Minimum Order Qty: use this as a reference when you choose the reorder quantity and prepare the order.

  • Safety Stock: use this planning value where required. It does not replace the warehouse Re-order Level used by the automatic trigger.

  • Lead Time in days: enter the normal number of days between placing an order and receiving the item.

Purchasing settings with the item lead time

Purchasing settings with the item lead time


Although this field is in the Purchasing section, NexWave uses Lead Time in days to set Required By for every automatic request type. For example, a lead time of 5 days sets the required date 5 days after the scheduled check.

Enable automatic Material Requests

  1. Open Stock Settings.

  2. Open the Stock Planning section.

  3. Enable Raise Material Request When Stock Reaches Re-order Level.

  4. If required, enable Notify by Email on Creation of Automatic Material Request.

  5. Save Stock Settings.

Stock Planning settings for automatic Material Requests

Stock Planning settings for automatic Material Requests


The email option notifies enabled users with the Purchase Manager or Stock Manager role. Company permissions can limit which notifications a user receives.

Review the generated Material Request

After the daily check runs:

  1. Open Material Request from the Stock workspace.

  2. Filter by the current date, Purpose, or item if required.

  3. Open the generated request.

  4. Confirm Purpose, Company, Transaction Date, and Required By.

  5. In Items, confirm Item Code, Quantity, Warehouse, and UOM.

  6. Check that the request is submitted and that the quantity is reasonable.

  7. Review other open supply and demand before you create the next transaction.

Automatically created purchase Material Request

Automatically created purchase Material Request


For a purchase request, use Create to prepare a Purchase Order, Request for Quotation, or Supplier Quotation, according to your purchasing process.

For a transfer or manufacture request, continue with the related stock or production process.

For a Material Issue request, use Create and then Issue Material to create the outbound stock transaction. Use this request type carefully. A submitted open Material Issue reduces projected quantity and can cause another automatic issue request during the next daily check.

Confirm the projected quantity

Use the Stock Projected Quantity report when you need to explain why a request was or was not created.

  1. Open the Stock workspace.

  2. Open Stock Projected Quantity.

  3. Filter by the item and warehouse.

  4. Review the actual quantity, planned supply, open requests, open orders, and reserved quantities.

  5. Compare the projected quantity with the item's Re-order Level.

If Check Availability in Warehouse is a warehouse group, total the projected quantities for all child warehouses in the group before you compare the result with Re-order Level. The report shows child warehouse rows rather than one group total.

Do not use the on-hand quantity alone. An open submitted Material Request or Purchase Order can increase projected supply and prevent a duplicate automatic request.

The report deducts POS reservations from the displayed projected quantity. The automatic reorder check does not deduct those reservations in the same comparison. If POS reservations alone take the displayed quantity to or below Re-order Level, an automatic request might not be created.

Change or stop automatic reordering safely

To change one item:

  1. Open the Item record.

  2. Update or remove the required row under Auto re-order.

  3. Save the Item record.

  4. Review open Material Requests and Purchase Orders. Changing the rule does not cancel existing documents.

To stop all automatic Material Requests:

  1. Open Stock Settings.

  2. Disable Raise Material Request When Stock Reaches Re-order Level.

  3. Save Stock Settings.

  4. Review existing Material Requests. Disabling the setting does not cancel them.

Review checklist

Before you rely on automatic reordering, confirm that:

  • Raise Material Request When Stock Reaches Re-order Level is enabled.

  • The correct Item records contain active Auto re-order rows.

  • Request for is the correct destination warehouse.

  • Check Availability in Warehouse uses the intended stock scope.

  • Re-order Level and Re-order Qty match current demand and supplier terms.

  • Material Request Type matches the replenishment process.

  • Material Issue is used only for planned outbound demand.

  • Re-order Level and Re-order Qty are set in the item's stock UOM.

  • Lead Time in days is current for purchased items.

  • Any applicable NexWave Budget allows the purchase request to be submitted.

  • Open Material Requests and Purchase Orders are reviewed regularly.

  • The generated request is checked before another transaction is created.

Troubleshooting

No submitted Material Request was created

Check that the global setting is enabled and the Item record is saved with a complete reorder row. Then review Stock Projected Quantity. Open submitted Material Requests, Purchase Orders, planned supply, or stock in the selected availability-check warehouse can keep the projected quantity above the trigger level.

For a purchase request, review the applicable NexWave Budget. A budget configured to stop over-budget transactions can prevent the automatic request from being submitted. System Managers receive an automatic reorder error email. Resolve the budget issue and review any draft request before the next scheduled check.

The check runs on a daily schedule. A rule added after the scheduled check will normally be assessed during the next run.

The request quantity is larger than the Re-order Qty

NexWave uses the larger of the normal Re-order Qty and the shortage required to restore projected quantity to the Re-order Level. Review current demand, reservations, and open supply.

The wrong warehouse affected the calculation

Review Check Availability in Warehouse. A warehouse group includes projected stock from its child warehouses. If each location must be assessed separately, use separate warehouse-based rules.

The required date is not correct

Review Lead Time in days in the Item's Purchasing section. NexWave adds this number of days to the scheduled check date.

A duplicate request appears to exist

Compare the creation times and item rows of the requests. Confirm that earlier requests were submitted before the next scheduled check. Also review whether more than one reorder row covers the same stock scope.

No email was received

Confirm that Notify by Email on Creation of Automatic Material Request is enabled. The recipient must be an enabled user with the Purchase Manager or Stock Manager role and access to the relevant company.

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