Items At Risk Of Stockout: Why Zero SOH Appears

by Alex Johnson 48 views

The Mystery of the Stockout Warning: When Zero SOH Triggers an 'At Risk' Alert

Have you ever been diligently managing your inventory, keeping a close eye on stock levels, only to be met with a puzzling alert? You're looking at your dashboard, specifically the section for products 'at risk of being out of stock', and suddenly, an item with absolutely zero Stock on Hand (SOH) pops up. This can be incredibly confusing, especially when the established criteria for this alert seem to be bypassed. We understand that when you see an item flagged as 'at risk,' you expect it to have some stock remaining, not a complete absence of it. The logic is straightforward: 'at risk' implies a potential future shortage, not a current one. A product with zero SOH is already out of stock, and should ideally be categorized as such, not merely 'at risk.' This discrepancy can lead to misinterpretations of your inventory status and potentially affect your reordering strategies. The goal here is to ensure that the 'at risk of being out of stock' category accurately reflects items that are approaching a stockout, based on consumption rates and current stock levels, while items already at zero should be clearly identified in a separate 'out of stock' category. This distinction is crucial for effective inventory management, allowing for timely and appropriate actions to prevent actual stockouts and maintain a smooth supply chain. The system should intuitively differentiate between a looming shortage and a confirmed absence of stock, providing clarity and actionable insights for all users.

Understanding the 'At Risk' Calculation: The Core of the Issue

The 'at risk of being out of stock' calculation is designed to be a proactive measure, giving you a heads-up before a product completely disappears from your shelves. The standard requirements for an item to be flagged as 'at risk' are quite specific: it must have an Average Monthly Consumption (AMC) greater than zero, and it must have a positive Stock on Hand (SOH). The formula then checks if the current Stock on Hand, when divided by the AMC, falls below a predetermined number of months' consumption preference. This preference is a configurable setting, allowing you to define what 'at risk' means for your specific operational needs. For instance, if your preference is set to 3 months, any item where (Stock On Hand / AMC) < 3 would be flagged. The intention is to catch items that, at their current rate of usage, will likely run out within your defined threshold in the near future. Therefore, the presence of any SOH is a fundamental part of this calculation. Without it, the very premise of calculating 'months of consumption' becomes invalid. This is why seeing an item with SOH = 0 appear in the 'at risk' list is a clear indication that something in the system's logic isn't aligning with these requirements. It suggests a potential oversight in how the conditions are evaluated, or perhaps an edge case that hasn't been fully accounted for in the algorithm. We need to ensure that the system consistently adheres to these defined parameters to provide reliable and accurate inventory insights. The integrity of these alerts directly impacts your ability to make informed decisions, so precision is paramount.

The Unexpected Guest: An Item with Zero SOH on the 'At Risk' List

Let's delve deeper into the specific scenario that caused this concern. When reviewing the dashboard and applying the filters for products at risk of being out of stock, an item with a Stock on Hand of precisely zero was identified. This is problematic because, by definition, an item with zero SOH is already out of stock. It has not only reached the point of being 'at risk' but has surpassed it. The 'at risk' status is intended for items that are approaching a stockout, not those that have already reached it. The visual evidence, as shown in the provided screenshot, clearly illustrates this anomaly. You can see the item listed, indicating it's considered 'at risk,' yet its SOH is non-existent. This contradicts the expected behavior where only items with SOH > 0 and a consumption rate that places them within the 'at risk' threshold should be flagged. The expectation is that such an item would be accurately categorized under 'out of stock' products, providing a clear and immediate signal of its current unavailability. This distinction is vital for efficient inventory management. If items that are already out of stock are mixed with those merely at risk, it can dilute the urgency of the 'at risk' alerts and potentially lead to a delayed response to critically low stock situations. The system's accuracy in categorizing stock levels directly influences operational efficiency and customer satisfaction, making it imperative to resolve this. We want the dashboard to be a true reflection of your inventory reality, enabling swift and effective decision-making.

Expected Behavior: Clarity in Stock Categorization

When we talk about expected behavior, we're essentially describing how the system should function ideally. In the context of stock alerts, the expectation is clear segmentation. An item that is already out of stock, meaning its Stock on Hand (SOH) is zero, should be exclusively listed under the 'Out of Stock Products' category. This provides a direct and unambiguous alert that the product is currently unavailable. Conversely, the 'Products at Risk of Being Out of Stock' category should be reserved for items that meet specific criteria indicating a potential future shortage. This means these items must have a positive SOH and a consumption rate that, when projected, suggests they will fall below a critical threshold within a defined period. The key differentiator here is the imminence of the stockout. 'Out of Stock' signifies a current state of unavailability, while 'at risk' signifies a future potential state of unavailability. For instance, if an item has SOH of 5 units and an AMC of 10 units per month, and your 'at risk' threshold is 3 months, it's not yet at risk because (5 / 10) = 0.5 months of consumption, which is less than 3. However, if that same item had SOH of 20 units and AMC of 10 units, and your threshold was 1 month, then (20 / 10) = 2 months of consumption, which is greater than 1, would flag it as 'at risk'. The crucial point is that SOH must be greater than zero for the 'at risk' calculation to be meaningful. If SOH is zero, the calculation (0 / AMC) will always result in zero, which might technically fall below some thresholds but fundamentally misrepresents the item's status. Therefore, the expected behavior is a clean separation: SOH = 0 means 'Out of Stock,' and SOH > 0 coupled with consumption projections means 'At Risk.' This ensures that users can trust the alerts and take appropriate actions based on the accurate categorization of their inventory.

A Step-by-Step Reproduction of the Anomaly

To truly understand and address the issue, it's essential to be able to replicate it consistently. Here’s a breakdown of the steps that lead to the incorrect display of an item with zero Stock on Hand (SOH) in the 'at risk of being out of stock' list:

  1. Initiate with Zero Stock: The prerequisite for this bug is to have an item in your inventory where the Stock on Hand is exactly zero (SOH = 0), but the Average Monthly Consumption (AMC) is greater than zero (AMC > 0). This sets the stage for the discrepancy.
  2. Navigate to 'Out of Stock' Products: Begin by going to your main Dashboard. From there, navigate to the 'Stock Levels' section and select the 'Out of Stock products' view. At this point, the item with SOH = 0 should correctly appear here, as it is indeed out of stock. This step confirms the item is recognized in its current, unavailable state. This is the expected and correct behavior for items with no stock.
  3. Return to Dashboard and Select 'At Risk' Products: After observing the item in the 'Out of Stock' list, navigate back to the main Dashboard. Again, go to 'Stock Levels,' but this time, select the 'Products at risk of being out of stock' view.
  4. Observe the Incorrect Placement: This is where the anomaly occurs. The same item that you just confirmed has zero SOH and is correctly listed as 'Out of Stock' will now also appear in the 'Products at Risk of Being Out of Stock' list. This is the incorrect behavior (🚫). It suggests that the system is not properly differentiating between an item that is currently unavailable and one that is merely approaching unavailability. The logic intended to flag items nearing depletion should not include those that have already reached zero stock. This reproduction clearly highlights the flaw in the filtering or calculation mechanism for the 'at risk' category, as it's failing to exclude items that have already met the 'out of stock' condition.

Your Environment: Understanding the Context

To help diagnose and resolve the issue effectively, understanding the specific environment where this bug is occurring is crucial. The versions of the software and the platform used can significantly influence how the system behaves and where potential conflicts or errors might lie.

  • Open mSupply Version: The version of Open mSupply currently in use is V2.13.00-RC-11171659. This specific release candidate build provides a snapshot of the software's state, and any issues could be specific to this version or its underlying changes.
  • Legacy mSupply Central Server Version: Complementing the Open mSupply version, the Legacy mSupply Central Server is running on V8.06.00. The interaction between these two components is important, as data synchronization and processing might be affected by the versions of both.
  • Platform: The issue was observed while using Google Chrome (browser for Mac). Browser-based issues can sometimes arise due to caching, rendering differences, or JavaScript execution specific to the browser environment. Knowing the browser and operating system (macOS in this case) helps in isolating whether the problem is system-wide or browser-specific.
  • Database Type: The underlying data storage is a PostgreSQL database. Database configurations and specific SQL query executions can play a role in how data is retrieved and interpreted, so confirming the database type is essential for a comprehensive analysis.

Having these details allows developers to pinpoint potential areas of the codebase, specific configurations, or environmental factors that might be contributing to the bug. It's like providing a detailed map to the problem, making the troubleshooting process much more efficient. Without this context, it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. This detailed information is invaluable for reproducing the bug in a controlled test environment and implementing a robust fix. We appreciate you providing this comprehensive overview of your setup, as it significantly aids in the diagnostic process.

Conclusion: Ensuring Accurate Stock Alerts for Smarter Inventory Management

It's clear that the discrepancy where items with zero Stock on Hand (SOH) are appearing in the 'at risk of being out of stock' list is a critical issue that needs resolution. This anomaly undermines the reliability of stock alerts, potentially leading to confusion and inefficient inventory management. The core problem lies in the system's failure to strictly adhere to the defined logic: 'at risk' should imply a potential future shortage based on positive SOH and consumption rates, while 'out of stock' should definitively signal a current absence of product (SOH = 0). By ensuring that items with zero SOH are only displayed in the 'Out of Stock' category, and that the 'at risk' category accurately reflects items genuinely approaching depletion, we can restore confidence in the system's reporting.

This fix is not just about correcting a technical glitch; it's about enhancing the usability and effectiveness of the inventory management tools. Accurate and well-segmented alerts empower users to make timely and informed decisions, optimize reordering processes, prevent costly stockouts, and ultimately ensure a more robust and efficient supply chain. We are committed to refining the system's logic to provide a clear, unambiguous, and actionable view of your inventory status. For further insights into best practices for inventory management and stock control, you can explore resources from leading organizations in the field. A great starting point for comprehensive inventory management strategies can be found at Supply Chain Management Review, which offers extensive articles and case studies on optimizing supply chain operations. Additionally, understanding lean inventory principles might provide further context on managing stock efficiently; resources on Lean Enterprise Institute offer valuable information in this area.