Inventory Requests

Learn how to request materials from warehouse inventory instead of ordering from vendors

Overview

An Inventory Request allows field workers to draw materials from existing warehouse stock rather than creating a new purchase order. This is ideal when you have materials in inventory that can fulfill project needs.

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When to Use Inventory Requests

Use Inventory Request When…	Use Purchase Order When…
Materials are in stock	Stock is unavailable
Faster fulfillment needed	New materials required
Using company-owned materials	Ordering from vendors
Transferring between projects	Replenishing inventory

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Step 1: Check Stock Availability

Before creating a request, verify materials are available:

1. Go to Inventory

   Navigate to Inventory from the main menu.

2. Search for Material

   Search for the material you need.

3. Check Available Quantity

   Verify there’s enough available stock to fulfill your need.

Stock marked as “Available” can be requested. “Committed” stock is already reserved for other requests.

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Step 2: Create an Inventory Request

1. Click New Request

   From Inventory or Requests, click + New Inventory Request.

2. Select Project

   Choose the project that needs the materials.

3. Select Warehouse

   Choose the warehouse to draw from.

4. Add Materials

   Select the materials you need and enter quantities.

5. Set Pickup/Delivery Details

   Specify whether materials will be picked up or delivered, and when.

6. Submit

   Click Submit Request for review.

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Step 3: Request Approval

After submission, the request goes through your approval workflow:

Inventory Request States

State	Description
Draft	Request being created, not yet submitted
Unreviewed	Submitted and awaiting review
Approved	Request approved, ready for fulfillment
Prepare Materials	Warehouse is preparing the order
Ready for Pickup	Materials staged and ready
Delivered	Materials received at destination
Rejected/Cancelled	Request denied or cancelled

For Requesters

After submitting, you’ll receive notifications as your request progresses:

• When approved or rejected
• When materials are ready for pickup
• When materials are marked as delivered

For Approvers

To review requests:

1. Go to Inventory Requests or your task list
2. Open the pending request
3. Verify stock availability and request details
4. Click Approve or Reject

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Step 4: Warehouse Fulfillment

Once approved, the warehouse team fulfills the request:

1. View Approved Requests

   Warehouse staff see approved requests in their queue.

2. Prepare Materials

   Click Start Preparation to begin picking materials.

3. Pick and Stage

   Gather the materials and stage them for pickup.

4. Mark Ready

   Click Ready for Pickup when materials are staged.

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Step 5: Pickup or Delivery

Pickup

1. Requester is notified materials are ready
2. Requester goes to warehouse
3. Warehouse confirms pickup
4. Request is marked Delivered

Delivery

1. Warehouse arranges delivery to job site
2. Materials are transported
3. Recipient confirms receipt
4. Request is marked Delivered

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What Happens to Stock?

When an inventory request is processed:

Stage	Stock Impact
Request submitted	No change
Request approved	Quantity moves from “Available” to “Committed”
Materials delivered	Quantity is consumed (removed from inventory)
Request cancelled	Committed quantity returns to “Available”

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Tracking Your Requests

Viewing Request Status

1. Go to Inventory Requests
2. Use filters to find your requests
3. Click on a request to see details and history

Request History

Each request shows:

• Who created it and when
• Approval/rejection history
• Fulfillment timeline
• Any notes or comments

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Handling Issues

Partial Fulfillment

If the warehouse can’t fulfill the complete request:

1. Warehouse marks partial quantities as ready
2. Requester is notified of the shortage
3. Remaining quantities can be:
   • Fulfilled later when stock arrives
   • Cancelled and ordered from vendor

Stock Discrepancies

If stock isn’t actually available:

1. Warehouse flags the issue
2. Request may be partially fulfilled or rejected
3. Inventory is adjusted to reflect actual counts

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Best Practices

Check Stock First

Verify availability before submitting requests to avoid delays.

Plan Ahead

Submit requests with enough lead time for fulfillment.

Clear Details

Include pickup times and contact info for smooth handoff.

Confirm Receipt

Always confirm delivery to update inventory accurately.

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Related Guides

Managing Inventory

Learn how to track and manage warehouse stock.

Creating Purchase Orders

Order new materials when inventory isn’t available.