📉 My Purchase Advice is Too Low
Do you feel that the given ordering advice is consistently on the low side? When you open the Purchase Page and see an order quantity that doesn't seem like enough to cover your expected demand, it can be stressful.
However, Optiply calculates exactly what is needed based on the data and constraints it is currently being fed. If the advice feels too low, there is likely a setting or data point telling the algorithm to hold back. Here is a breakdown of the most common causes and how to fix them.
🛑 1. Key Takeaways: Diagnosing the Issue
If your purchase advice is too low, check these three core areas of your Optiply environment:
Factor 1: Supplier Settings (Reorder Period & Lead Time)
Your supplier constraints heavily dictate how much the system buys at one time.
Low Reorder Period: The more often you tell the system you plan to order, the smaller your purchase advice will be. If your reorder period is set to 3 days, Optiply only buys enough stock to survive those 3 days! Increasing the reorder period (e.g., to 14 or 30 days) will immediately lead to larger purchase orders.
Incorrect Delivery Times: If the Set Lead Time in Optiply is lower than the actual, real-world lead time, the system thinks it can get stock faster than it actually can, leading to lower advice.
⚠️ Important Note: Your delivery time must include the supplier's transit time plus any extra days required for your own inbound operations (like receiving, checking, and shelving the delivery).
Factor 2: Desired Service Levels
Optiply's purchase advice is mathematically tied to your Desired Service Levels. Lower service levels will always result in less needed stock. If an 'A' category product has accidentally been assigned an 85% service level, the algorithm will order significantly less buffer stock because it assumes you are comfortable with occasional stockouts. Ensure your service levels are high enough for your most important items!
Factor 3: Inaccurate Stock Data
Your current stock position is the baseline used when determining the final purchase amount. The algorithm looks at your forecasted demand and subtracts what you already have. If your webshop or ERP is feeding Optiply incorrect data (e.g., inflating your "free stock" numbers or showing pending deliveries that never actually arrived), Optiply will think you already have enough inventory and lower the advice.
❓ 2. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Where do I adjust my Reorder Period and Delivery Times?
These are supplier-specific settings. Navigate to the Suppliers page from the main top menu, click on the specific supplier you are troubleshooting, and adjust their delivery constraints in their information panel.
Where can I check if my stock data is accurate?
You can click on any product on the Purchase Page or the Products page to open its data overlay. Here, you can review exactly what Optiply currently registers as your "Free Stock" and "Pending Deliveries." If these numbers do not match what is physically in your warehouse, you need to correct the stock count in your source system (e.g., Lightspeed, Shopify, Magento).
What if I have an upcoming promotion?
If you know a product is going to sell out fast because of an upcoming marketing campaign, but the purchase advice is low, it means the algorithm doesn't know about the sale! Use the Promotions module to tell Optiply to expect a spike in demand, and the purchase advice will increase accordingly.