Feature Request: Sync inventory across multiple locations

[crystalimages]

The title of this post has been edited from the original: Multi-Location Inventory - All locations use same inventory

Is there a way to have multiple locations use the same inventory? We sell orders from several locations and need to track by location, but the inventory comes from the same stock. Aside from assigning a certain amount of inventory to each location, and likely having to shuffle the inventory around within square, and possibly thinking we are out and ordering more when there's plenty in the inventory of another location... Can certain items be assigned from a central inventory stock and other items be location specific? 

I'm not seeing this is possible now, but is it something being considered? 

I'm using Square POS, not retail. I believe retail has a more robust inventory system, but retail is just far more in general than we need.

[Joe]

Hi there, @HappyValleyFarm - thanks for taking the time to add your voice here to this Feature Request. I appreciate you giving so much context to how this would personally help your farm, this is really good insight.

Also thanks for sharing your workaround - hopefully others benefit from this and are successful in implementing something similar while this feature is developed. 

Another workaround here would be to designate specific stock for each of your ordering platforms (location A, B, etc.) to mitigate orders from being purchased without available stock - although we realize that this is not a permanent solution.

We will continue to update this thread as we have more information to share regarding this feature. We appreciate you hanging tough in the meantime.

[SGFarm]

This reply was created from merging an existing thread: Is there a way to sync inventory for multiple locations

I have a farm and we do drop points and I have had to setup multiple locations for these drop points.  People order for pick up at the Farm, the farmers market and a restaurant parking lot where we meet people with their order.  Im having a hard time tracking inventory when i have to split my inventory between three locations.  i would like to be able to have the same inventory for all three locations.  I have the same products available at all three, I just want the inventory to be the same.  if i have 30 whole chickens, i split it up 10 at each location.  I might sell out at one and I have to move some from one location to the one I sold out at every time.  Is there a way that I can set this up.  

I have thought about taking away the locations and making a modifier for check out where the customer chooses their pick up point.  Im worried they will think they can choose the date and time for these places which is not an option as they are all set dates and times.  Please help.

[mattd]

Hi @SGFarm,

There isn't currently a way to pool inventory across multiple locations. It's kind of a logistics question that you are facing. There may an app for this in the Square Marketplace under Items & Inventory.

This is also a fairly straightforward process that could be accomplished with the Orders and Inventory API. How an API around this, might look something like:

• Putting the total number of current stock at each location. (Inventory API can do this)
• Have the Orders API notify you of an event, OrderLineItem Quantity Purchased
• Update total number of current stock with the Inventory API. (InventoryAdjustment)

[Jiveturkeylegs1]

This is something I desperately need! I have a food truck and have multiple locations enabled but one “POOL” of inventory. When I go from one location to another I have to take inventory at the end of each location if I’m not at the primary location because the second and third location doesn’t pull from the primary location and this Is very be time wasting And sometimes isn’t able to be done considering how soon the next event starts.

Also, the new online store beautifully displays “Sold Out” when something is out of stock due to selling out but if I change locations, this isn’t displayed and customer can order something I’m actually sold out of if I don’t catch it, login and make the item(s) unavailable.

This creates a lot of extra steps that more times than not, happens!

[HappyValleyFarm]

@Joe any new news on this?  Your last answer made it clear this feature wasn't in development - has your team added this to the to-do list yet or is it still in the 'let's see how many people request it' phase?

[ashc]

Hey @HappyValleyFarm,

We'll be sure to update the threads when any new improvements come through or as we get updates ourselves.

You can read more about how Feature Requests Work here. 

[coopsfarm]

My business is a farm business. We have a main farm store where we produce everything(like a warehouse) and throughout the season we travel to farmers market and local pop up events etc. One time locations or One day a week locations for example.

Could we see an update were one inventory is linked for multiple locations? Currently, if you want  add another pick up location, it has to have its own inventory. This is super frustrating. 

We are looking for the online store to be the only inventory we have to manage... this inventory will be for every location, when a customer goes to check out...they select where the will pick it up and we, the business, will get it there.

It is not feasible to have multiple inventories for each locations. This would logistically work much better not only for our style of business, but others as well.

Is something like this possible ??

We love your apps and software, its has made our business soar! Just hoping  some of these features could be utilized in the next software update.

[Kassi_]

Hey @coopsfarm - 

Welcome back to the Community. 

Right now, this would be a Feature Request. I moved your post to a thread where other sellers have made a similar request. 

Keep an eye out for Product Updates with more information! 

[angrybooch]

I have one physical location that holds all of our inventory, but I have been forced to set up multiple locations for reporting and now online orders due to COVID-19 sales pivoting. Currently Square POS only allows me to manage inventory per location (which only makes sense for physical businesses?). Now that we have an online store, we have different locations for pickup orders and with low or limited inventory it's tedious to manage and risky if I sell something I do not have. I'm one business, with one master inventory and would like to set up a single inventory amount that covers all my locations and deducts when an item is sold. I see there are other sellers with this issue since 2016, but no update. Square for Retail doesn't make sense to use for this simple feature, but the POS system should have this especially since most businesses are going online now. I believe this would help many others like me. 

[AshleyK]

Hey! Thanks for reaching out and leaving your feedback regarding this feature. I hear you - having a master location for inventory would be really useful. I can say that the multiple locations feature is meant to represent physical locations, not organizational locations, which is why you are experiencing the issue you are. 

I know that Square for Retail seems like a large expense for this feature, but it is currently the only and best option so that you can transfer stock between locations in the moment. 

I will continue to share your thoughts with our Development Team as well, but thanks so much for your time. Let me know if you have any other questions.