From Stockouts to Streamlined

Demand forecasting, supplier management, and real-time inventory insights—all from one powerful platform.
November 7, 2024 by
From Stockouts to Streamlined
Micro Mutiny Inc., Mika Botkin


Welcome to the world of inventory management, where "just in time" often feels like "just in chaos."

Managing inventory with the right inventory management software is the key to balancing supplier relationships, forecasting demand, and somehow maintaining sanity when lead times unexpectedly double. For product-based businesses, it's the kind of challenge that can make or break success.

Many founders with strong products and loyal customers nearly burn out juggling suppliers, manufacturers, and inventory. It’s not a matter of disorganization; traditional inventory control solutions weren’t built for the fast pace of modern business. That’s where supply chain automation comes in—it saves time, anticipates needs without human error, and removes the burden of manual processes.

The Lead Time Lottery

Lead times shift unpredictably, disrupting production schedules and leaving customers waiting. One week, a supplier delivers in five days; the next, it’s ten. Up pops a problem with shipping, and suddenly you're in a high-stakes guessing game with your production schedule. 

With Odoo, automated lead time management keep you prepared for these changes, ensuring you never fall short of what you need, or order more than you'll use. 

You can set custom lead times for each supplier, and as schedules change, Odoo automatically factors them into future orders. Automated reordering generates purchase orders based on the latest timings, so you’re less likely to be caught off guard by delays.

The best part? You barely have to lift a finger.

The Multi-Supplier Symphony​

Let's say you're running a sauce company. Your signature sauce needs  ingredients from five different suppliers, and your manufacturer needs them on-site three days before production. Miss one delivery window, and your entire  production schedule unravels.

Odoo’s supply chain automation capabilities keep all your supplier data—including lead times, minimum order quantities, and order history—organized on one dashboard. When it’s time to reorder, Odoo calculates quantities based on your needs and sends purchase orders directly to suppliers.

This setup lets you quickly assess supplier reliability and manage relationships in one place, making it easier to build a dependable supply chain.

The Goldilocks Dilemma - Not Too Much, Not Too Little

Let's be honest - no one ever said "I love doing inventory counts" and meant it (except maybe Tera... but she's built differently). 

Striking the right balance between enough stock and avoiding overstock can be a challenge. Too much inventory ties up cash and space. Too little, and you lose sales.

Odoo’s demand forecasting tools analyze past sales to predict future needs, so you can order with confidence. If your sales spike every December, Odoo recognizes the pattern and prompts you to adjust stock levels ahead of time.  

With a custom automated reordering system, you set ideal stock thresholds, and Odoo will generate a purchase order automatically when levels drop, and will never order an amount that takes you above your threshold.

Real-Time Inventory Tracking

Here's a question that shouldn't make you break into a cold sweat: "How many units of X do we have in stock right now?"

If answering that requires a physical count or diving into different spreadsheets, we need to talk. Real-time inventory tracking is a game-changer. With every transaction and adjustment recorded instantly, you’re no longer relying on outdated information to make critical decisions. You can monitor stock across multiple locations with Odoo’s warehouse management system, track supplier performance, and adjust orders on the fly, all from one place.

The Reality of Making Changes

Switching systems is daunting, especially if you’re used to your current setup. 

So start small: pick your biggest pain point, whether it’s supplier integration, stock tracking, or reordering, and implement Odoo there first. Once it’s running smoothly, you can expand to other areas.

Most businesses see a big change in their stress levels after implementing the first step of the solution. Knowing your inventory management system has your back allows you to focus on growth rather than constantly fighting fires.

The Bottom Line

Inventory management will always have its challenges- that's the nature of the beast. But with Odoo's Inventory app, you can take control of the variables that usually feel unpredictable, and transform your biggest headache into one of your strongest competitive advantages. If you’re ready to take back control and streamline with the best inventory management software, Odoo’s Inventory app is worth exploring.

With the right tools in place, you can transform inventory management from your biggest headache into one of your strongest competitive advantages - giving you the freedom to focus on building the business you set out to create.

Let's talk about how to make that happen.

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