> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dishink.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Low Stock Alerts

> Automatic alerts when ingredients drop below configured thresholds.

The **Alerts** tab is where managers spot problems before service. It lists every ingredient that has fallen below its minimum stock level, grouped by severity, with the menu items each ingredient affects .

<Frame>
  <img src="https://mintlify.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/dishink/images/inventory/low-stock-alerts.png" alt="Low Stock Alerts tab grouped by severity with menu-item impact" />
</Frame>

## Who this is for

* **Manager** — reviews before every shift, restocks as needed.
* **Owner / Admin** — reviews weekly, adjusts min/max levels if the same ingredients keep appearing.

## Severity levels

| Badge            | Condition                          | Colour |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------- | ------ |
| **Out of stock** | `current_stock = 0`                | Grey   |
| **Critical**     | `current_stock < min_stock × 0.25` | Red    |
| **Low**          | `current_stock < min_stock`        | Amber  |

Ingredients are sorted with **Out of stock** first, then **Critical**, then **Low**. Within each band they're ordered by the number of menu items impacted, descending.

## What each row shows

* Ingredient name and category
* Current stock + minimum stock
* **Impacted menu items** — a chip list of every menu item whose recipe uses this ingredient
* **Restock** button — opens the Restock modal in one tap

Tap a menu-item chip to jump to its recipe.

## Restock from the Alerts tab

<Steps>
  <Step title="Tap Restock on the alert row">
    Opens the [Restock modal](/inventory/stock-levels#record-a-restock-delivery) prefilled with the ingredient.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter quantity, unit cost, reference">
    Same flow as restocking from the Stock tab.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm">
    On save, DishInk:

    1. Adds the quantity to `current_stock`.
    2. Writes a `restock` row to the Adjustments log.
    3. Re-evaluates menu availability — every impacted item is re-checked against **Min Servings Before Block**.
    4. Auto-expires any **On restock** overrides for the impacted items (see [Overrides](/inventory/overrides)).
    5. Removes the ingredient from the Alerts tab if it now exceeds its minimum.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Bulk restock

For deliveries that touch many ingredients, tap **Bulk Restock** at the top of the Alerts tab. Tick every ingredient you're receiving today and enter quantities in a single form. Reference number is applied to all rows.

## Tuning your alerts

If the same ingredients appear in Alerts every day, your min stock is too low — increase it to at least two days of usage. If ingredients never appear, your min stock is too high — decrease it so alerts stay meaningful.

<Tip>
  A useful rule of thumb: **min\_stock = average daily usage × supplier lead-time in days × 1.3 safety buffer**.
</Tip>

## Tips & best practices

<Tip>
  Check Alerts once before service starts and once after service ends. The morning check tells you what to expedite; the evening check tells you what's on tomorrow's order.
</Tip>

<Tip>
  If a critical ingredient goes to zero mid-service, take the affected menu items **off the menu** (Menu Management → Availability) rather than relying only on auto-unavailability. Waiters see the change instantly and don't waste time explaining substitutes.
</Tip>

## Common mistakes

* **Ignoring the amber band** — Low means the day's service will finish stock. Waiting until Critical is too late.
* **Restocking without a reference number** — see [Stock Levels](/inventory/stock-levels#record-a-restock-delivery). Alerts is a shortcut, not an excuse to skip reconciliation.
* **Setting a min\_stock of 1** on high-turnover items — the alert fires too late.

## Related pages

* [Ingredients](/inventory/ingredients)
* [Stock Levels & Restocking](/inventory/stock-levels)
* [Inventory Overrides](/inventory/overrides)
* [Inventory Settings](/inventory/settings)