Reorder Points and Replenish Orders: Stop Stockouts in the Field
A reorder point triggers a refill before field stock hits zero. Learn how reorder quantity and replenish quantity work, and how Ventory automates the replenish order to cut stockouts by 70% and excess stock by 35%.
A stockout in the field costs more than the part.
When stock runs out in a van, a forward stocking location or a hospital store, the cost is rarely the item itself. It is the second trip, the delayed repair, the procedure pushed back. Reorder points stop that. They trigger a refill before stock hits zero.
This guide explains the reorder quantity, the replenish quantity, and how Ventory turns the two into an automatic replenish order.
What is a reorder quantity?
The reorder quantity is the threshold for a product at a stock location. When the stock level reaches this point, it signals that it is time to reorder. Setting it keeps you ahead of low stock instead of reacting to an empty shelf. The approach is proactive, not firefighting.
What is a replenish quantity?
The replenish quantity is the amount to bring back when the reorder point is reached at a location. It feeds a replenish order, created manually or automatically, that returns the location to its target level.
A simple example
Say a van carries 30 headphones.
- Reorder quantity: 5
- Replenish quantity: 50
Twenty-five ship out, leaving 5. That hits the reorder point and triggers a replenish order for 50 more. With Ventory, this runs automatically. No one watches a spreadsheet, and the van is restocked before it runs dry.
Why field inventory needs this
In a warehouse, replenishment is a solved problem. In the field it is not. Stock is spread across vans, sites and consignment locations, and the ERP only knows what was purchased, not what is left in each van today. Without a reorder point per location, you find out about a stockout when an engineer is already on site without the part.
Set reorder points per location and Ventory watches every one of them. The proof in the numbers: +70% reduction in stockouts and +35% reduction in excess stock. You hold less, and you run out less, at the same time.
Getting started
- List the products that cause the most stockouts in the field.
- Set a reorder quantity per product, per location, based on real usage.
- Set a replenish quantity that returns each location to its target level.
- Turn on automatic replenish orders so refills trigger without manual checks.
- Review the thresholds after 60 days and adjust for seasonality.
Running out of stock in the field? Book a demo →
Frequently asked questions
What is a reorder point?
It is the stock level at which a product should be reordered. When stock falls to this threshold at a location, it signals a refill is due, so you stay ahead of a stockout.
What is the difference between reorder quantity and replenish quantity?
The reorder quantity is the threshold that triggers a refill. The replenish quantity is how much to bring back when that threshold is hit.
Can replenishment run automatically?
Yes. In Ventory, hitting the reorder point can create a replenish order automatically, so refills happen without anyone monitoring stock levels by hand.
Does this work per location?
Yes. Reorder and replenish quantities are set per stock location, so each van, site or store is managed against its own target level.
About Ventory
Ventory is the field inventory layer between your ERP or WMS and your field teams. It gives leaders total control and visibility of inventory outside the warehouse: in vans, forward stocking locations, consignment sites and hospitals. Ventory is ERP-agnostic and trusted by teams at Microsoft, Delaware, Zebra Technologies and DHL. ISO 27001 certified, SOC 2 compliant, GDPR. 99.76% rolling stock accuracy. Live in 48 hours. See how it works →