Templates

Inventory Tracker With Low-Stock Alerts

Track SKU quantity, reorder level, and a status column that flags low stock — plus conditional formatting you can scan in seconds.

Inventory Tracker With Low-Stock Alerts

Small shops often outgrow a notebook before they need ERP software. This three-column tracker plus a status formula catches SKUs before you run out.

Column layout

ABCDE
SKUProductOn HandReorder AtStatus
W-104Widget4820OK
G-220Gadget1215LOW
C-015Cable510LOW

On Hand = current count. Reorder At = minimum you want on the shelf.

Status formula (E2, fill down)

=IF(C2<=D2, "LOW", "OK")

Excel / Sheets: copy from E2 through your last row (Ctrl+D after selecting E2:E500).

Variant: show how many to order

Column F Order Qty:

=IF(C2<=D2, D2*2-C2, 0)

Interpretation: when low, order enough to reach double the reorder point (simple rule — adjust to your supplier minimums).

Pull product names from a master list

If SKU lives in column A and names are on sheet Master:

=VLOOKUP(A2, Master!A:B, 2, FALSE)

Or use XLOOKUP if SKU is not in the left column of Master.

Conditional formatting for LOW rows

  1. Select A2:E500 (adjust last row)
  2. Home → Conditional Formatting → New Rule → Use a formula
  3. Formula: =$E2="LOW"
  4. Format: light orange fill, bold text optional

Google Sheets: same formula in Format → Conditional formatting → Custom formula is.

Keyboard workflow for counts

  • Tab moves right across On Hand → Reorder At
  • After entering On Hand, type reorder level, Enter jumps down (Excel default)
  • Ctrl+Down jumps to last filled cell in a column when auditing

Import starting stock from CSV

If counts arrive as a CSV export, import cleanly first: import CSV into Google Sheets.

Wrong vs Right

WrongRight
=IF(C2<D2, "LOW", "OK") — misses exactly-at-reorder=IF(C2<=D2, "LOW", "OK")
Reorder At blank — treats as 0, everything shows LOWFill Reorder At for every active SKU
Text quantities "12" — comparisons may failStore On Hand as numbers

Monthly spend on restock fits in build a monthly budget sheet. Clean SKU spacing before lookups: TRIM and PROPER.

inventory conditional-formatting template if