Inventory Management FAQ

What backorder options are available for my SKUs?

Pulse Commerce offers five backorder options, configured in Products → Product Catalog Manager → Product Editor → Simple tab:

How do I display out-of-stock items on my storefront?

To show out-of-stock products while preventing purchases:

1Navigate to Products → Product Catalog Manager → Product Editor

2Click the Simple tab

3Find the Back Order Option dropdown

4Select "Do not allow backorder, show message"

5Click Save Changes

The product will remain visible in search results and category pages, but customers will see an "Out of stock" message and the Buy button will be disabled.

What barcode label formats does Pulse Commerce support?

Pulse Commerce supports multiple barcode formats for product labeling and scanning. Barcodes help maintain accurate inventory by reducing manual entry errors during receiving, picking, and cycle counts.

Supported Barcode Types

• UPC (Universal Product Code): Standard retail barcode format
• EAN (European Article Number): International product identifier
• Code 39: Alphanumeric barcode format
• Code 128: High-density barcode for warehouse use
• Custom SKU barcodes: Use your SKU as the barcode value

Printing Product Barcode Labels

1Navigate to Settings → Manage Label Templates

2Create or select a barcode label template with your preferred format and dimensions

3Go to Products → Product Catalog Manager

4Search and select the products you want to print labels for

5Click the label printing option and select your template

6Export the PDF and print to your barcode label printer

How do I print BIN labels for my warehouse?

BIN (location) labels help warehouse staff quickly locate products for picking. Instead of printing barcodes for the products themselves, BIN labels mark the physical shelf, bin, or location where products are stored.

Create BIN Label Template

1Navigate to Settings → Manage Label Templates

2Create a new label template specifically for BIN labels

3Configure the template dimensions to match your label stock

4Save the template

Print BIN Labels

1Go to Products → Print Bin Number Labels

2Select the Warehouse Location you're creating labels for

3Choose the Label Type (template) you created

4Select the SKUs you wish to create BIN labels for, or select all

5Click Export PDF to generate the label file

6Print the PDF to your label printer and apply labels to warehouse locations

What is inventory reallocation and when should I use it?

Inventory reallocation allows you to reassign committed inventory from one order to another. This is useful when you need to prioritize certain orders or handle expedited requests.

Understanding Committed Inventory

When an order is placed, Pulse Commerce "commits" the necessary inventory to that order, removing it from available quantity. Committed inventory is reserved for that specific order until it ships or is cancelled.

When to Reallocate

• Priority orders: VIP customer needs same-day shipping but inventory is committed to a standard order
• Order modifications: Customer changes their order and you need to reassign inventory
• Backorder management: New inventory arrives and you want to fill specific backorders first
• Warehouse location changes: Need to fulfill from a different warehouse than originally committed

How to Reallocate

1Navigate to Products → Inventory → Reallocate Item Commitments

2Select the SKU you need to reallocate

3View all orders with committed inventory for that SKU

4Adjust commitment quantities between orders as needed

5Save changes to apply the reallocation

What are Assembly Work Orders and when do I use them?

Assembly Work Orders are used to build assembly-type products from their component parts. This is necessary when you sell products that are manufactured or assembled in-house from individual SKUs you also stock. You can learn more about Assembly SKUs here. 

Assembly Product Basics

An assembly product has a component list defining which SKUs and quantities are needed to build one unit of the finished product. For example, a desktop computer might require:

• 1× Motherboard (SKU: MB-001)
• 4× RAM Module (SKU: RAM-8GB)
• 1× Hard Drive (SKU: HDD-1TB)
• 1× Power Supply (SKU: PSU-500W)

Creating Assembly Work Orders

1Go to Products → Inventory → Build Assembly Work Order

2Select the assembly product SKU you want to build

3Enter the quantity of finished units you want to assemble

4The system displays all required component SKUs and quantities needed

5Verify component inventory is available

6Submit the work order

When the work order is completed, the system:

• Deducts component inventory from stock
• Adds finished assembly units to inventory
• Creates a record of the assembly transaction

How do I display inventory levels on the storefront?

You can show customers how many units are in stock by configuring the inventory display options in the Product Editor. Navigate to the Simple tab and find the Inventory Display Options section. Choose from:

• Do not Display: Hide inventory information from customers
• In Stock (Yes/No): Show simple in-stock indicator
• Item Count: Display exact quantity available

Can I set minimum order quantities for products?

Yes. In the Product Editor's Simple tab, use the Min. Qty field to specify the minimum quantity customers must order. This is useful for wholesale products or bulk-only items.

What happens to committed inventory when an order is cancelled?

When you cancel an order, the committed inventory is immediately released back to available quantity and can be allocated to new orders. The inventory is not deleted or adjusted, only the commitment is removed.

How do I bulk update inventory across many products?

Use the Import/Export functionality to bulk update inventory. Export your current product data, update the inventory quantities in the spreadsheet, and re-import. This is much faster than editing products individually for large catalogs. See How to Import Products for detailed instructions.