Watch
Recalculating stock cover from sales, comparing listings against the stock sheet, scheduling supplier follow-ups.
Watch is the stage that notices things before somebody complains about them. It recalculates stock cover from actual sales rather than from a static reorder point, compares what is listed against what is on the sheet, and schedules follow-ups against suppliers who are late.
Cover, not quantity
Cover is how long the stock you hold will last at the rate it is currently selling, expressed in days. It is the more useful number of the two because it moves when demand moves: forty units is comfortable for a line selling one a week and a crisis for one selling ten a day. A reorder point set in units goes stale silently; cover recalculated from sales does not.
| Signal | What it usually means | Typical action |
|---|---|---|
| Cover falling faster than usual | Demand has moved, or a listing went live somewhere new | Recalculate, then draft a reorder at the new rate |
| Cover flat while sales continue | The stock sheet is not being updated from sales | A reconciliation problem, not a stock one |
| Listing quantity above sheet quantity | Oversell risk on whichever channel is ahead | Reconcile before it sells through |
| Supplier past the delivery date on the order | Late, or delivered and not recorded | Chase once, then again, then hand off |