Inventory Requests

Inventory Requests are a fundamental component of the inventory management system that enables users to formally request materials or items needed at specific locations. This structured request process helps organizations manage inventory distribution, track demand patterns, and ensure that materials are available where and when they are needed.

Each inventory request contains essential information to properly identify and fulfill the need:

• Material: The specific material or item being requested
• Location: The destination where the material is needed
• Quantity Needed: The precise amount of material required
• Status: The current state of the request in its lifecycle
• Notes: Additional information or context about the request
• Store & Client: Organizational context for the request

Inventory requests move through a defined workflow with four possible statuses:

• Pending: The initial status when a request is newly created and awaiting review
• Approved: Indicates that the request has been reviewed and approved for fulfillment
• Rejected: Indicates that the request was reviewed but not approved for fulfillment
• Cancelled: Indicates that the requester cancelled the request before completion

The typical lifecycle of an inventory request follows a specific pattern:

1. Creation: A user creates a new request with Pending status
2. Review: Authorized personnel review the request details
3. Decision: The request is either Approved, Rejected, or Cancelled
4. Fulfillment: If approved, the inventory is allocated or transferred to fulfill the request

The system provides comprehensive tools for managing inventory requests:

• Filtering & Searching: Find requests by material, location, status, or other criteria
• Batch Operations: Process multiple requests efficiently
• Status Updates: Change request statuses with appropriate authorization
• History Tracking: Full audit trail of request changes and status updates

Inventory requests support archiving for record-keeping:

• Requests can be archived (soft deleted) rather than permanently removed
• Archived requests can be restored if needed
• Historical data is preserved for reporting and analysis

1. Request Initiation

   • User identifies a need for specific materials at a location
   • User specifies the material, location, and quantity needed
   • Optional notes can be added to provide context
   • System automatically assigns Pending status

2. Validation

   • System validates that the requested material exists
   • System validates that the specified location is valid
   • System ensures the quantity is a positive number
   • Request is stored with a unique identifier for tracking

1. Review Process

   • Authorized personnel review pending requests
   • Review includes assessing material availability and request validity
   • Decision is made based on business rules and current inventory levels

2. Status Updates

   • If approved, status changes to Approved, triggering fulfillment processes
   • If rejected, status changes to Rejected with optional reasons
   • Only Pending requests can be approved or rejected
   • Status changes are permanent and cannot be reversed

1. Cancellation Rules

   • Only the request creator can cancel their own request
   • Only Pending requests can be cancelled
   • Cancelled status is permanent and cannot be reversed

2. Cancellation Process

   • Requester initiates cancellation
   • System verifies eligibility for cancellation
   • Status is updated to Cancelled

1. Archiving Process

   • Requests can be archived for record-keeping
   • Archiving removes the request from active lists
   • All request data is preserved in the archive

2. Restoration

   • Archived requests can be restored if needed
   • Restoration brings the request back to its previous status
   • Full history is maintained through the archive/restore process

The inventory request contains the following key fields:

• id: Unique identifier for the request
• ulid: Universal Lexicographically sortable Identifier for external references
• client_id: Organization that owns the request
• store_id: Store context for the request
• location_id: Destination location for the requested material
• material_id: The material being requested
• quantity_needed: Amount of material requested (decimal with high precision)
• status: Current status of the request (enum value)
• notes: Optional text notes about the request
• created_at/updated_at: Timestamps for creation and updates
• created_by/updated_by: User tracking for accountability

The inventory request status follows these transition rules:

1. New requests always start with Pending status
2. Pending requests can transition to:
   • Approved: When authorized personnel approve the request
   • Rejected: When authorized personnel reject the request
   • Cancelled: When the requester cancels the request
3. Once a request reaches Approved, Rejected, or Cancelled, no further status changes are allowed

Inventory requests integrate with other system components:

1. Materials System: Validates and references the requested materials
2. Locations System: Validates and references destination locations
3. User System: Tracks who created and processed requests
4. Inventory System: May trigger inventory movements upon approval

1. Be Specific: Clearly identify the exact material needed
2. Provide Context: Use notes to explain why the material is needed
3. Plan Ahead: Create requests with sufficient lead time for processing
4. Verify Details: Double-check quantities and locations before submission

1. Regular Reviews: Establish a schedule for reviewing pending requests
2. Prioritization: Process urgent requests first based on business needs
3. Communication: Provide reasons when rejecting requests to improve future submissions
4. Monitoring: Track request patterns to identify recurring needs

1. Status Reports: Monitor the number of requests by status
2. Material Analysis: Identify frequently requested materials
3. Location Demand: Analyze which locations generate the most requests
4. Fulfillment Time: Measure the time from request to fulfillment

• Quantity requested must be greater than zero
• Requests can only reference valid materials and locations
• Only pending requests can be approved, rejected, or cancelled
• Status changes are irreversible once a final decision is made
• Requests are tied to specific stores and clients in multi-tenant environments

By effectively utilizing the inventory request system, organizations can streamline material allocation, improve resource planning, and maintain better control over inventory distribution across their facilities.