Inventory glossary

What is Work in progress?

Work in progress is inventory that has started production but is not yet a finished, sellable product.

For a Shopify store that manufactures or assembles its own products, work in progress ties up cash and shelf space without generating revenue until it is finished. If you make candles, your melted wax in molds or unlabeled jars counts as work in progress, not finished stock you can sell.

Tracking work in progress matters for knowing your true available inventory and for planning when new finished goods will be ready to sell. If you ignore it, you may think you have less stock coming than you actually do, or you may double count materials that are already partway through production.

Example

A candle maker buys 100 jars and 50kg of wax as raw materials. She pours wax into 40 jars and lets them set, but hasn't added labels or packaging yet. Those 40 jars are work in progress. Once labeled and boxed, they move to finished goods and become sellable units.

Common mistakes

  • Counting work in progress as finished, sellable stock.
  • Forgetting to track it at all, which hides how much raw material is tied up mid-process.
  • Not updating inventory records when items move from work in progress to finished goods.

Work in progress and SteadyShelf

SteadyShelf forecasts and reorders based on finished, sellable inventory and does not track work in progress or manufacturing stages.

SteadyShelf is launching on the Shopify App Store. Join early access to get the install link first.

Related terms

Raw materials · Finished goods · Bill of materials · Kitting

Full inventory glossary

FAQ

Is work in progress the same as finished goods?

No. Finished goods are complete and ready to sell. Work in progress is still being made or assembled and cannot be sold yet.

Does a Shopify store that only resells products need to track work in progress?

Usually not. Work in progress applies to stores that manufacture, assemble, or customize products themselves before they become sellable units.

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