How to move off inventory spreadsheets

Why spreadsheets break down

Spreadsheets work until your catalog grows or more than one person needs to edit them. Formulas get overwritten, stock counts go stale the moment someone forgets to update a row, and nobody notices a stockout risk until it has already happened. The real problem is not the spreadsheet itself, it is that nothing in it updates on its own.

What to replace first

Separate the spreadsheet's jobs: tracking on-hand stock, calculating when to reorder, deciding how much to order, and keeping a record of purchase orders. You do not need to replace all four at once. Start with the reorder calculation, since that is usually the part done wrong or skipped under time pressure. Keep using your store admin for on-hand counts if that is already accurate.

How to migrate without losing history

Export your current spreadsheet before switching anything off. Keep supplier names, lead times, and case pack sizes somewhere, since a new tool will ask for these per SKU. Run the new system in parallel with the spreadsheet for two or three weeks on your top sellers only, compare the suggested order quantities, and expand to the rest of the catalog once you trust the output.

What will not move automatically

Anything location-specific, like per-warehouse stock splits, will likely still need manual handling or a dedicated tool. The same goes for lot numbers, expiry dates, landed cost tracking, and bundle components. Plan to keep a lightweight spreadsheet or separate process for those unless your new system is built for your exact setup.

Step by step

1. List every SKU still tracked only in the spreadsheet and note its supplier, lead time, and case pack size.
2. Pick one data source as the single source of truth for on-hand stock, normally your store admin.
3. Connect a forecasting or reorder tool to that stock source instead of re-entering numbers by hand.
4. Run the new system alongside the spreadsheet for two to three weeks on your best-selling SKUs.
5. Compare suggested order quantities against what you would have calculated manually.
6. Once numbers match your judgment, turn off the spreadsheet for those SKUs and expand to the rest.
7. Keep a separate note or sheet for anything the new tool does not cover, like bundles or lot tracking.

Worked example

A store sells a candle that moves 6 units a day, with a supplier lead time of 10 days and 4 days of safety stock. In the old spreadsheet, someone manually recalculated the reorder point every week: 6 x (10 + 4) = 84 units. They had 50 on hand and nothing on order, so they were already below the reorder point by 34 units. A system reading daily sales automatically would have flagged this three days earlier, before the gap got that wide.

How SteadyShelf helps

SteadyShelf replaces the reorder-point and order-quantity part of your spreadsheet: it forecasts daily sales per variant, tells you the order-by date per SKU, and drafts the purchase order. It does not replace spreadsheets used for multi-location splits, lot or expiry tracking, landed cost, or bundle components, so keep a simple sheet for those if you need them.

$29/month flat, unlimited products and suppliers, 30-day free trial. Run the numbers now with the free reorder point calculator.

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

Related guides

• How to move supplier data out of Stocky
• How to name SKUs
• How to negotiate better payment terms with suppliers
• How to measure supplier lead time variability

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