Read the status light
Read the buffer status light to see, at a glance, which SKUs to restock now and which hold excess inventory.
The buffer status light has five states (Out of stock, Depleted, Reorder, Optimal, Excess). The sales deck uses a simplified three-state version (High Risk / Warning / Healthy); we document the five here. See ESTRUCTURA.md §5.2.
How the state is calculated
The status light compares the SKU's Net Flow against three thresholds:
Net Flow = On-hand inventory + In-transit inventory
The thresholds are:
- SS — Safety stock (minimum tolerable level)
- ROP — Reorder point (moment to place an order)
- Target stock — Maximum desirable level
With those values, the system assigns one of the five states.
The five states and the corresponding action
Out of stock
Net Flow = 0 (or negative: outstanding backorders).
No units are available. Demand cannot be fulfilled.
Action: Place an emergency order immediately. Notify the sales team to manage customer expectations. Check whether in-transit units exist and when they will arrive.
Depleted
0 < Net Flow ≤ SS
Some stock exists, but it is below the minimum safety level. The risk of a stockout before the next replenishment arrives is high.
Action: Restock with priority. Check whether an in-transit order covers the gap; if not, place an urgent order.
Reorder
SS < Net Flow ≤ ROP
Inventory has fallen below the reorder point. This is the normal moment to place a planned order.
Action: Launch the replenishment order suggested by the simulator. If you need to adjust the quantity, use Adjust replenishment manually.
Optimal
ROP < Net Flow ≤ Target stock
Inventory is between the reorder point and the target stock level. No action is required.
Action: None. Monitor at the next cycle.
Excess
Net Flow > Target stock
Inventory exceeds the desirable level. Capital is tied up and there is a risk of obsolescence or expiration.
Action: Pause or cancel open orders if the lead time allows. Evaluate liquidation actions (discounts, transfer to another warehouse, promotion). Review whether the target stock is well parametrized.
View the status light in the grid
From Inventory → SKU List, the Status column shows the color and label of the status light for each SKU:
| Color | State |
|---|---|
| Dark red | Out of stock |
| Red | Depleted |
| Yellow | Reorder |
| Green | Optimal |
| Blue | Excess |
You can filter the list by state to prioritize the review (for example: show only SKUs in Out of stock and Depleted).
Use the filter State = Out of stock, Depleted to get the list of SKUs requiring immediate action and work top-down by criticality.
For the technical definition of each state and the Net Flow, SS, and ROP calculations, see Buffer states (status light).