Understanding Your Data Metrics: Complete Reference Guide
Quick Answer
Data metrics are the key insights Synplex displays about your products, inventory, and performance.
Why it matters:
├─ Understand what each metric means
├─ Know how it's calculated
├─ Use the right metric for decisions
├─ Avoid misinterpretation
└─ Make confident, data-driven choices
This guide explains:
- All available metrics in your inventory table
- What each one means
- How calculations work
- When to use each metric
Part 1: Status & Health Metrics
Status (Current Inventory State)
What it tells you: The current inventory condition of a product. Indicates what action (if any) is needed.
Status options:
RUNNING LOW ⚠️
├─ Meaning: Inventory below your threshold
├─ Action needed: Add to next order
├─ Threshold: Configurable in settings
├─ How it's calculated:
│ ├─ On-hand inventory
│ ├─ Compare to "Running Low" threshold
│ ├─ If below: Status shows "Running Low"
│ └─ Example: Threshold 50 units, have 35 → Running Low
├─ What to do: Order soon (not urgent yet)
└─ Timeline: Days to reorder still available
OUT OF STOCK 🚨
├─ Meaning: Zero units available (or negative)
├─ Action needed: URGENT - reorder or redirect sales
├─ How it's calculated:
│ ├─ On-hand quantity = 0 (or less)
│ └─ Result: Out of stock status
├─ What to do: Emergency reorder or halt sales
├─ Impact: Customers can't buy, lost sales
└─ Timeline: Immediate action required
OVERSTOCKED 📦
├─ Meaning: Inventory higher than typical sales
├─ Action needed: Reduce inventory/promotion
├─ Threshold: Configurable in settings
├─ How it's calculated:
│ ├─ On-hand inventory
│ ├─ Compare to "Overstocked" threshold
│ ├─ If above: Status shows "Overstocked"
│ └─ Example: Threshold 500 units, have 800 → Overstocked
├─ What to do: Slow ordering, consider promotion
├─ Impact: Capital tied up unnecessarily
└─ Problem: Might expire or go out of style
NO SALES 📉
├─ Meaning: Product hasn't sold in X days
├─ X = Your calculation period for average daily sales
├─ Action needed: Investigate demand drop
├─ How it's calculated:
│ ├─ Look back: X days (your setting)
│ ├─ Check: Any sales in that period?
│ ├─ Result: If zero → "No Sales" status
│ └─ Example: Setting = 30 days, no sales → Status shows "No Sales"
├─ What to do: Check if product should be discontinued
├─ Indicates: Possible demand problem
└─ Timeline: Monitor closely
HEALTHY ✅
├─ Meaning: Perfect inventory level
├─ Action needed: None (just monitor)
├─ How it's calculated:
│ ├─ On-hand is above "Running Low" threshold
│ ├─ AND below "Overstocked" threshold
│ ├─ AND recent sales exist
│ └─ Result: "Healthy" status
├─ What to do: Maintain current ordering
├─ Indicates: Everything is working well
└─ Timeline: Monitor normally
STOCK GAP ⏱️
├─ Meaning: Incoming orders won't arrive in time
├─ Action needed: Emergency order or reduce demand
├─ How it's calculated:
│ ├─ Current on-hand + daily sales rate
│ ├─ Plus: Next incoming PO arrival date
│ ├─ Compare: Will stock last until arrival?
│ ├─ Result: If no → "Stock Gap" status
│ └─ Example: Have 100 units, sell 50/day, next PO arrives in 3 days → Will have -50 on hand. Stock Gap!
├─ What to do: Urgent - address immediately
├─ Indicates: You will stockout before resupply
└─ Timeline: Critical, action required NOW
Configure thresholds:
Go to: Settings → Insights
Adjust:
├─ Running Low threshold (when to warn you)
├─ Overstocked threshold (when too much)
└─ No Sales period (how many days to look back)
Recommendation:
├─ Running Low: 7-14 days of sales
├─ Overstocked: 60-90 days of sales
├─ No Sales period: 30-90 days
└─ Adjust to match your business
Shopify Status
What it tells you: The product's publishing status in Shopify.
Options:
ACTIVE ✅
├─ Product is live and for sale
├─ Visible to customers
└─ Synplex tracks it normally
DRAFT 📝
├─ Product exists but not published
├─ Hidden from customers
├─ Not available for sale yet
└─ Useful for new launches
ARCHIVED 🗂️
├─ Product is hidden but not deleted
├─ Historical data preserved
├─ Not for sale currently
└─ Can be reactivated anytime
Why it matters:
├─ Active products: Need inventory management
├─ Draft products: Not urgent (not for sale)
├─ Archived products: Historical tracking only
└─ Filter to show/hide by status
Part 2: Product Classification Metrics
Grade (Performance Classification)
What it tells you: Product performance ranking (A, B, or C grade). Helps you prioritize management effort.
How grades work:
Grading basis: Choose one
├─ Sales volume: How many units sold
├─ Revenue: How much money generated
├─ Profitability: How much profit made
└─ Your choice in settings
Grade definitions:
GRADE A (Top Performers)
├─ Top 80% of products
├─ Highest volume/revenue/profit
├─ Example: 20% of products = 80% of revenue
├─ Recommendation: Watch closely, never stockout
├─ Safety stock: Higher (14 days)
└─ Reorder: Proactive (before running low)
GRADE B (Strong Performers)
├─ Next 15% of products
├─ Middle tier
├─ Solid contributors
├─ Recommendation: Monitor regularly
├─ Safety stock: Medium (7 days)
└─ Reorder: When running low (7 days notice)
GRADE C (Niche/Low Performers)
├─ Bottom 5% of products
├─ Lowest volume/revenue/profit
├─ Niche or slow-movers
├─ Recommendation: Basic monitoring
├─ Safety stock: Lower (3 days)
└─ Reorder: When needed (less critical)
These thresholds are adjustable:
Go to: Settings → Insights
Change:
├─ Grade A: 80% threshold (default)
├─ Grade B: 15% threshold (default)
├─ Grade C: 5% threshold (default)
└─ Match your business model
Example adjustment:
├─ If all products are bestsellers
├─ Change to: A=70%, B=20%, C=10%
└─ More granular tracking
Use grades to:
├─ Prioritize which products to manage closely
├─ Set different safety stock per grade
├─ Allocate management resources
├─ Focus on revenue drivers
├─ Make portfolio decisions
└─ Segment by importance
Collections & Categories
What they tell you: How products are organized and grouped.
COLLECTIONS (from Shopify)
├─ Groups of related products
├─ Customer-facing organization
├─ Synced from Shopify directly
├─ Used for store browsing
├─ Example: "Winter Collection", "Sale Items"
├─ Filter by: Collections in table
└─ Grouping: By theme/season/type
CATEGORY (your classification)
├─ Internal classification
├─ For reporting & analysis
├─ You define the categories
├─ Example: "Apparel", "Home Goods", "Food"
├─ Filter by: Category in table
└─ Grouping: By product type/department
TAGS (Custom labels)
├─ Flexible custom labels
├─ Multiple per product
├─ You create and assign
├─ Example: "Bestseller", "High Margin", "Discontinued Soon"
├─ Filter by: Tags in table
└─ Grouping: Multiple ways to sort
Use these to:
├─ Filter inventory table
├─ Group products for analysis
├─ Report by category/collection
├─ Find products quickly
├─ Manage promotions
└─ Organize your catalog
Part 3: Inventory Quantity Metrics
On Hand
What it tells you: Total quantity available for sale right now.
Definition:
├─ Total stock across all locations
├─ Includes: Items committed to orders (promised to customers)
├─ Includes: Items available to sell (new inventory)
└─ Real-time: Updated when sales happen
Example:
├─ Warehouse A: 50 units
├─ Warehouse B: 30 units
├─ In-store: 20 units
└─ Total on-hand: 100 units
What it does NOT include:
├─ Inventory in transit (coming soon)
├─ Inventory in draft POs (not ordered yet)
└─ Inventory committed to POs (arriving later)
Why it matters:
├─ Your sellable inventory RIGHT NOW
├─ Basis for all other calculations
├─ Determines status (running low vs healthy)
├─ Needed for forecasting
└─ Critical for decision-making
Use it to:
├─ Check current stock
├─ Calculate days to stockout
├─ Determine reorder quantity
├─ Monitor inventory health
└─ Make immediate decisions
In Transit
What it tells you: Inventory currently on its way to you.
Definition:
├─ Units in active purchase orders
├─ From supplier to you
├─ Expected to arrive soon
├─ "En route" inventory
Includes:
├─ Purchase orders in "Placed" status
├─ Purchase orders in "Partially Received" status
├─ Upcoming shipments
└─ Expected future inventory
Does NOT include:
├─ Draft POs (not placed yet)
├─ Cancelled POs (won't arrive)
├─ Fully received POs (already here)
└─ Historical POs
Example:
├─ Placed order: 500 units, arriving in 10 days
├─ Status: "In Transit"
├─ In transit quantity: 500
Why it matters:
├─ Know what's coming
├─ Plan for future inventory
├─ Calculate total supply
├─ Avoid over-ordering
├─ Understand pending stock
Use it to:
├─ Calculate "Total Available" (On-hand + In Transit)
├─ Forecast inventory levels
├─ Plan promotions
├─ Communicate with team
└─ Avoid duplicate orders
Part 4: Sales & Demand Metrics
Daily Sales
What it tells you: Average units sold per day (historical).
Calculation:
├─ Total units sold (time period)
├─ Divide by: Number of days (time period)
├─ Result: Average per day
Example:
├─ Sold 450 units over 30 days
├─ 450 ÷ 30 = 15 units/day average
├─ Even though: Some days 10, some days 20
└─ Average: 15 units/day
Time period:
├─ Configurable in Settings
├─ Examples: 7 days, 30 days, 90 days
├─ Longer = Smoother average
├─ Shorter = More recent data
└─ Typical: 30 or 90 days
Why it matters:
├─ Foundation for all calculations
├─ Used in: Reorder calculations
├─ Used in: Stockout forecasts
├─ Used in: Safety stock planning
├─ Basis: For demand forecasting
Use it to:
├─ Understand product velocity
├─ Calculate lead time stock
├─ Forecast when you'll run out
├─ Set reorder points
├─ Plan inventory levels
└─ Communicate demand internally
Variation:
├─ Real sales vary (don't fit exact average)
├─ This is why safety stock exists
├─ Higher variance? Need more buffer
├─ Lower variance? Can be leaner
└─ Monitor: Actual vs average
Sales Revenue
What it tells you: Total money generated from sales (in time period).
Calculation:
├─ Each sale: Sales price × Units sold
├─ Sum: All sales in period
├─ Result: Total revenue
Example:
├─ Sold 100 units at $50 each
├─ Revenue: $5,000
For new products:
├─ Calculated from: Publish date (not creation)
├─ Reason: Only count sales days
└─ Not: Days before product was live
Why it matters:
├─ Understand financial performance
├─ Identify revenue drivers
├─ Grade products by revenue
├─ Plan marketing spend
├─ Assess profitability
Use it to:
├─ Find best-selling products
├─ Compare product performance
├─ Calculate Grade by revenue
├─ Report to management
└─ Make portfolio decisions
Pre-Stockout Daily Sales
What it tells you: Average daily sales BEFORE the product last ran out of stock.
Example scenario:
├─ Product sold 50 units/day normally
├─ You ran out of stock last month
├─ Sales stopped during stockout
├─ Now: How much were we selling before we stockout?
└─ Answer: "Pre-Stockout Daily Sales" = 50 units/day
Why it matters:
├─ Understand demand before disruption
├─ Compare: Pre-stockout vs current sales
├─ If different: Demand may have changed
├─ If similar: Demand consistent
├─ Context: For recovery planning
Use it to:
├─ Understand what you lost
├─ Calculate lost revenue opportunity
├─ Adjust future forecasts
├─ Plan comeback strategy
└─ Learn from stockout incident
Part 5: Time-Based Metrics
Days to Order
What it tells you: How many days until you MUST reorder to avoid running out.
Calculation (simplified):
├─ (On-hand - Safety Stock) ÷ Daily Sales
├─ Plus: Lead time adjustment
├─ Minus: Reorder lead time
└─ Result: Days until you need to order
What it factors in:
├─ Current on-hand inventory
├─ Your daily sales rate
├─ Lead time (how long to receive)
├─ Your safety stock buffer
├─ Launch date (for new products)
└─ All together: When to order
Example:
├─ On-hand: 300 units
├─ Daily sales: 20 units/day
├─ Lead time: 14 days
├─ Safety stock: 100 units
├─ Calculation:
│ ├─ Will sell: 20 × 14 = 280 units during lead time
│ ├─ Plus safety: 100 units needed
│ ├─ Total need: 380 units
│ ├─ Current: 300 units
│ ├─ Will fall short by: 80 units
│ └─ Days to order NOW: Today (already urgent!)
Why it matters:
├─ Tells you WHEN to place orders
├─ Critical for planning
├─ Prevents stockouts
├─ Prevents overstocking
├─ Basis for reorder deadlines
Use it to:
├─ Plan your purchase calendar
├─ Set reorder reminders
├─ Prioritize which products to order
├─ Communicate deadlines
└─ Manage supplier relationships
For new draft products:
├─ Calculation uses: Launch date minus lead time
├─ Purpose: When to order for launch
├─ Timing: Order now to have stock on launch day
└─ Critical: For successful launches
Est. Stockout (Estimated Stockout Date)
What it tells you: When you'll run out of stock if you don't reorder.
Calculation:
├─ On-hand inventory
├─ Plus: Next incoming PO (not draft)
├─ Minus: Daily sales rate
├─ Result: Date when you hit zero
Example:
├─ On-hand today: 200 units
├─ Daily sales: 10 units/day
├─ Next PO arrives: 300 units (in 15 days)
├─ Timeline:
│ ├─ Days 1-15: Sell 10 × 15 = 150 units
│ ├─ On-hand when PO arrives: 200 - 150 = 50 units
│ ├─ After PO arrives: 50 + 300 = 350 units
│ ├─ Then sell 10/day from 350
│ ├─ Days to sell out: 350 ÷ 10 = 35 more days
│ └─ Est. stockout date: Today + 15 + 35 = 50 days from now
Why it matters:
├─ Know when you'll need next order after current PO
├─ Plan for continuous supply
├─ Avoid stockout gaps
├─ Understand supply chain rhythm
├─ Calendar planning
Use it to:
├─ See future stock problems
├─ Plan reorder schedule
├─ Communicate with suppliers
├─ Create purchasing calendar
└─ Prevent supply chain breaks
Last Stockout
What it tells you: The last date this product had zero stock available.
Example:
├─ Last stockout: "Jan 15, 2025"
├─ Meaning: Last time you were completely out
├─ Since then: At least partially in stock
├─ Now: At least 1 unit available
Why it matters:
├─ Understand stockout history
├─ See if pattern exists
├─ Identify problem products
├─ Learn from past disruptions
├─ Context for current status
Use it to:
├─ Identify chronic stockout products
├─ Calculate recovery time
├─ Understand customer impact
├─ Plan improvements
├─ Prevent recurrence
Part 6: Financial Metrics
Cost Value
What it tells you: Total amount you spent to acquire current inventory.
Calculation:
├─ On-hand quantity
├─ Multiply by: Unit cost
├─ Result: Total capital invested
Example:
├─ On-hand: 100 units
├─ Unit cost: $25 per unit
├─ Cost value: 100 × $25 = $2,500
Why it matters:
├─ Understand capital tied up
├─ Working capital management
├─ Valuation of inventory
├─ Financial reporting
├─ Balance sheet impact
Use it to:
├─ See inventory investment
├─ Calculate financial health
├─ Identify overstock costs
├─ Manage cash flow
└─ Optimize inventory levels
Retail Value
What it tells you: Total selling value of current inventory.
Calculation:
├─ On-hand quantity
├─ Multiply by: Current Shopify sale price
├─ Result: Revenue IF you sold all
Example:
├─ On-hand: 100 units
├─ Sale price: $75 per unit
├─ Retail value: 100 × $75 = $7,500
Important:
├─ Based on CURRENT prices
├─ NOT discounted prices
├─ NOT bundle prices
├─ NOT historical prices
└─ Reflects today's value
Why it matters:
├─ Understand revenue potential
├─ Revenue at risk (if stockout)
├─ Inventory value
├─ Financial statements
├─ Business valuation
Use it to:
├─ Calculate potential revenue
├─ Identify high-value inventory
├─ Quantify stockout impact
├─ Manage risk exposure
└─ Report to stakeholders
Gross Margin (Per Unit)
What it tells you: Profit per unit sold.
Calculation:
├─ Shopify price - Unit cost
├─ Result: Profit per unit
Example:
├─ Sale price: $100
├─ Unit cost: $60
├─ Gross margin: $100 - $60 = $40 per unit
Why it matters:
├─ Understand profitability
├─ Compare products
├─ Identify money-makers
├─ Price decisions
├─ Product viability
Use it to:
├─ Find most profitable products
├─ Make pricing decisions
├─ Evaluate new products
├─ Set minimum prices
└─ Focus on profit drivers
Gross Margin (%)
What it tells you: Profit as a percentage of sale price.
Calculation:
├─ (Sale price - Unit cost) ÷ Sale price × 100
├─ Result: % profit
Example:
├─ Sale price: $100
├─ Unit cost: $60
├─ Margin: ($100 - $60) ÷ $100 × 100 = 40%
├─ Meaning: 40% of price is profit
Why percentage matters:
├─ Compare products fairly
├─ $40 on $100 ≠ $40 on $200
├─ Percentage shows relative profit
├─ Better comparison tool
├─ Industry standard metric
Use it to:
├─ Compare profitability across products
├─ Identify low-margin products
├─ Make portfolio decisions
├─ Set pricing strategy
└─ Benchmark against industry
Landed Cost
What it tells you: True cost to acquire each unit (all-in).
Includes:
├─ Unit cost from supplier
├─ Plus: Shipping/freight costs
├─ Plus: Import duties/tariffs
├─ Plus: Insurance
├─ Plus: Other associated costs
├─ Result: Total per-unit cost
Calculation:
├─ Weighted average
├─ Blends: Remaining stock + new inventory
├─ Only on-hand: Affects calculation
├─ Dynamic: Changes as you purchase
Why it matters:
├─ True profitability (not just unit cost)
├─ Accounts for all expenses
├─ Better than "unit cost" alone
├─ Real margin calculation
├─ Financial accuracy
Use it to:
├─ Calculate true gross margin
├─ Price products accurately
├─ Compare suppliers
├─ Evaluate cost reduction
└─ Report accurate profitability
Part 7: Supplier & Sourcing Metrics
Supplier / Vendor
What it tells you: Who supplies this product.
Definition:
├─ Vendor or manufacturer
├─ Source of inventory
├─ Supplier company name
├─ Often: Multiple suppliers per product
Why it matters:
├─ Track sourcing
├─ Manage supplier relationships
├─ Compare supplier performance
├─ Evaluate options
├─ Communication
Use it to:
├─ Filter by supplier
├─ Evaluate supplier performance
├─ Compare lead times
├─ Negotiate terms
└─ Diversify sourcing
Supplier Unit Cost / Shopify Unit Cost
What it tells you: Cost per unit from different sources.
SUPPLIER UNIT COST
├─ What you pay supplier
├─ Used for: Reorder calculations
├─ Used for: Landed cost
├─ Accuracy: Critical for decision-making
└─ Keep current: Update if prices change
SHOPIFY UNIT COST
├─ Historical cost entered in Shopify
├─ May be outdated
├─ May differ from supplier cost
├─ Used in: Gross margin calculation
└─ Consider updating: If supplier price changed
Why both exist:
├─ Synplex tracks supplier cost (real-time)
├─ Shopify tracks historical cost
├─ May differ due to: Negotiation, inflation, etc.
└─ Context: Use right one for decision
Use them to:
├─ Calculate true profitability
├─ Compare to supplier invoices
├─ Track price changes
├─ Negotiate better terms
└─ Understand cost trends
Part 8: Planning & Reorder Metrics
To Buy (Recommended Reorder Quantity)
What it tells you: How much to order right now to maintain healthy stock.
Calculation (simplified):
├─ (Daily Sales × Lead Time + Safety Stock) - On-hand
├─ Result: Units to order
Includes:
├─ What you'll sell during lead time
├─ Plus: Your safety stock buffer
├─ Minus: What you already have
├─ Equals: Order quantity
Example:
├─ Daily sales: 20 units
├─ Lead time: 10 days
├─ Safety stock: 100 units
├─ Current on-hand: 50 units
├─ Calculation:
│ ├─ Lead time stock: 20 × 10 = 200 units
│ ├─ Total need: 200 + 100 = 300 units
│ ├─ Already have: 50 units
│ ├─ To buy: 300 - 50 = 250 units
│ └─ Order 250 units
Why it matters:
├─ Tells you WHAT to order
├─ Backed by math (not guessing)
├─ Prevents stockouts
├─ Prevents overstock
├─ Optimizes capital
Use it to:
├─ Know order quantity
├─ Place purchase orders
├─ Budget for purchases
├─ Plan inventory levels
└─ Make restock decisions
Reorder Deadline
What it tells you: The latest date to place an order to avoid stockouts.
Calculation:
├─ Days to Order (when to reorder)
├─ Minus: Lead time (to account for waiting)
├─ Result: Latest date to place order
Example:
├─ Days to order: 5 days
├─ Lead time: 10 days
├─ Calculation:
│ ├─ If today: Must order by (today + 5 - 10)
│ ├─ Actually: Must order YESTERDAY!
│ ├─ If late: Will stockout
│ └─ Reorder deadline: URGENT/OVERDUE
Why it matters:
├─ Hard deadline for ordering
├─ No flexibility past this date
├─ Prevents stockouts
├─ Calendar-based planning
├─ Clear accountability
Use it to:
├─ Set reorder reminders
├─ Plan purchasing schedule
├─ Allocate team time
├─ Communicate urgency
└─ Manage deadlines
Days to Cover
What it tells you: How many days the recommended reorder will last.
Calculation:
├─ Recommended reorder quantity ÷ Daily sales
├─ Result: Days of supply
Example:
├─ Recommended order: 200 units
├─ Daily sales: 20 units/day
├─ Days to cover: 200 ÷ 20 = 10 days
├─ Meaning: Order lasts 10 days
Why it matters:
├─ Understand order longevity
├─ Plan next order timing
├─ Confirm math makes sense
├─ Communicate planning horizon
├─ Quarterly planning
Use it to:
├─ Verify reorder calculation
├─ Plan next purchase
├─ Communicate to team
├─ Set internal targets
└─ Manage purchasing rhythm
Total Cost to Buy
What it tells you: Financial investment needed for the recommended reorder.
Calculation:
├─ To Buy quantity
├─ Multiply by: Supplier Unit Cost
├─ Result: Total purchase cost
Example:
├─ To Buy: 250 units
├─ Supplier cost: $25/unit
├─ Total cost: 250 × $25 = $6,250
Why it matters:
├─ Budget planning
├─ Cash flow management
├─ Financial forecasting
├─ Supplier negotiations
├─ Working capital planning
Use it to:
├─ Understand cash outlay
├─ Budget for purchases
├─ Plan payment terms
├─ Prioritize orders (limited budget)
└─ Financial forecasting
Covers Until Date
What it tells you: When the recommended order will be depleted.
How it works (bidirectional):
Option A: You specify quantity
├─ You say: "I want to order 500 units"
├─ Synplex calculates: "This will cover until [date]"
└─ Planning: Estimated depletion date
Option B: You specify deadline
├─ You say: "I need coverage until [date]"
├─ Synplex calculates: "Order 500 units"
└─ Planning: Reverse calculation
Example (Option A):
├─ Order 250 units
├─ Daily sales: 20 units/day
├─ Covers: 250 ÷ 20 = 12.5 days
├─ From today: Lasts until [today + 12.5 days]
└─ Covers Until: [specific date]
Why it matters:
├─ Understand supply continuity
├─ Plan next order timing
├─ Avoid supply gaps
├─ Calendar planning
├─ Budget forecasting
Use it to:
├─ Verify coverage is adequate
├─ Plan order schedule
├─ Coordinate multiple suppliers
├─ Communicate timelines
└─ Manage supply chain rhythm
Part 9: Risk & Opportunity Metrics
Sales at Risk
What it tells you: Potential revenue you could lose if you don't restock.
Definition:
├─ Estimated sales lost due to stockout
├─ If no action taken (no restock)
├─ Calculate: Before you run out
├─ Projects: Revenue impact
Example:
├─ Product: Running Low
├─ Current on-hand: 50 units
├─ Daily sales: 20 units/day
├─ Days until stockout: 2.5 days
├─ Next PO arrives: 10 days from now
├─ Stockout gap: 10 - 2.5 = 7.5 days
├─ Lost sales: 20 units/day × 7.5 days = 150 units
├─ Sale price: $100/unit
├─ Sales at risk: 150 × $100 = $15,000
Why it matters:
├─ Quantifies the problem
├─ Shows revenue impact
├─ Justifies reorder urgency
├─ Business case for action
├─ Stakeholder communication
Use it to:
├─ Prioritize urgent orders
├─ Communicate impact
├─ Make restock decisions
├─ Calculate opportunity cost
└─ Report to management
Part 10: Metadata Metrics
SKU
What it tells you: Unique identifier for each variant.
Definition:
├─ Stock Keeping Unit
├─ Unique code per variant
├─ Used for: Tracking & identification
├─ Format: Your choice (alphanumeric)
Example:
├─ Product: T-Shirt
├─ Variants: Blue Small, Blue Medium, Red Small, etc.
├─ SKUs: TS-BLUE-SM, TS-BLUE-MD, TS-RED-SM, etc.
Why it matters:
├─ Unique identification
├─ Inventory tracking
├─ Barcode scanning
├─ Supplier communication
├─ Financial records
Use it to:
├─ Search for specific variant
├─ Communicate with suppliers
├─ Scan in/out
├─ Create reports
└─ Match Shopify to system
Product Created Date / Product Publish Date
What it tells you: Timeline of product lifecycle.
CREATED DATE
├─ When product was first created
├─ May be before publishing
├─ Indicates: Age in system
├─ Useful: For identifying oldest products
PUBLISH DATE
├─ When product went live for sale
├─ When customers could buy
├─ For new products: Sales calculated from this date
├─ Useful: For identifying new launches
Why it matters:
├─ Understand product age
├─ New product performance
├─ Historical context
├─ Lifecycle stage
├─ Trend analysis
Use it to:
├─ Identify new launches
├─ Calculate time-to-viability
├─ Compare product ages
├─ Plan discontinuation
└─ Analyze lifecycle stages
Location
What it tells you: Physical place where inventory is stored.
Definition:
├─ Warehouse, store, or fulfillment center
├─ Synced directly from Shopify
├─ You manage locations in Shopify
└─ Synplex reflects your setup
Locations might include:
├─ Main warehouse
├─ Secondary warehouse
├─ Store location
├─ 3PL fulfillment center
├─ Pop-up locations
└─ Any physical place
Why it matters:
├─ Track inventory by place
├─ Regional management
├─ Fulfillment planning
├─ Transfer planning
├─ Location-specific demand
Use it to:
├─ Filter inventory by location
├─ Manage multi-location inventory
├─ Plan transfers
├─ Analyze location performance
└─ Regional forecasting
Quick Reference: When to Use Each Metric
FOR STATUS CHECKS:
├─ Running Low? → Use: Status, Days to Order
├─ About to stockout? → Use: Est. Stockout, Stock Gap
├─ Too much stock? → Use: Status, Retail Value
└─ Not selling? → Use: Status (No Sales)
FOR PLANNING ORDERS:
├─ What to order? → Use: To Buy
├─ When to order? → Use: Reorder Deadline
├─ How much will it cost? → Use: Total Cost to Buy
├─ How long will it last? → Use: Days to Cover
└─ When will I run out again? → Use: Covers Until Date
FOR FINANCIAL DECISIONS:
├─ How much profit? → Use: Gross Margin (%)
├─ True cost? → Use: Landed Cost
├─ Revenue at risk? → Use: Sales at Risk
├─ Capital invested? → Use: Cost Value
└─ Selling potential? → Use: Retail Value
FOR PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS:
├─ Which products matter? → Use: Grade
├─ How fast selling? → Use: Daily Sales
├─ How profitable? → Use: Gross Margin
├─ Revenue contribution? → Use: Sales Revenue
└─ Problematic products? → Use: Last Stockout, Pre-Stockout Sales
FOR ORGANIZATION:
├─ Which category? → Use: Category
├─ In what collection? → Use: Collections
├─ Custom labels? → Use: Tags
├─ Which supplier? → Use: Supplier
└─ Which location? → Use: Location
FAQ
Q: Why are there different cost metrics?
A:
Different purposes:
Shopify Unit Cost:
├─ Historical cost
├─ May be outdated
├─ Used for: Gross margin
└─ Reference: What you entered
Supplier Unit Cost:
├─ Current cost from supplier
├─ More accurate
├─ Used for: Reorder calculations
└─ Current: Real supplier price
Landed Cost:
├─ All-in cost (total expense)
├─ Includes shipping/duties
├─ True cost to acquire
└─ Most accurate for profitability
Use:
├─ Compare products? Use Gross Margin %
├─ Calculate reorder? Use Supplier Unit Cost
├─ True profitability? Use Landed Cost
└─ Historical tracking? Use Shopify Unit Cost
Q: What if my metrics show conflicting information?
A:
Common conflicts:
High sales revenue + No sales status:
├─ Explanation: Past sales, recently stopped
├─ Check: Last Stockout date
├─ Problem: Demand dropped
└─ Action: Investigate why
Healthy status + High Days to Order:
├─ Explanation: Healthy inventory + Low sales
├─ Check: Daily sales rate
├─ Meaning: Product not selling much
└─ Action: Normal for slow-movers
Low retail value + Grade A:
├─ Explanation: Cheap high-volume item
├─ Meaning: Grade by volume, not price
├─ Check: Grade calculation setting
└─ Both valid: Depends on classification
Resolution:
├─ Check metric definitions
├─ Understand calculations
├─ Context matters (combine metrics)
└─ Ask: "What am I trying to know?"
Q: How often do metrics update?
A:
Update frequency:
Real-time (seconds):
├─ Webhooks trigger immediately
├─ Status changes
├─ On-hand quantity
└─ Daily sales (recalculated)
Near real-time (1-5 minutes):
├─ Calculated metrics
├─ Forecasts
├─ Days to order
└─ Reorder recommendations
Daily:
├─ Complete data sync
├─ All metrics recalculated
├─ Comprehensive refresh
└─ Historical accuracy check
For fastest data:
├─ Refresh your page (clears cache)
├─ Wait for daily sync to complete
├─ Or: Trigger manual sync
└─ Most current data
Summary
Metrics fall into categories:
Status & Health: Current state
├─ Status
├─ Days to Order
└─ Stock Gap
Inventory: Physical quantities
├─ On Hand
├─ In Transit
└─ Opening Stock
Demand: Sales patterns
├─ Daily Sales
├─ Sales Revenue
└─ Pre-Stockout Daily Sales
Financial: Money metrics
├─ Cost Value
├─ Retail Value
├─ Gross Margin
└─ Landed Cost
Timing: Deadlines & forecasts
├─ Est. Stockout
├─ Reorder Deadline
└─ Days to Cover
Reorder: Planning metrics
├─ To Buy
├─ Total Cost to Buy
└─ Covers Until Date
Classification: Organization
├─ Grade
├─ Category
├─ Location
└─ SKU
All work together to give you complete picture of your inventory.
Next Steps
- Explore your metrics - Check which are available in your table
- Customize columns - Add/remove metrics that matter to you
- Understand calculations - See how each metric works
- Use in decisions - Apply metrics to real decisions
- Monitor over time - Track trends in key metrics
Related Resources
- Metric Troubleshooting — Understanding metric discrepancies
Need Help?
Questions about specific metrics?
├─ Chat: In-app chat (bottom right)
├─ Email: support@synplex.io
├─ Response: Usually <24 hours
└─ Available: Mon-Fri, business hours