Stock Data is Read-Only
Synplex cannot edit stock quantities. All inventory levels come from Shopify, which is the single source of truth for stock data.
Why stock is read-only
Synplex is an inventory planning tool, not an inventory management system. It reads stock from Shopify, analyses it, and generates recommendations. It does not write back to Shopify inventory levels.
This separation is intentional:
- Single source of truth — Shopify holds the authoritative stock record. There is no risk of Synplex overwriting a manual adjustment or conflicting with another system updating Shopify.
- Audit trail — every stock change is recorded in Shopify with a timestamp and user, giving you a complete history of movements.
- Simplicity — you only need to update stock in one place.
How to update stock quantities
All stock adjustments must be made in Shopify. Synplex will reflect the change automatically.
- Go to Shopify Admin → Products → Inventory
- Find the product and variant you want to update
- Click the quantity field for the relevant location and enter the new value
- Save
Shopify will fire a webhook and Synplex will update within a few seconds. If the change does not appear immediately, go to Settings → Sync and trigger a manual sync.
For bulk updates, Shopify supports CSV import via Products → Inventory → Export/Import.
How quickly Synplex reflects Shopify changes
| Method | How it works | Typical time to appear in Synplex |
|---|---|---|
| Webhook (automatic) | Shopify notifies Synplex the moment you save a change | Seconds |
| Daily reconciliation | Runs overnight and catches anything webhooks missed | By the following morning |
| Manual sync | You trigger it via Settings → Sync | Within 2–15 minutes |
The Last Synced timestamp on the dashboard reflects reconciliation and manual syncs only — it does not update when a webhook fires. So data can be current even if the timestamp looks a few hours old.
Common scenarios
Physical stock count reveals a discrepancy Update the quantity in Shopify to match your physical count. Synplex will reflect the correction and recalculate reorder recommendations based on the new figure.
Damaged or unusable stock Reduce the quantity in Shopify by the number of damaged units. Synplex will adjust its calculations accordingly.
Stock received from a supplier If you are not using Synplex purchase orders to receive stock, update the quantity manually in Shopify. Synplex will pick up the increase and update Days to Stockout and reorder metrics.
Customer return added back to stock Update the quantity in Shopify after inspecting and restocking the returned units.
FAQ
Can I bulk edit stock in Synplex? No. Use Shopify's bulk inventory edit — go to Products → Inventory, select the products you want to update, and use the bulk edit or CSV export/import option.
What if Synplex stock doesn't match Shopify after a change? Check the Last Synced timestamp. If it is recent, the webhook may still be processing — wait a minute and refresh. If data is still mismatched, trigger a manual sync via Settings → Sync. If it still does not match after a sync, see Connection & Data Status.
Will Synplex ever write stock back to Shopify? No. The data flow is always Shopify → Synplex only.
Related
- Connection & Data Status — verify data is fresh and the connection is healthy
- Common Problems — if stock quantities look wrong in Synplex