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Excel beginner

How to Flag Low Inventory Items in Excel?

Ensure you never run out of stock by using a visual alert formula to flag items below their reorder points.

Formula Genius can generate a draft from a plain-English prompt. Supported formulas can be checked with sample cases; review the coverage on the result.

The formula

Prompt

"Flag inventory items that have fallen below their reorder point with a visual alert formula"

Excel
=IF(A2<B2, "Reorder", "Stock OK")

This formula checks if the inventory level is below the reorder point and flags it accordingly.

Step-by-step breakdown

  1. A2 is the current inventory level.
  2. B2 is the reorder point.
  3. IF function evaluates whether A2 is less than B2.
  4. If true, it returns 'Reorder'; if false, it returns 'Stock OK'.

Edge cases & warnings

  • If A2 is exactly equal to B2, the formula will return 'Stock OK'.
  • If A2 contains a non-numeric value, it will result in an error.
  • If B2 is empty, the formula will always return 'Stock OK'.

Examples

Prompt

"Current inventory 50, Reorder point 100"

Excel
Reorder
Prompt

"Current inventory 150, Reorder point 100"

Excel
Stock OK

Frequently asked questions

Can I customize the alert message?

Yes, you can change 'Reorder' and 'Stock OK' to any text you prefer.

What happens if I use negative numbers?

Negative numbers will be evaluated just like positive numbers, so ensure they make sense in your context.

How can I apply this formula to multiple rows?

Drag the fill handle down from the corner of the cell to apply the formula to other rows.

Can't find what you need?

Describe a formula in plain English. Formula Genius drafts and explains it, and can check supported formulas on sample cases.