Flow Automation: Triggering Workflows When Product Inventory Updates

You can use the Inventory object updates trigger in Flow Automation to initiate workflows whenever the inventory level of a product variant is modified. This trigger is ideal for managing overall stock buffers, automating pre-order settings, or centralizing inventory notifications across all locations.

This guide explains the actions supported by this trigger, how to test it end to end, and provides a practical example for automating inventory alerts.

Supported Actions

The following actions are primarily used in workflows initiated by the Inventory object updates trigger:

• [General] Send email
• [General] Update counter
• [General] For each loop
• [General] Query metafields
• [Product] Remove product tags
• [Product] Add product tags

Testing the Workflow

To test whether the workflow is successfully initiated when the product inventory is updated, follow these steps:

1. In Flow Automation, set up a workflow using the Inventory object updates trigger.

2. From your SHOPLINE admin panel, go to Products > Inventory, and find a product, and update its inventory quantity in the Available column.
   

   Note: In SHOPLINE, updating either the Available or On-hand quantity will automatically adjust the other and initiate the workflow. For more detailed instructions on managing product variants, please refer to the "Adding and Managing Product Variants" guide.

3. After saving the changes, go to Flow Automation to check the execution results.

   Note: For more information on how to monitor the execution of your workflows, please refer to the "How to View the Running of a Flow" section in the "Introduction to Flow Automation" guide.

Example Use Case

Here is a practical example of using the Inventory object updates trigger to automate internal stock alerts.

Scenario: Send low-stock email alerts to staff when the total inventory of a product variant drops below a certain threshold.

• Trigger: Product inventory updates
• Condition: Check if the variant's available inventory is less than or equal to the assigned number (i.e., 20).
• Action: Send email notification
  • Recipient: Manually enter the email addresses of the staff members who should receive the notification.
  • Subject: Global Low Stock Alert [Product variant name] (${variant.title})

  • Email Content: The total inventory for [Product variant name] (${variant.title}) has dropped to [Available quantity] (${variant.inventory_quantity}) across all locations. To restock or make further adjustments, please log in to the SHOPLINE admin panel to view detailed inventory status.

    Note: To insert the variables shown in parentheses (e.g., ${variant.title}), click Add variables and select the corresponding parameters.

• Outcome: Whenever the total stock of a variant falls below the defined threshold (e.g., 20 units), the system automatically sends an email notification. This ensures the operations team can manage global stock levels and prevent overselling.