A larger-than-expected order recommendation doesn't necessarily indicate a problem. In many cases, Inventory Ally is calculating the amount needed to cover your hospital until the next scheduled ordering cycle. Before changing the recommended quantity, review the areas below to understand why the recommendation was generated.
What to review
Check units of measurement
Start by confirming the item's Ordering Unit. Inventory Ally always recommends quantities using the Ordering Unit. If an item is shipped in packs or boxes, recommendations are still displayed as individual units.
Example
A recommendation of 20 means 20 individual catheters, not 20 boxes.
Review your on-hand quantity
Large recommendations often occur when an item's estimated quantity on hand is very low or has reached zero. In these cases, Inventory Ally is calculating the amount needed to replenish inventory for the entire ordering period.
Review the item's frequency
Inventory Ally recommends enough inventory to cover the item's assigned review frequency. When moving from reactive ordering to proactive inventory management, recommendations may initially seem larger because the system is now planning for a full ordering cycle, whether the item is reviewed weekly, every other week, monthly, or quarterly. If carrying that amount of inventory doesn't fit your workflow, consider assigning the item to a shorter review frequency so it can be reviewed and reordered more often.
Review merged items
If the item belongs to a merged group, review both the units of measurement and the merged conversion ratio. Conversion ratios should always represent equivalent quantities.
Examples include:
one tablet = one tablet
one milliliter = one milliliter
Incorrect conversion ratios can inflate usage calculations and result in larger order recommendations.
Still need help?
If you've confirmed the units of measurement, on-hand quantity, review frequency, and any merged item conversion ratios, but the recommendation still doesn't appear correct, contact Inventory Ally Support for further investigation.
Key takeaways
Large order recommendations are usually caused by one or more of the following:
the Ordering Unit doesn't match expectations
the item's on-hand quantity is low or zero
the recommendation covers a full ordering cycle
an incorrect merged item conversion ratio
Once these areas have been reviewed, the recommendation typically reflects the quantity needed to cover the entire review period.