Override LowQuantityCollection For Accurate Low Stock Reports In Magento 2.4

In Magento 2.4, managing inventory effectively is crucial for smooth business operations. The low stock report is a vital tool for merchants to identify products that need restocking. However, the default behavior might not always meet specific business needs. This article delves into how to override the LowQuantityCollection via preference to ensure that products with zero stock are also included in the low stock report, thereby providing a comprehensive overview of inventory status. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the importance of accurate low stock reporting, the default behavior of Magento 2.4, and the step-by-step process of overriding the LowQuantityCollection using preferences to include products with zero stock. By the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of how to customize Magento 2.4 to meet your specific inventory management needs, ensuring that you never miss restocking essential products. Accurate inventory management is the backbone of any successful e-commerce business. It directly impacts customer satisfaction, order fulfillment efficiency, and overall profitability. When products are out of stock, it leads to lost sales, frustrated customers, and potential damage to your brand reputation. Therefore, having a reliable system that accurately reports low stock levels is essential. Magento 2.4 provides a low stock report feature that helps merchants identify products that need restocking. However, the default configuration may not always capture all the products that are genuinely low in stock, especially those with a stock level of zero.

Accurate low stock reporting is essential for maintaining optimal inventory levels and preventing stockouts. Stockouts can lead to lost sales, dissatisfied customers, and a negative impact on your brand's reputation. By having a clear view of which products are running low, you can proactively reorder them, ensuring that you always have enough stock to meet customer demand. This proactive approach not only helps in retaining customers but also in improving overall sales performance. Inaccurate low stock reporting, on the other hand, can lead to missed sales opportunities and increased carrying costs. If you are unaware of low stock levels, you might miss out on potential sales and revenue. Conversely, if you overestimate your stock levels, you might end up holding excess inventory, which ties up capital and increases storage costs. Therefore, it is crucial to have a system that accurately reflects your inventory levels, allowing you to make informed decisions about restocking and inventory management. Moreover, accurate low stock reporting is crucial for efficient warehouse management and order fulfillment. When you have a clear understanding of your inventory levels, you can streamline your order fulfillment process, reducing the time it takes to ship orders to customers. This efficiency not only improves customer satisfaction but also reduces operational costs. By optimizing your inventory management, you can ensure that your warehouse operations run smoothly and that your customers receive their orders on time. In summary, accurate low stock reporting is not just about avoiding stockouts; it is about optimizing your entire inventory management process to improve sales, customer satisfaction, and operational efficiency. By implementing a system that provides a clear and accurate view of your inventory levels, you can make informed decisions, reduce costs, and drive business growth.

By default, Magento 2.4’s low stock report includes products whose stock levels fall below the specified notification threshold. This threshold can be configured in the Magento admin panel under Stores > Configuration > Catalog > Inventory > Stock Options. While this setup works well for many scenarios, it typically excludes products with a stock level of zero. This exclusion can be problematic because products with zero stock are, inarguably, low in stock and require immediate attention. The default behavior of Magento 2.4 is designed to provide a quick overview of products that are nearing depletion, allowing merchants to take timely action. However, this approach might not be sufficient for businesses that need a more granular view of their inventory. For instance, if a product's stock level drops to zero, it might not appear in the low stock report, potentially leading to a delayed restocking process. This can be especially challenging for businesses that rely on just-in-time inventory management or those that sell products with high demand. Furthermore, the default low stock report settings might not align with the specific needs of all businesses. Some businesses might prefer to include products with zero stock in their low stock report to ensure a comprehensive view of their inventory. This is particularly important for businesses that want to proactively manage their stock levels and avoid any potential stockouts. By understanding the default behavior of Magento 2.4’s low stock reports, merchants can better assess whether the default settings meet their business requirements. If the default settings do not provide the necessary level of detail, merchants can consider customizing the low stock report to include products with zero stock, as we will discuss in the following sections. In addition to the exclusion of zero-stock products, the default low stock report might also have limitations in terms of filtering and sorting options. Merchants might need to filter the report based on specific criteria, such as product attributes or categories, to focus on the most critical items. Similarly, they might need to sort the report based on stock levels or sales velocity to prioritize restocking efforts. Therefore, understanding the default behavior of Magento 2.4’s low stock reports is just the first step. Merchants should also consider their specific business needs and explore customization options to ensure that the report provides the most relevant and actionable information.

Including products with zero stock in the low stock report provides a complete picture of your inventory status. It ensures that you are aware of all products that are out of stock, allowing you to take immediate action to restock them. This is particularly important for popular items or products that have a high turnover rate. Overlooking products with zero stock can lead to stockouts, which can negatively impact sales and customer satisfaction. By including these products in the report, you can proactively manage your inventory and avoid potential losses. Moreover, monitoring products with zero stock can help you identify trends and patterns in your sales data. For example, if a particular product frequently goes out of stock, it might indicate a need to increase the reorder point or negotiate better terms with your supplier. By analyzing the data from the low stock report, you can make informed decisions about inventory management and optimize your supply chain. Furthermore, including products with zero stock in the low stock report can improve your overall inventory accuracy. By regularly reviewing the report and taking action on out-of-stock items, you can ensure that your inventory records are up-to-date and accurate. This accuracy is crucial for effective inventory planning and forecasting. Accurate inventory data allows you to make better decisions about purchasing, pricing, and marketing, ultimately leading to improved profitability. In addition to the direct benefits of avoiding stockouts and improving inventory accuracy, including products with zero stock in the low stock report can also enhance your customer service. When customers can see that you are actively managing your inventory and restocking popular items, it builds trust and confidence in your brand. This can lead to increased customer loyalty and repeat business. In conclusion, including products with zero stock in the low stock report is a crucial step towards effective inventory management. It provides a complete view of your inventory status, helps you avoid stockouts, improves inventory accuracy, and enhances customer service. By taking the necessary steps to customize your low stock report, you can ensure that you are always aware of your inventory levels and can take timely action to restock items as needed.

To include products with zero stock in the low stock report, you need to override the LowQuantityCollection class. This can be achieved by using Magento's preference system. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Create a Custom Module

If you don’t already have one, create a custom module. Let’s assume our module is named Custom_Inventory. Create the following directory structure:

app/
  code/
    Custom/
      Inventory/
        etc/
        Model/
        registration.php

Step 2: Create registration.php

Create the registration.php file in app/code/Custom/Inventory/ with the following content:

<?php

use Magento\Framework\Component\ComponentRegistrar;

ComponentRegistrar::register(
    ComponentRegistrar::MODULE,
    'Custom_Inventory',
    __DIR__
);

Step 3: Create module.xml

Create the module.xml file in app/code/Custom/Inventory/etc/ with the following content:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="urn:magento:framework:Module/etc/module.xsd">
    <module name="Custom_Inventory" setup_version="1.0.0"/>
</config>

Step 4: Create a Custom Collection

Create a new class that extends Magento\CatalogInventory\Model\ResourceModel\LowQuantity\Collection. This class will override the _initSelect() method to include products with zero stock. Create the file app/code/Custom/Inventory/Model/ResourceModel/LowQuantity/Collection.php with the following content:

<?php

namespace Custom\Inventory\Model\ResourceModel\LowQuantity;

use Magento\CatalogInventory\Model\ResourceModel\LowQuantity\Collection as OriginalCollection;

class Collection extends OriginalCollection
{
    /**
     * Initialize select
     *
     * @return $this
     */
    protected function _initSelect()
    {
        parent::_initSelect();
        $this->addFieldToFilter('qty', ['lteq' => 0]);
        return $this;
    }
}

Explanation:

• We extend the original LowQuantityCollection class.
• In the _initSelect() method, we add a filter to include products where the quantity (qty) is less than or equal to 0.

Step 5: Create di.xml to Override Preference

Create the di.xml file in app/code/Custom/Inventory/etc/ with the following content:

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<config xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="urn:magento:framework:ObjectManager/etc/config.xsd">
    <preference for="Magento\CatalogInventory\Model\ResourceModel\LowQuantity\Collection" type="Custom\Inventory\Model\ResourceModel\LowQuantity\Collection"/>
</config>

Explanation:

• This di.xml file tells Magento to use our custom collection class (Custom\Inventory\Model\ResourceModel\LowQuantity\Collection) whenever Magento\CatalogInventory\Model\ResourceModel\LowQuantity\Collection is requested.

Step 6: Enable the Module and Clear Cache

1. Enable the module by running the following command in your Magento root directory:

   php bin/magento module:enable Custom_Inventory
   

2. Run the setup upgrade command:

   php bin/magento setup:upgrade
   

3. Clear the cache:

   php bin/magento cache:flush
   

Step 7: Verify the Changes

Go to the low stock report in your Magento admin panel (Reports > Products > Low Stock) and verify that products with zero stock are now included in the report. You should now see all products with a quantity of 0 or less in the low stock report. This ensures that you are aware of all out-of-stock items and can take timely action to restock them. By following these steps, you have successfully overridden the LowQuantityCollection via preference, ensuring that your low stock report includes products with zero stock. This customization provides a more accurate and comprehensive view of your inventory, allowing you to manage your stock levels effectively and prevent stockouts. In addition to the steps outlined above, you can further customize the low stock report by adding additional filters or sorting options. For example, you might want to filter the report by product type or category, or sort it by stock level or sales velocity. These customizations can help you focus on the most critical items and prioritize your restocking efforts. Furthermore, you can integrate the low stock report with other inventory management tools or systems to automate the restocking process. For example, you can set up alerts to notify you when a product reaches a certain stock level, or automatically generate purchase orders for items that are running low. By leveraging these integrations, you can streamline your inventory management and ensure that you always have enough stock to meet customer demand. In conclusion, overriding the LowQuantityCollection via preference is a powerful way to customize Magento 2.4 to meet your specific inventory management needs. By including products with zero stock in your low stock report, you can gain a more accurate and comprehensive view of your inventory, prevent stockouts, and improve customer satisfaction. With the step-by-step guide provided in this article, you can easily implement this customization and take your inventory management to the next level.

Overriding the LowQuantityCollection via preference in Magento 2.4 is a straightforward yet powerful way to customize your low stock reports. By including products with zero stock, you ensure a comprehensive view of your inventory, enabling you to manage stock levels more effectively and prevent potential stockouts. This customization enhances inventory accuracy and improves customer satisfaction by ensuring that you are always aware of and responsive to your inventory needs. Implementing this customization allows you to proactively manage your stock, identify trends, and make informed decisions about purchasing and pricing. This proactive approach not only helps in preventing stockouts but also in optimizing your inventory levels to meet customer demand. Furthermore, by having a comprehensive view of your inventory, you can better plan for promotions and sales events, ensuring that you have enough stock to meet the increased demand. In addition to the direct benefits of improved inventory management, overriding the LowQuantityCollection can also contribute to a more efficient and streamlined business operation. By automating the process of identifying and restocking low-stock items, you can free up valuable time and resources that can be used for other important tasks. This increased efficiency can lead to cost savings and improved productivity, ultimately contributing to the overall success of your business. Moreover, this customization can be easily integrated with other inventory management tools and systems, further enhancing its effectiveness. For example, you can set up automated alerts to notify you when a product reaches a certain stock level, or you can integrate your low stock report with your accounting system to track inventory costs and profitability. By leveraging these integrations, you can create a comprehensive inventory management solution that meets your specific business needs. In conclusion, overriding the LowQuantityCollection via preference is a valuable customization for any Magento 2.4 store. It provides a more accurate and comprehensive view of your inventory, helps prevent stockouts, improves customer satisfaction, and contributes to a more efficient and streamlined business operation. By following the step-by-step guide provided in this article, you can easily implement this customization and take your inventory management to the next level. This will not only benefit your business in the short term but also lay a solid foundation for long-term growth and success.