Stock rules

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 4 minutes to read
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    Summary of Stock rules

    Stock rules in ServiceNow define criteria to manage inventory levels in stockrooms by automatically triggering restocking actions when asset quantities fall below specified thresholds. These rules help ensure consistent availability of assets by initiating transfers from other stockrooms or ordering from vendors as needed.

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    Key Features

    • Threshold-based triggers: When asset inventory in a stockroom reaches a set threshold, predefined actions occur to replenish stock.
    • Restocking options:
      • Email notifications can be sent to the stockroom manager with customizable conditions, recipients, and content.
      • Automatic creation of tasks, purchase orders, transfer orders, or Service Catalog requests depending on stock rule type and active plugins.
    • Stock Rule Runner job: This daily job checks stockroom inventories against stock rules, triggers restocking tasks or orders, and sends notifications. It prevents duplicate orders or emails if restocking is already in progress.
    • Pending delivery flag: Tracks whether a stock rule fulfillment is underway, preventing redundant task or order creation. It must be reset to allow reprocessing.
    • System property glide.sc.checkout.twostep: Controls whether requests are auto-submitted when items are added to the Service Catalog cart, impacting the Stock Rule Runner’s automation flow.

    Key Outcomes

    • Automatic transfer orders are generated for stockroom-to-stockroom replenishment without duplication.
    • With the Procurement plugin enabled, purchase orders and line items are created for vendor restocking; requires procurementuser role for access.
    • With Hardware Asset Management installed, Service Catalog requests replace purchase orders, submitting replenishment requests for manager approval.
    • If neither Procurement nor Hardware Asset Management is active, tasks are created to prompt manual restocking actions.

    Practical Considerations for ServiceNow Customers

    • Ensure the pendingdelivery flag is properly managed to avoid redundant restocking actions.
    • Customize email notifications to effectively communicate restocking needs to stockroom managers.
    • Verify your active plugins (Procurement, Hardware Asset Management) to understand how restocking requests and orders are generated.
    • Be aware of the glide.sc.checkout.twostep property setting as it influences the automatic submission of Service Catalog requests triggered by stock rules.

    Stock rules are defined criteria stating that when the inventory of a particular asset in a particular stockroom reaches a specified threshold, a certain number should either be transferred from another stockroom or ordered from a vendor.

    For example, a specific model of computer keyboard reaches an inventory of 10 in a particular stockroom and, because a stock rule is in place, a transfer order is automatically created to transfer 50 from a different stockroom. Because there can be multiple assets of a model within a stockroom, stock rules enable you to check all assets fitting the criteria and view a total count.

    There are two restocking options:

    • Email notifications can be sent to the stockroom manager (specified in the Manager field on the stockroom record) through the Asset Restocking email action when the inventory of a particular asset in the stockroom reaches a specified threshold. You can customize this email notification by updating the details in the following tabs:
      • When to send: Set the conditions under which the email should be triggered.
      • Who will receive: Specify the recipients of the email.
      • What it will contain: Define the content and information included in the email.
      A task is automatically created for the stockroom manager or, if Procurement is active, a purchase order and a purchase order line item are created.
    • A transfer order can be generated automatically to restock the item from another stockroom.

    Stock Rule Runner job

    The Stock Rule Runner job runs everyday to check if the inventory in the stockroom has reached the threshold set by the stock rule. The job then triggers tasks or workflows to restock the inventory. This job creates tasks for stockroom managers and also sends email notifications to them.
    Important:
    If restocking is in progress, the system doesn’t create duplicate email messages or duplicate transfer orders. It's important to act on it promptly.

    By default, the glide.sc.checkout.twostep system property that's set to false, results in the automatic submission of requests when items are added to the Service Catalog cart. Also, with this setting of the system property, the Stock Rule Runner job triggers the creation of tasks, purchase orders, transfer orders, and Service Catalog requests.

    If the value of the glide.sc.checkout.twostep system property is set to true, then the CartJS API adds items to the cart but the requests aren't submitted automatically. Instead, the request submission requires additional actions to be performed, affecting the automatic flow of the Stock Rule Runner job.

    The pending_delivery is used to indicate whether a stock rule is awaiting fulfillment or delivery. The pending_delivery can be set to any of the following values:

    • When this flag is set to true, the stock rule is in progress, and the system doesn't generate duplicate tasks or orders for the same item.
    • When this flag is set to false, the system reprocesses the stock rule and triggers the creation of tasks and orders again.
    Note:
    Make sure that the pending_delivery flag is updated to false when a stock rule has been processed, enabling the Stock Rule Runner job to run without redundancy.

    Based on the Stock rule type and the plugin activated on your ServiceNow instance, the Stock Rule Runner job creates purchase orders, transfer orders, Service Catalog requests, or tasks.

    Important:

    If the Procurement plugin and the Hardware Asset Management application aren't activated, the Stock Rule Runner job creates a task instead of a purchase order or a Service Catalog request. This task prompts the stockroom manager to take the necessary actions to replenish the inventory.

    Table 1. Stock Rule Runner job behavior
    Stock rule type Orders/Requests created
    Stockroom A transfer order is created automatically when the inventory in a stockroom reaches the threshold set by the stock rule.

    The transfer order is created to transfer stock from another stockroom to replenish the inventory.

    Note:
    If a transfer order is already in progress, then additional transfer orders aren't created.
    Vendor When the Procurement plugin (com.snc.procurement) is activated, a purchase order and corresponding purchase order line items are created.

    Purchase orders and purchase order line items are created when the inventory in a stockroom reaches the defined threshold and needs replenishment directly from the vendor.

    Note:
    You must have a procurement_user role to access the purchase order and purchase order line item.
    Vendor or Service Catalog When the Hardware Asset Management application is installed and the stock rule is set to Vendor or Service Catalog, then note the following points:
    • The Stock Rule Runner job submits a Service Catalog request instead of creating a purchase order.
    • The Service Catalog request is automatically submitted for stock replenishment through the Service Catalog. The items are added to the Service Catalog cart for the Stockroom manager to review and approve.
    • The pending_delivery flag is used to track the status of the Service Catalog requests. This flag guarantees that the Service Catalog requests are processed correctly, avoiding duplicate actions.