Monitor construction stock & send low inventory alerts with Google Sheets

Description

• Automates stock maintenance for real estate (e.g., construction materials, office supplies).
• Monitors stock levels, processes additions/deductions, and sends low-stock alerts via email.
• Uses Google Sheets for data storage and n8n for workflow automation.

Essential Information

• Daily workflow to check and update stock levels.
• Stores data in a Google Sheet for easy access and analysis.
• Sends email notifications for low-stock items based on predefined thresholds.
• Supports dynamic stock updates via API or form input (configurable).

System Architecture

• Stock Monitoring Pipeline:
  • Daily Stock Check: Triggers daily to initiate stock monitoring.
  • Fetch Stock Data: Retrieves current stock levels from Google Sheet.
  • Update Stock Levels: Processes stock additions or deductions.
• Alert Generation Flow:
  • Check Low Stock: Identifies items below threshold.
  • Send Email Alert: Notifies stakeholders of low-stock items.
• Data Management:
  • Update Google Sheet: Saves updated stock levels and timestamps.

Implementation Guide

• Import the workflow JSON into n8n.
• Configure Google Sheets credentials and specify sheet ID.
• Set up SMTP credentials for email alerts.
• Test stock update and low-stock alert processes.
• Monitor email delivery and adjust thresholds as needed.

Technical Dependencies

• Google Sheets API for stock data storage and retrieval.
• SMTP service for sending low-stock email alerts.
• n8n for workflow automation and orchestration.
• Optional: Web form or API for dynamic stock updates.

Database & Sheet Structure

• Stock Inventory Sheet (StockInventory):
  • Columns: item, quantity, threshold, last_updated, unit
  • Example: Cement, 100, 20, 2025-07-29T08:00:00Z, Bags

Customization Possibilities

• Modify Update Stock Levels node to integrate with a form or API for real-time updates.
• Adjust Check Low Stock node to set custom thresholds per item.
• Customize email alert format in Send Email Alert node.
• Add error-handling nodes for invalid stock updates.
• Integrate with a dashboard tool for visual stock monitoring.