Expiry date tracking and liquidation alerts for perishable items

Purpose

1.1. Enable real-time monitoring of acrylic paint and supply expiration dates, sending proactive liquidation alerts to avoid stock wastage and ensure optimal shelf rotation.
1.2. Minimize profit loss from unsold expired inventory and ensure compliance with safety or quality protocols demanded in arts & crafts retailing.
1.3. Automate alerts, inventory updates, and cross-team notifications for rapid, actionable decision-making on perishable SKU handling.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. Daily scheduled scan of item expiry dates in inventory records.
2.2. Detected item within X days (customizable) of expiry.
2.3. Manual update to inventory with new batch details triggers recalculation.
2.4. Liquidation event: item expired or stock thresholds breached.

Platform Variants

3.1. Microsoft Power Automate
• Feature/Setting: Configure “Scheduled Cloud Flow” with Excel Online or SharePoint List, using “Condition” for expiry comparison and Teams/email action for notification.
3.2. Zapier
• Feature/Setting: Trigger recurring Zap, use Formatter’s Date/Time action to check expiry fields, send alert via Gmail/Slack webhook.
3.3. Make (Integromat)
• Feature/Setting: Use “Schedule” trigger, connect to Google Sheets or Airtable, filter rows based on date, then integrate with email/SMS modules.
3.4. Google Apps Script
• Feature/Setting: Time-driven trigger on Google Sheets checks expiration fields, sends batch emails using MailApp.sendEmail().
3.5. Twilio SMS
• Feature/Setting: Use “Programmable Messaging”; configure API to send SMS when webhook receives nearing-expiry item data.
3.6. SendGrid
• Feature/Setting: Configure automated dynamic templates, use API v3 “mail/send” endpoint for expiry email alerts.
3.7. Slack
• Feature/Setting: Use “Incoming Webhooks” or API conversations.post endpoint to send expiry notifications to inventory or operations channel.
3.8. Airtable
• Feature/Setting: Automations with Date field comparisons, trigger “Send SMS”/”Send email” when expiration threshold is breached.
3.9. Shopify
• Feature/Setting: Scheduled reports or webhook for product metafields with expiration dates, use Admin API to update product tags or notify admin.
3.10. Smartsheet
• Feature/Setting: Set “Date-based Alerts”, configure Workflow Automation for expiry cells, auto-email notifications.
3.11. Salesforce
• Feature/Setting: Scheduled Flow or Process Builder, compare custom date fields, trigger Chatter post or outbound message.
3.12. Trello
• Feature/Setting: Butler automation for due dates representing expiry, auto-move cards or post to Slack.
3.13. Monday.com
• Feature/Setting: Timeline or date column triggers; create automation recipes for notifications or status change.
3.14. Zoho Inventory
• Feature/Setting: Custom function or scheduled workflow, use expiry date field and send email/SMS notification action.
3.15. HubSpot
• Feature/Setting: Use workflow automation on custom expiry date properties, send email or task reminders to staff.
3.16. Oracle NetSuite
• Feature/Setting: Saved search with date formula, schedule reminders via workflow or email alert template.
3.17. QuickBooks Online
• Feature/Setting: Custom field for expiry with report scheduling; paired with API webhook for alerting.
3.18. SAP Business One
• Feature/Setting: User-defined fields for expiry, query generator for daily checks, use alert management to email stakeholders.
3.19. Notion
• Feature/Setting: Database view filters on date properties, send reminders via API integration with email or Slack.
3.20. Basecamp
• Feature/Setting: Scheduled checklists with expiry dates, automated message posting to project group upon trigger.

Benefits

4.1. Proactive identification and handling of soon-to-expire inventory.
4.2. Minimizes unsellable waste, improving profit retention.
4.3. Increases staff awareness—cross-team coordination for timely action.
4.4. Reduces manual labor, error risk in inventory management.
4.5. Strengthens compliance and service quality through structured, repeated alert flows.