Inventory expiry alerts

Purpose

1.1. Proactively notify staff about approaching inventory expiration to reduce food spoilage, uphold regulatory compliance, assure freshness, and optimize order timing.
1.2. Integrate expiry data from inventory databases, calculate thresholds, and automate alerts to responsible parties in real time.
1.3. Maintain a historical log for analysis and future procurement planning.
1.4. Enable both internal team communication and vendor notification for restocking.

Trigger Conditions

2.1. Inventory item reaches X days before its expiration date as configured in POS or inventory management software.
2.2. Items flagged for low stock combined with imminent expiry.
2.3. Receipt of new stock triggers recalculation and refresh of expiry watchlist.
2.4. Manual override via dashboard for staff to update expiry dates or exclude items.

Platform variants

3.1. Slack
• Feature/Setting: Incoming Webhooks — configure expiration alert messages to alert designated kitchen staff.
• Sample: POST inventory expiry event payload to channel webhook URL.
3.2. Twilio SMS
• Feature/Setting: Programmable Messaging API — send automated text alerts for soon-to-expire items.
• Sample: Use /Messages endpoint, populate staff phone numbers and alert text.
3.3. SendGrid
• Feature/Setting: Email API — automatic emails to purchasing team with daily expiry summary.
• Sample: POST v3/mail/send with dynamic item expiry content.
3.4. Microsoft Teams
• Feature/Setting: Connector Webhook — push expiry card notification to relevant channel.
• Sample: POST adaptive card JSON payload to Teams incoming webhook URL.
3.5. Google Sheets
• Feature/Setting: Google Sheets API — log each expiring batch status in live expiry tracking sheet.
• Sample: Use spreadsheets.values.append to update expiry log sheet.
3.6. SAP Business One
• Feature/Setting: Service Layer API — schedule queries for batch expiry and trigger alerts via email or SMS integrations.
• Sample: Schedule GET /Items with expiry filter, trigger business event.
3.7. Square
• Feature/Setting: Inventory API — monitor batch expiry attribute and trigger webhook when threshold reached.
• Sample: Use inventory.batch.restocked event to recalibrate expiry alert logic.
3.8. Zoho Inventory
• Feature/Setting: API — fetch expiry dates and send notifications integrated with internal comms.
• Sample: Automated GET /inventoryitems?has_expiry=yes, trigger POST to Slack channel.
3.9. WhatsApp Business
• Feature/Setting: WhatsApp Cloud API — send expiry alert template messages to chef/manager.
• Sample: Use /messages endpoint, itemized alert payload.
3.10. Gmail
• Feature/Setting: Gmail API — automated, template-based email to management for action.
• Sample: Create draft and send with mail expiration summary.
3.11. Asana
• Feature/Setting: Tasks API — auto-create “Check Expiry” tasks for inventory controller.
• Sample: POST to /tasks with expiry-check details as description.
3.12. Monday.com
• Feature/Setting: Boards API — update item expiry status column; alert via automation.
• Sample: PATCH /items/column_values for expiry, trigger notification rule.
3.13. Notion
• Feature/Setting: Database API — log expiry events and push notification via integrated bot.
• Sample: PATCH to database with expiry date & @mention responsible person.
3.14. Trello
• Feature/Setting: Card API — create card for every critical expiry event; notify assigned user.
• Sample: POST /cards with expiry details, assign stakeholder.
3.15. PagerDuty
• Feature/Setting: Events API v2 — trigger on-call escalation if critical ingredients expire soon.
• Sample: POST event with severity=warning.
3.16. Freshservice
• Feature/Setting: Service Desk API — auto-create ticket for inventory risk.
• Sample: POST /tickets with “expiry alert” type/priority.
3.17. Airtable
• Feature/Setting: API — update base table with status and notify via comment/tag.
• Sample: PATCH row with expiry details, @mention responsible.
3.18. Zendesk
• Feature/Setting: Tickets API — raise internal ticket on batch expiry.
• Sample: POST /api/v2/tickets with expiry issue context.
3.19. Intercom
• Feature/Setting: Messages API — push in-app notification/pop-up to team dashboard.
• Sample: POST /messages targeting appropriate users.
3.20. Jira Service Management
• Feature/Setting: Issues API — auto-create issue at warning threshold for kitchen ops.
• Sample: POST /rest/api/3/issue with “Inventory Expiry” template fields.
3.21. Microsoft Outlook
• Feature/Setting: Calendar API — schedule team meetings to review expiring inventory.
• Sample: POST /me/events with description and item list.

Benefits

4.1. Reduces food waste and associated cost by triggering pre-emptive action.
4.2. Supports compliance with food safety laws and documentation.
4.3. Streamlines procurement and restocking, minimizing supply gaps or overordering.
4.4. Improves team accountability through automated and logged actions.
4.5. Maintains high standards of freshness, protecting customer satisfaction and brand reputation.