# How to Set Reorder Points in QuickBooks Desktop and See What to Buy

> Set a reorder point on each inventory item in QuickBooks Desktop, then check the Inventory Stock Status by Item report to see what's running low.

- URL: https://logistify.ai/guides/quickbooks-desktop/set-reorder-points/
- Section: QuickBooks Desktop Guides, Inventory
- Applies to: QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise, Premier, Pro, Accountant
- Steps checked against: Intuit's QuickBooks Desktop help articles, updated August 2026
- Updated: 2026-10-18

**Short answer:** Open the item from Lists > Item List and enter a number in Reorder Point under Inventory Information. QuickBooks reminds you to reorder when stock reaches that number. To review stock, run Reports > Inventory > Inventory Stock Status by Item. In QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise with Advanced Inventory, you can also set a reorder point for each site from Lists > Inventory Site List.

## Before you start

- Inventory has to be on: Edit > Preferences > Items & Inventory > Company Preferences, then Inventory and purchase orders are active.
- Gather each item's average daily usage and its supplier's lead time. Three months of sales and purchase orders is a reasonable base.
- Set a Preferred Vendor on each item so you know who to order from.
- Assemblies you build have a Build Point (Min) instead of a reorder point.

Build points for assemblies are covered in [How to set up a bill of materials and build assemblies](https://logistify.ai/guides/quickbooks-desktop/set-up-bill-of-materials-build-assemblies/).

## Step 1: Work out the reorder point

Intuit's formula is average daily usage times average lead time in days, plus safety stock. Safety stock is the busiest day's usage times the longest lead time, minus average usage times average lead time.

| Input | Example |
| --- | --- |
| Average daily usage | 1.5 units |
| Average lead time | 12 days |
| Busiest day's usage | 10 units |
| Longest lead time | 15 days |
| Safety stock: (10 x 15) - (1.5 x 12) | 132 units |
| Reorder point: (1.5 x 12) + 132 | 150 units |

*Worked example from Intuit's reorder point article.*

Demand and lead times change. Intuit suggests checking the inputs at least once a quarter and allowing for busy and slow seasons.

## Step 2: Enter the reorder point on the item

1. Go to Lists > Item List.
2. Double-click the inventory item.
3. Under Inventory Information, enter the number in Reorder Point.
4. Select OK.

For a new item, enter it when you create the item. See [How to add inventory items in QuickBooks Desktop](https://logistify.ai/guides/quickbooks-desktop/enter-inventory-items/).

## Step 3: Set reorder points by site (Enterprise with Advanced Inventory)

1. Go to Lists > Inventory Site List.
2. Open the Activities menu and select Set Reorder Points.
3. In Set reorder point for site, choose a site.
4. Enter a number in the Site Reorder Point column for each item.
5. Choose the next site in the same list and repeat.
6. Select OK when every site is done.

Site reorder points don't add up to the item's overall reorder point. Keep the Reorder Point on each item set as well. For site setup, see [How to track inventory by site](https://logistify.ai/guides/quickbooks-desktop/track-inventory-by-site/).

## Step 4: Review what's running low

1. Go to Reports > Inventory > Inventory Stock Status by Item.
2. Compare each item's quantity with its reorder point.
3. Before you order, check what's already on purchase orders and on sales orders. QuickBooks tracks both for every inventory item.
4. With multiple sites, run Inventory Stock Status by Site to see stock at each location.
5. In Enterprise 2024 R7 and later, run Reports > Inventory > Inventory Turnover Report. Turnover days and the last sale date help you raise or lower a reorder point.

Next, turn the list into orders. See [How to create purchase orders from the reorder report](https://logistify.ai/guides/quickbooks-desktop/create-purchase-orders-from-reorder-report/).

## If the reminder doesn't show up

- Check that the item has a Reorder Point. QuickBooks can only remind you about items that have one.
- Items made with Duplicate Item start with Reorder Point at 0. Enter the number on each copy.
- With sites, a site can be low while the item's overall stock is fine. Set site reorder points too.
- Stock is only as current as the transactions in the file. Unentered receipts or sales throw the comparison off.

## Where QuickBooks Desktop leaves the work to you

- Someone has to calculate each reorder point and revisit it as demand and lead times change.
- Someone decides how much to buy and creates the purchase orders.
- After a purchase order goes out, someone has to chase the supplier for a ship date.
- Customer orders still sitting in email or PDFs aren't on sales orders, so they don't show as demand.

We cover the chase in [How to follow up on late supplier orders](https://logistify.ai/guides/quickbooks-desktop/follow-up-late-supplier-orders/).

## How Logistify helps after you decide what to buy

Logistify doesn't set reorder points or decide what to buy. Once you create purchase orders, the [Procurement Service](https://logistify.ai/agents/procurement/) follows up with suppliers on the open ones. It captures confirmed dates and quantities and routes exceptions to your team. The [Sales Order Service](https://logistify.ai/agents/sales-order/) enters customer orders into QuickBooks Desktop as sales orders, so orders that arrive by email or PDF count as demand.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What is a reorder point in QuickBooks Desktop?

It's the stock level at which QuickBooks reminds you to reorder an item. You set it in the Reorder Point field on the inventory item.

### How do I calculate a reorder point?

Multiply average daily usage by average lead time in days, then add safety stock. Intuit's example of 1.5 units a day, a 12-day lead time and 132 units of safety stock gives 150.

### Can I set a different reorder point for each warehouse?

Yes, in QuickBooks Desktop Enterprise with Advanced Inventory. Go to Lists > Inventory Site List > Activities > Set Reorder Points and enter a Site Reorder Point for each item.

### Why does my copied item have no reorder point?

Duplicate Item copies everything except On Hand and Reorder Point, which start at 0. Enter the reorder point on the new item.

## Sources

- [Intuit: Add, edit, and delete items in QuickBooks Desktop](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/list-management/add-edit-delete-items/L1XvP7YQo_US_en_US)
- [Intuit: Set up advanced inventory in QuickBooks Enterprise](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/feature-preferences/set-advanced-inventory/L2IZIdPVM_US_en_US)
- [Intuit: Adjust your inventory quantity or value in QuickBooks Desktop](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/inventory-adjustment/adjust-inventory-quantity-value-quickbooks-desktop/L8p8OoeGs_US_en_US)
- [Intuit: Multiple Inventory Sites](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/manage-inventory/multiple-inventory-sites/L9gJ6syaF_US_en_US)
- [Intuit: How to set up inventory in QuickBooks Desktop](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/inventory-account/set-inventory-quickbooks-desktop/L0WP0Bt6u_US_en_US)
- [Intuit: Use the Inventory Turnover report in QuickBooks Enterprise 2024](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/inventory-management/use-inventory-turnover-report-quickbooks-2024/L6nNqyuvy_US_en_US)
- [Intuit: Set up your product's bill of materials](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/learn-support/en-us/help-article/set-inventory-lists/set-products-bill-materials/L3Kao5E9m_US_en_US)
- [Intuit: How the reorder point formula can reduce stockouts in your inventory](https://quickbooks.intuit.com/r/midsize-business/reorder-point-formula/)