Parámetros para optimización en Looker Studio

Efficient inventory management is critical for any retail business, especially when dealing with perishable goods. Establishing proper parameters to control stock rotation can make the difference between operational success and significant losses. In this guide, you will learn how to implement a customizable stock rotation alert system that will allow users to quickly identify products in critical condition.

How to implement customizable parameters for inventory management?

When analyzing inventory days for each product, this data alone does not provide enough context to make decisions. We need to establish a threshold that defines when a product is critical. For this, we will implement a customizable parameter that will allow users to define this threshold according to their specific needs.

A parameter is a piece of data that the user can incorporate into a system to be part of a calculation or function. In our case, we will create the parameter "maximum days threshold", which will represent the maximum number of days a product can remain in inventory before it is considered to be in a critical state.

To create this parameter:

1. We define the data type as integer.
2. Remove accents in the ID (e.g. "days" instead of "days") to avoid compatibility issues.
3. Set a default value (e.g., 5 days) for when the user does not enter any data.

Once created, the parameter will appear in the data list with a distinctive color and the "@" tag, indicating that it is a special item that can be used in calculations.

How to create an alert system based on parameters?

With the parameter set, we can create a calculated field that generates alerts when products exceed the defined threshold. This field, which we will call "turnover alert", will use a conditional function to evaluate each product:

IF [Days of inventory in branch 1] <= [Maximum days threshold] THEN "Rotation alert" ELSE "OK".

This formula compares the days a product has remained in inventory to the defined maximum threshold. If the days are less than or equal to the threshold, an alert is generated; otherwise, all is OK.

Once this calculated field is implemented, we can eliminate the individual inventory days fields that can be confusing, and focus on the new alert indicator that provides more actionable information.

How do you allow users to customize the alert parameters?

For the system to be truly useful, we must allow users to modify the maximum days threshold according to their specific needs. This is achieved by implementing interactive controls:

1. We add an "input box" type control for the maximum days threshold.
2. We place this control in a prominent position in the interface.
3. We link the control to the parameter created earlier.

The effect of this control is immediate: when the user modifies the threshold value, the table is automatically updated, showing more or less products in alert status according to the set criteria. For example:

• With a threshold of 15 days: many products will appear in alert.
• With a threshold of 1 day: few or no products will appear in alert.

How to filter by categories for a more precise management?

Different types of products have different life cycles. For example, bakery products deteriorate faster than other items. To address this reality, we implemented a filter by category:

1. We add a "drop-down list" type control.
2. We set this control to filter by product category.
3. We allow the user to select specific categories for analysis.

With this filter, we can set specific thresholds for each category. For example, we could define that bakery products have a maximum threshold of 2 days, while other categories may have higher thresholds.

How to display only products in critical condition?

To facilitate decision making, it is useful to be able to visualize only those products that require immediate attention. This is achieved by implementing an additional filter for the table:

1. Access the table properties.
2. Add a new filter.
3. We configure the filter to display only rows where the "rotation alert" field indicates a critical status.

With this filter enabled, the table will display only products that are on alert, allowing users to focus on items that require immediate action.

The combination of the customizable parameter, category filter and alert display filter creates a powerful and flexible system for inventory management. Users can adjust thresholds according to the specific needs of each product category and quickly view items that require attention.

This approach to inventory management based on customizable parameters and visual alerts provides a valuable tool for any business that handles products with different life cycles. What other metrics or functionality do you think would be useful to further enhance this management system? Share your ideas in the comments.