HVAC filters / SKU-1182
Supabase / Below threshold
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Flagship system
Inventory chaos, automated without an ERP rollout.
X-LANE builds and operates the inventory layer between your SKU spreadsheets and a heavy ERP: live stock sync, dynamic reorder thresholds, vendor POs, and one dashboard your team can trust.
Bring your SKU list, supplier list, and reorder process. We will check fit in 30 minutes.
Inventory operating layer
SKU reorder circuit
Live checks
Velocity + lead time
n8n / Buffer recalculated
18 days
Rule
Vendor PO-2048
Gmail / PO drafted
$6.4k
Send
North branch reorder
Supplier / Lead time changed
11 days
Update
Admin exception
Slack / Missing supplier email
1 SKU
Alert
1 source
for SKU records, supplier lead times, safety buffers, PO logs, and reorder state.
4 layers
n8n orchestration, Supabase source of truth, Google Sheets dashboard, and Gmail/Slack alerts.
3 tiers
Prototype, Deploy, and Operate keep the system accountable after launch.
Problems this replaces
Every manual reorder decision leaks margin.
Stockouts appear too late
The team learns a critical SKU is gone after customers are already waiting or leaving.
Overstock ties up cash
Slow-moving inventory keeps getting reordered because the sheet does not show real movement clearly.
Reorders live in one head
Supplier timing, safety buffers, and reorder judgment depend on the person who has always done it.
Supplier timing drifts
Lead times change, sales velocity changes, and the reorder sheet keeps using yesterday's assumptions.
Concrete architecture
Built on boring tools your team can own.
The flagship is deliberately simple to inspect, replace, and operate. X-LANE sets up the workflow in the client's accounts, then monitors and tunes it as the business changes.
Workflow engine
n8n orchestration
Runs stock syncs, reorder checks, PO creation, duplicate protection, error branches, and scheduled reviews.
Postgres database
Supabase source of truth
Stores SKUs, supplier records, sales velocity, lead times, safety buffers, PO numbers, timestamps, and audit history.
Operations view
Google Sheets dashboard
Gives staff a familiar live dashboard for low-stock SKUs, pending POs, supplier exceptions, and reorder status.
Notification system
Gmail and Slack layers
Sends vendor purchase orders through email and pushes admin alerts to Slack or email when the pipeline needs attention.
Engagement model
Prototype, deploy, then operate the system.
The buying path is designed to de-risk the decision: prove the workflow on real data, deploy it into the client's stack, then keep the system tuned as suppliers and SKU velocity change.
Active workflow step: Prototype
01
Prototype
Low fixed fee. We build the flagship workflow on a sample of your real SKU, supplier, lead-time, and sales data so you can see reorder logic running before a full deployment.
Output
1-2 week data-backed prototype
02
Deploy
Project fee. We connect the production stack, set up credentials, load the full SKU and supplier model, configure alerts, and train the operators who will use the dashboard.
Output
2-4 week live deployment
03
Operate
Monthly retainer. We monitor the workflow, tune safety buffers, handle supplier or SKU changes, and review stockouts, overstock, and manual hours each month.
Output
Monitored operating system
04
Review and tune
Once the operating system is live, we review reorder thresholds, supplier assumptions, failed syncs, and dashboard usage so the automation keeps matching the business.
Output
Monthly operating review
Client ownership
The workflow, database, dashboard, and PO logic stay in your accounts.
X-LANE operates the system, but the core assets are client-owned. If you ever leave, the n8n workflow, Supabase database, Google Sheet, and vendor email logic remain accessible to your team.
n8n workflow in client control
Supabase database in client control
Google Sheets dashboard documented
PO and alert rules auditable
Spreadsheet gap
Too much complexity for spreadsheets. Not enough reason for a six-figure ERP.
Boundary
Spreadsheet process
X-LANE inventory system
Boundary
Stock visibility
Counts live across SKU sheets, staff memory, POS exports, and old order tabs.
Supabase holds one stock record per SKU with timestamps, supplier links, and reorder state.
Boundary
Reorder logic
Someone checks low-stock rows, guesses what will move, and emails suppliers manually.
n8n calculates threshold checks from safety buffers, lead times, and sales velocity.
Boundary
Vendor POs
Duplicate POs, missed POs, and inconsistent ordering depend on who updated the sheet last.
The system logs PO numbers, sends supplier emails, and blocks repeated sends for the same event.
Boundary
Team dashboard
Managers ask for screenshots because the current spreadsheet is never trusted for long.
Google Sheets becomes a controlled operating dashboard fed by the database, not the other way around.
Boundary
System boundary
The business either tolerates spreadsheet drift or starts pricing ERP projects it does not need yet.
X-LANE sits between spreadsheets and ERP, automating reorder operations without pretending to replace finance, accounting, or warehouse receiving.
Operational FAQ