Before creating a raw material, decide which system owns its stock quantity. Soply uses that quantity to calculate the availability of products that consume the material. The inventory source is separate from any setting that writes calculated stock back to Shopify.
Compare the common source options
| Source | Where the quantity is maintained | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| App-managed stock | In Soply, through opening stock and later adjustments | The material is a shared resource and does not already have a Shopify inventory record you want to use |
| Shopify product stock | In the linked Shopify variant and selected locations | The material already has Shopify stock, or another system maintains its quantity through Shopify |
Some stores may also see a path for connecting an external inventory system on Home. If you use that path, first establish which system is responsible for the quantity shown in Shopify and which system owns stock changes.
Use app-managed stock
In Raw Materials, create a material and choose App-managed stock. Enter a name, base unit, and Opening stock. You can later record receipts, waste, or stocktake corrections through Soply's stock adjustment action. You do not need to select a Shopify source product or source locations.
For example, a roll of fabric shared by several clothing variants may be easier to manage as an app-managed material when it is not itself sold as a Shopify inventory item.
Use Shopify product stock
Choose Shopify product stock, then link the Shopify variant that represents the material. Select the locations and a location rule used to calculate its available quantity. Soply reads the source quantity from Shopify; that quantity is generally read-only in the raw material form. Make source-stock changes in the system that maintains the Shopify variant's inventory.
For multiple locations, check that the chosen locations and rule reflect how your store can actually fulfill orders. The current Use priority order option is described in the app as behaving like Sum all locations for now. Do not rely on it as a priority-based deduction workflow.
Separate the source from stock sync
Reading Shopify stock into a material does not automatically mean writing Soply's calculations back to Shopify. The material form has a separate Sync linked source product stock setting, and it may offer stock sync for products that consume the material. Before enabling a sync option, review the target variants, locations, and preview. Be clear about which system should own the final Shopify stock number.
Check before saving
- Which system will update the material's real stock quantity?
- Is there already a suitable Shopify source variant?
- Should stock from selected locations be added together, or should you use a more conservative rule?
- Do you need any calculated quantity written to Shopify?
If you are testing material usage for the first time and do not already have a Shopify material-stock record, app-managed stock is usually the simpler starting point.
Use a test product or cart to check the outcome before applying this setup across your store.
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