01
Step 1
Collect the supplier list with lead times, minimums and pack sizes, open orders with expected arrival dates, and the cycle's stock positions at the tracked level.
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Spark playbook scenarios · Spark: AI Store Assistant
Prepare purchasing priorities and timing
Several suppliers with different lead times feed the same catalogue, and every order seems due at the same moment. In this case, the immediate task is to prepare purchasing priorities and timing. The workflow should produce a replenishment plan with timing and quantity rationale, sequenced from the merchant's supplier list, lead times and open orders.
Topic
Replenishment and Inventory Planning
Target keyword
shopify purchase planning
Copyable AI prompt
A prompt you can drop directly into Spark
First replace every [bracketed] placeholder with real store scope and constraints, then add any actual records or data you have, and paste it into your preferred AI assistant or Spark agent. Spark will follow this page's workflow to produce structured output and verification steps.
ai-prompt.txt
Act as a Shopify operations specialist.
Help me prepare purchasing priorities and timing.
My store context is [describe the business, products and target audience].
My scope is [specify the affected products, pages, customers or reporting period]. Use these inputs: [the supplier list with lead times, minimums and pack sizes, open orders with expected arrival dates, and the cycle's stock positions at the tracked level]. For each needed purchase compute the latest order date as the projected coverage end minus that supplier's own lead time, sequence purchases by that date, and group them by supplier so each order meets its minimum without being placed earlier than necessary.
Return a replenishment plan with timing and quantity rationale for the specified task.
Show the relevant evidence or before-and-after examples and explain how I can verify the result.
If essential data is missing, ask for it and mark unsupported conclusions as unknown.
Do not invent metrics, product claims or customer facts.
For any publication, message, account or store change, use only connected tools within my explicitly authorized scope and report success only after verification; otherwise provide the draft or proposed steps.How to solve
A recommended resolution workflow
Split the work into input, judgment, and deliverable phases. Verify each step's output before moving to the next.
02
Step 2
For each needed purchase compute the latest order date as the projected coverage end minus that supplier's own lead time, sequence purchases by that date, and group them by supplier so each order meets its minimum without being placed earlier than necessary.
03
Step 3
Deliver the sequenced purchase plan with the latest order date and arrival expectation per line, then verify each date against the stock and lead-time records and flag any item no supplier can deliver before its coverage ends.
FAQ
Common questions when running this scenario
Cover decision rules, frequent misunderstandings, and required inputs so the team aligns on prerequisites before execution.
How is the latest order date computed?
For each needed purchase it is the projected coverage end date minus that supplier's lead time, so the order arrives before the gap opens. The calculation uses each supplier's own recorded lead time, never a store-wide average. Any purchase whose latest date has already passed is pulled to the front of the sequence as urgent.
What if no supplier can arrive before coverage ends?
The item is flagged as an unavoidable gap with the earliest possible arrival date shown, so the merchant can decide between expediting, substituting or accepting the gap. The plan does not pretend the sequence solves it. The flag prevents a missed arrival from being discovered only when the item is already out.
Why are purchases grouped by supplier?
Grouping lets each supplier's minimum quantities and pack sizes be met in one placement, and keeps each order inside its arrival window rather than placed too early, while reducing placements and freight. A group is only placed when its latest order date allows it. Grouping earlier ties up cash before the stock is needed.
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