PODesk FAQ & Help Guide

Q1: Is PODesk actually free?

Yes, completely. During our public beta, every single feature in PODesk is free. That includes catalog sync, supplier management, SKU mapping, reorder math, PO receiving, and CSV imports. We don't ask for a credit card, and there are no hidden limits during the beta.

Q2: Will PODesk change or mess up my Shopify stock levels?

No, never. PODesk works on a strictly read-only connection to your Shopify inventory. We read your products, current stock counts, and recent sales to calculate reorders and help you build purchase orders inside PODesk. When you receive items or update a purchase order in PODesk, we do not write those stock numbers back into Shopify automatically.

Q3: What store data does PODesk pull from Shopify?

We only pull what is necessary to handle inventory planning:

• Products & Variants: Product titles, SKU codes, barcodes, variant names, handles, and supplier vendor names.
• Locations: Active stocking locations configured in your Shopify Admin.
• Inventory Items: Aggregate stock quantities across your locations.
• Recent Orders: Order line items and sale dates over historical windows (7, 14, 30, or 90 days) so we can figure out your daily sales velocity.

Q4: What is a supplier mapping?

Think of mapping as linking a Shopify product to the exact vendor you buy it from. In PODesk, a mapping connects your variant SKU to a supplier along with supplier SKUs, wholesale unit costs, supplier lead times, and primary supplier flags.

Q5: How does PODesk figure out reorder recommendations?

We use a clean, transparent formula based on how fast you sell items and how long suppliers take to deliver:

Items are flagged with clear status tags: Critical (already out of stock), Lead Time Risk (stock will run out before a new shipment arrives), Low Stock, or Stock OK.

Q6: Can I change or override the recommended reorder amount?

Yes. On the Reorder page (/app/reorder), you can type your own number into the Reorder Override box for any item. Your override is saved automatically and used whenever you generate a draft PO.

Q7: Can I bring over data from Stocky or my own spreadsheets?

Yes. We built a CSV Import tool (/app/imports) specifically for merchants moving off Stocky or Excel. You can upload a .csv file or paste raw text. PODesk auto-matches your column headers, lets you tweak the mapping, previews the data before importing, and gives you an error report if rows need fixing.

Q8: Can I track item receiving on purchase orders?

Yes. Open any purchase order (/app/purchase-orders/:id) and click Record receipt. You can enter incoming item counts line-by-line. If shipment arrives in parts, PODesk tracks partial receipts, updates the PO status (PARTIALLY_RECEIVED or RECEIVED), and keeps a timestamped receipt log.

Q9: Can I email purchase orders straight to suppliers?

Yes. On any PO page, click Share / Copy Email. PODesk formats a pre-filled email draft with supplier contact details, PO reference, line items, and totals. You can copy text with one click, launch your default email app, print clean copies, and click Mark as Sent.

Q10: How do I uninstall or get my data removed?

Uninstalling is standard: go to Shopify Admin > Settings > Apps and sales channels > Uninstall. Once uninstalled, all session tokens are revoked and store data is scheduled for complete deletion within 30 days per our Data Deletion Policy. For immediate data removal, drop us a line at podeskapp@gmail.com.