Direct answer
An internal stock request is a team asking for items held in a shared store, such as supplies, spare parts or materials. When it arrives as a chat message, nobody knows whether it was approved, issued or forgotten, and the count drifts from what is on the shelf. A stock request process gives each request a record with an owner and a decision. It is a scoped internal tool. It is not a warehouse management system and it does not scan barcodes; it records who asked for what, who decided and what was issued.
The request
A request names the item, the quantity, the requesting person or team, the purpose or job it is for, and when it is needed. Picking items from a maintained list avoids typos and duplicates. Free-text items are allowed only if you decide they should be. The request is created in one place so it can be found later.
Who approves
Not every request needs approval. Your organisation decides which do: perhaps routine items are issued directly and unusual or costly ones go to a manager. Whatever the rule, it is written into the workflow, not left to habit. The requester should not approve their own request, and an absent approver should have a delegate. The mechanics are covered in internal approval workflow automation.
Issue and confirm
Approval is not issue. The person responsible for the store marks what was actually handed over, which may differ from what was asked. The requester then confirms receipt. Two confirmations mean the record says what moved, and a disagreement shows up immediately instead of at the next count.
Shortages
When stock is short, the request should not vanish. It moves to a waiting state with the reason, and the person who reorders can see it. Options such as partial issue or substitute are decisions made by a named person and recorded. Keeping the waiting request visible is what prevents the same question being asked in three different chats.
Usage record and low-stock rule
Each issued request becomes a usage record, so you can see what each team or job consumed. A low-stock alert can be added as a rule you define, for example a level per item that notifies a named person. We do not propose levels; they depend on how you buy and how long supply takes.
Reconciling with the count
Records and shelves diverge. A periodic count compared with the recorded movements shows where. Differences are logged and resolved by a person, not silently adjusted. For the discrepancy side, see warehouse inventory discrepancy workflow; for intake in general, internal request portal.
Questions
Is this a warehouse management system?+
No. It handles internal requests for items from a shared store and records the decision, issue and confirmation. It does not do barcode scanning or full warehouse operations.
Does every request need approval?+
That is your rule. Routine items can be issued directly, with approval reserved for what you define.
Can we set low-stock alerts?+
Yes, as rules you define per item. We do not suggest levels, because they depend on your supply.
How does it stay in line with the physical count?+
A periodic count is compared with recorded movements, and differences are logged and resolved by a person.