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How to flag low-stock items in Excel and Google Sheets
Excel & Google Sheets
=IF(B2<=C2,"Low Stock","OK")✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Item | Stock | Reorder Level | Status |
| Pen | 45 | 50 | |
| Notebook | 120 | 30 | |
| Stapler | 8 | 10 | |
| Tape | 3 | 20 |
=IF(B2<=C2,"Low Stock","OK")→Low Stock
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Step by step
- 1Create columns: Item, Current Stock (B), Reorder Level (C), Status (D).
- 2In D2, enter =IF(B2<=C2,"Low Stock","OK").
- 3Copy the formula down for all inventory rows.
- 4Apply conditional formatting: highlight D2:D6 red when the cell equals "Low Stock" for instant visual alerts.
Tips
- Replace "OK" with "" (empty string) so the status column only shows alerts and stays clean for non-critical items.
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Frequently asked
How do I count the total number of low-stock items?
Use =COUNTIF(D2:D6,"Low Stock") to get the total count of flagged items.
Can I flag items at different thresholds per item?
Yes. Put a unique reorder level in column C for each item, and the IF formula automatically uses each row's own threshold.