The Expected Inventory feature in Midnight provides clear visibility into materials that are scheduled to arrive but have not yet been formally received. This helps customer service, purchasing, and warehouse teams stay aligned, reduce surprises, and plan ahead for incoming stock.

Feature Availability & Setup

Expected Inventory is an optional, customizable feature that uses User Defined Fields (UDFs) to store the Expected Date and Expected Quantity.

Because UDF availability and usage vary between Midnight sites, this feature is not universally enabled by default.

New Midnight Sites

Newer Midnight sites are configured using the current standard setup, which includes the appropriate UDFs.
Most new customers will have this feature available by default.

Older Midnight Sites

Older Midnight sites may not have the required UDFs set up, meaning the Expected Inventory widget and report will not be available until configured.

If your site does not currently have this feature but would like to use it, our team can:

• Map available UDFs

• Configure the Expected Date and Expected Quantity fields

• Enable the widget and report

To request setup, please contact support@printreach.com

What Is Expected Inventory?

Expected Inventory allows you to track materials that are on the way to your facility. It uses two fields on the inventory record:

• Expected Date – When the material is anticipated to arrive

• Expected Quantity – How many units are expected

These values are entered before a receipt is created. Midnight then uses this information to display all upcoming inventory in a dedicated widget and report.

How Customer Service Adds Expected Inventory

Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) can record expected inventory in two simple ways:

1. When the inventory item does not yet exist

• Create the item using QuickLinks on the order page.

• Enter the Expected Date and Expected Quantity.

• The item will immediately appear in the Expected Inventory widget and report.

2. When the inventory item already exists

• Open the existing inventory record.

• Enter the Expected Date and Expected Quantity in the item’s User Defined Fields (UDFs).

• The item will show up in the Expected Inventory tools until it is formally received.

This ensures both new and existing items can be tracked seamlessly.

Expected Inventory Tools

1. Expected Inventory Widget

The widget provides a real-time list of expected materials and includes:

• All items with an Expected Date and Expected Quantity

• Automatic removal when the item is received

• Filters for:

  • Date Range 

  • Customer

• Display of the first 200 items for system performance

• A quick overview ideal for warehouse and receiving teams

2. Expected Inventory Report

A printable/exportable version of the expected inventory list that:

• Uses the same logic and filters as the widget

• Includes additional item details for expanded reporting

• Allows teams to print or share upcoming inventory information outside the system

Why Use Expected Inventory?

Using Expected Inventory provides several operational benefits:

• Proactive visibility into materials scheduled to arrive

• Smooth communication between CSRs, purchasing, and warehouse teams

• Cleaner data, as items disappear from the list automatically when received

• Improved planning for warehouse space, staffing, and production timelines