What Is the Inventory by Product Type Report
The Inventory by Product Type report brings stock and valuation fields together with the product types assigned in your Shopify catalog. Use it to review how inventory is distributed across groups such as clothing, accessories, or homeware, while keeping product and variant details visible.
Product Type provides the grouping context; Product Title and Variant Title help you identify the items behind each group. Inventory Quantity, Price, Inventory Value, Inventory Cost, and Product Status support a practical review of stock exposure before you export or share the report. Check the report settings for its inventory reporting basis and valuation calculations before interpreting totals.
Report Overview
- Report type
- Inventory Reports, organized around Product Type with product and variant detail.
- Data included
- Eight fields covering product type, item names, stock quantity, price, value, cost, and status.
- Best use
- Compare stock distribution and financial exposure across your product types.
- Export formats
- Excel, CSV, TXT, and PDF.
- Automation
- Schedule daily, weekly, or monthly email delivery for recurring reviews.
What Can You Learn from Inventory by Product Type
1. Where stock is concentrated
Compare quantities across product types to see which groups contain the most units. Review variant detail before deciding whether a large total is balanced.
Example: Hypothetical: Accessories contain 800 units, but most belong to one variant.
What you can do: Inspect the largest contributors before changing purchasing plans.
2. Which types carry greater financial exposure
Inventory Value and Inventory Cost help identify product groups that deserve a closer financial review. Use the configured field definitions when comparing them.
Example: Hypothetical: Furniture has fewer units than home accessories but a higher reported inventory cost.
What you can do: Prioritize the furniture group for a stock and purchasing review.
3. Where product status needs attention
Product Status lets you check whether stock sits against products whose catalog status needs review. Quantity shows the stock involved, while titles identify the records.
Example: Hypothetical: A draft product still has 30 units recorded in inventory.
What you can do: Confirm whether the product should be published, retained as a draft, or reviewed with operations.
What Should You Check First in This Report
Start with the fields that affect the meaning of your export.
Product Type: Review blank or inconsistent labels before summarizing groups; differently named types can fragment the comparison.
Inventory Quantity: Check low, zero, or unusually large quantities at variant level. Use sales and replenishment information separately to judge urgency.
Inventory Value and Inventory Cost: Confirm each calculation and how missing cost data is handled before preparing financial totals.
Product Status: Check which statuses are included so your review covers the intended part of the catalog.
When Should You Use This Report
| When to Use It | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Comparing stock allocation by product type | Compare quantities and reported values across product types. |
| Reviewing the stock behind each product type | Inspect the products and variants that contribute to each type’s stock. |
| Preparing product groups for a purchasing review | Identify groups to investigate before combining the export with demand and supplier information. |
| Checking inventory cost and value by type | Review reported cost and value fields after confirming their calculation basis. |
| Cleaning up missing product type assignments | Find missing product types and check stock associated with different product statuses. |
How to Create This Report in Data Export
Start with the premade Inventory by Product Type report rather than building the field list from scratch.
- Open Data Export and find Inventory by Product Type in the premade inventory reports.
- Open the report and review its eight columns, inventory scope, and value and cost definitions.
- Apply the available product type or status filters and sort the report for your review. Confirm the reporting basis if date controls are shown.
- Save the report, generate it, and export it in your preferred supported format.
- If needed, schedule daily, weekly, or monthly email delivery to the people who use the stock review.
Make the Most of This Report
Use these checks to keep recurring exports consistent and easy to interpret.
01 / TYPE LABELS
Keep names consistent: Standardize product type labels so spelling differences do not separate items that belong in the same group.
02 / COUNTING
Inspect the detail: Check product and variant rows before adding quantities, especially after changing columns or grouping.
03 / VALUATION
Record the basis: Note how Inventory Value and Inventory Cost are calculated so everyone reading the export uses the same interpretation.
04 / DELIVERY
Keep reviews comparable: Retain the same filters and include the generation date in saved filenames for recurring team reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this report show totals only by product type
It includes Product Type alongside Product Title and Variant Title. Review the configured grouping and detail rows before interpreting or adding totals.
Does Inventory Value mean profit
No. The report includes value and cost fields, but it does not include the sales, fees, or expenses needed to calculate profit. Confirm the valuation formulas in the report.
Can I identify slow moving products from this report
Stock quantities can flag items to investigate, but the supplied fields do not include sales history or stock age. Use a sales report alongside this export to assess movement.
Can I compare inventory across locations
Location is not one of the eight supplied fields. Use an Inventory by Location report when your task is to compare stock between locations.
Can I export and schedule this report
Yes. Export to Excel, CSV, TXT, or PDF, and schedule daily, weekly, or monthly email delivery. Review filters and recipients before saving the schedule.
