Decide whether WooCommerce or an external inventory system is authoritative. Record how physical counts, returns and offline sales reach that source. Two systems independently overwriting quantities can create overselling even when each individual setting appears correct.

1. Open WooCommerce > Settings > Products > Inventory.
2. Enable stock management and review the hold-stock period for applicable unpaid orders.
3. Configure low-stock and out-of-stock notifications, their recipient address and the default thresholds.
4. Review stock display and out-of-stock catalogue visibility.
5. Edit each applicable product or variation, enable quantity tracking and enter the verified sellable quantity.
6. Set product-specific thresholds or backorder rules where the default is unsuitable, then save.

No. Individual products and variations still need the appropriate stock-management configuration. A product that only uses an In stock status can remain purchasable without counting down a quantity. Review the actual products rather than relying on the global checkbox alone.

It helps manage reservations for applicable unpaid orders; it is not a universal expiry for every order status or payment method. Review the store's order behaviour and payment gateway documentation, especially for delayed or offline payments. Do not assume an On hold bank-transfer order follows the same timing as a Pending payment order.

Use a controlled test product and sandbox order to check the expected stock deduction and low-stock notification. Confirm the recipient mailbox receives the message and that it is monitored. Test cancellation or refund restocking according to the actual workflow, then restore the test inventory correctly.

Reconcile counts with fulfilment records and investigate unexplained changes before manually resetting everything. Keep a record of bulk imports and external synchronisations. For variable products, confirm whether quantities are shared at parent level or maintained separately, because that choice determines which inventory pool an order consumes.

• Setting variation prices and stock correctly
• Managing backorders and customer expectations
• Building a variable product with valid variations
• Configuring WooCommerce store address and selling locations

• WooCommerce: Products
• WooCommerce: Product Editor Settings
• WooCommerce: Variable Product