Guide ยท Square
Which Square reports help you decide what to buy?
Last updated
For buying decisions in Square, start with the Custom Item report under Reports for units sold per item and variation, available to anyone with the reports permission. On Square for Retail Plus or Premium, add the Inventory Sell-through, Aging inventory and Vendor sales reports under Reports, then Inventory Reports, which show sales velocity, stock age and sales by vendor.
Which Square reports matter for purchasing?
| Report | Where in Square Dashboard | Who has it | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Item sales (Custom Item report) | Reports, then Custom, then Custom Item report | Anyone with the reports permission | Units sold per item and variation over any date range |
| Inventory Sell-through | Reports, then Inventory Reports, then Inventory Sell-through | Square for Retail Plus and Premium | Sell-through rate, sales velocity and stock levels together |
| Aging inventory | Reports, then Inventory, then Aging inventory | Square for Retail Plus and Premium; Square Plus and Premium with advanced inventory | Slow stock, last received date, stock value |
| Vendor sales | Reports, then Inventory reports, then Vendor sales | Square for Retail Plus and Premium; Square Premium with advanced inventory | How each vendor's items are selling |
Plans and menu names follow Square's US help articles as of 2026-10-01. Depending on your business type, the Items menu may be called Items & services, Items & menus or Items & inventory.
What does the item sales report show?
It lists item name, quantity sold, gross sales and net sales, and clicking an item shows its variations. Square says detailed item sales are only in Square Dashboard; the POS app shows top items only. Filters cover the date range, locations, and a Summary option to compare sales by day, week or month, which is the view you want for spotting trends.
To export, click Export at the top right and choose CSV or Excel. One catch from Square's help: renaming an item makes it a separate entry in reporting, so history for a renamed item is split across two names.
What does the sell-through report tell a buyer?
Sell-through compares the inventory you received from a vendor with what you sold over a period. Square's rule of thumb is that 80% or more is excellent and below 40% is concerning; over 100% means the item was oversold and stock went negative. The report also shows sales velocity and stock levels, with variations nested under each item.
You can pick any date range, filter by location, category, item name, SKU and more, add or remove columns, and export the visible columns to CSV. Inventory tracking must be on, and an item only appears if it sold or had a stock adjustment in the last 365 days. Square notes the report can take about 20 seconds to load. You can also start a purchase order from the sell-through view.
How do you find slow or excess stock?
Use the aging inventory report. It shows the weighted average number of days items and variations have been in stock, the last received date, quantities in stock split into 30, 60, 90 and 120 day bands and beyond, and total on-hand quantity and value. Filter by location, category and vendor, search by name, SKU or GTIN, and click Export for the full report.
Items with old stock and slow sell-through are the ones to stop reordering. Square suggests discounts, bundles or other promotions to clear them.
How do you compare vendors?
The vendor sales report groups item sales by vendor for a date range and location. It is only in Square Dashboard, not the POS app. It is only as good as your vendor data: give every item a default vendor, and use the Missing Vendors filter in the item library to find gaps.
Which exports do you need for a reorder plan?
Two files cover most of it. The item library export (Item library, then Actions, then Export library) gives stock per location and the Default Vendor Name for each item. The item sales export gives demand. None of the reports above suggests order quantities, so that step happens in a spreadsheet or another tool. Our forecasting guide shows the arithmetic.
ReorderOwl takes those same two exports in ChatGPT and returns a reorder workbook for every item, with the purchase order built for you to send to your vendor. Claude setup is coming shortly. Nothing is written to Square. See ReorderOwl for Square for the exact export steps.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the item sales report in Square?
In Square Dashboard, go to Reports, then Custom, then Custom Item report. Detailed item sales are not available in the POS app.
Which Square plan has the sell-through report?
Square lists the sell-through report for Square for Retail Plus and Premium subscribers.
What is a good sell-through rate?
Square's rule of thumb is 80% or more is excellent and below 40% is concerning, though it varies by industry and item.
Can I export Square inventory reports?
Yes. The item sales, sell-through and aging inventory reports each have an Export button.
Why is a product's sales history split in two?
Square treats a renamed item as a separate entry in reporting, so sales before and after the rename appear under different names.
Sources
- View item, category and modifiers sales reports, Square Support Center, accessed 2026-10-01
- View sell-through reports, Square Support Center, accessed 2026-10-01
- Run an aging inventory report, Square Support Center, accessed 2026-10-01
- View and manage vendor sales reports, Square Support Center, accessed 2026-10-01
- Create, import, edit, and deactivate vendors, Square Support Center, accessed 2026-10-01