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A purchasing agent inside ChatGPT and Claude
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Play video: How to reorder inventory with ChatGPT or Claude using Lancaster Agentic (full walkthrough)Lancaster Agentic is a purchasing agent that works inside ChatGPT and Claude. You ask what to reorder, it reads your sales history, stock on hand and open purchase orders (plus vendors and lead times where your ERP has them), and it answers with a reorder list plus an Excel workbook. Every system starts with a setup call.
What is a purchasing agent in ChatGPT or Claude?
It is an app you use from a normal ChatGPT or Claude conversation that reads your inventory data and works out what to buy. You ask in plain English; Lancaster Agentic does the forecasting and the math.
Plain ChatGPT or Claude only sees what you paste or attach. Lancaster Agentic works from your ERP data, including open purchase orders, so it does not tell you to reorder stock that is already on its way. If you want to try the plain-chat route first, our guide on how to reorder inventory with ChatGPT or Claude walks through it.
What can you ask it?
Ask the way you would ask a buyer on your team. These are typical requests, shown with example data for Brightline Supply and its vendor Ironwell Tools:
- "What should I reorder this week?"
- "Which of these come from Ironwell Tools?"
- "Which items are about to run out?"
- "Create a PO for those."
- "Which items are overstocked?"
- "Why are you suggesting 250 of this item?"
What comes back when you ask?
You get a short answer in the chat and an Excel workbook that explains every line. The chat answer lists the most urgent items; the workbook holds the full detail so you can check it or share it.
Each row in the workbook shows the item, its primary vendor, what is available, what is already on order, the sales forecast, safety stock, lead time, the expected stockout date and the suggested order quantity. Every row also carries a plain sentence naming the forecast method used for that item, and a separate sheet explains each method. The workbook also shows your inventory value and overstock value, so overstock questions have numbers behind them.
How does it decide how much to order?
By default it looks at up to three years of monthly sales for each item and picks a method that fits how the item sells. Items that sell most months get a trailing average; items that sell only now and then get a method built for spotty demand.
The order target is the forecast over the vendor lead time plus your safety-stock days. The suggested quantity is that target minus what you have and what is already on order, rounded up to the order increment. With a connected ERP, our team can set safety-stock and lead-time rules for your vendors during setup.
Can it create purchase orders in my ERP?
Yes, for EBMS, Business Central, Odoo and a connected Zoho Inventory. You tell it to create the purchase order, for example "Create a PO for Ironwell Tools", and it does: the PO is created in your system. For Acumatica and NetSuite, Lancaster Agentic drafts the PO lines; the connection is tested with you before go-live. Nothing goes to a vendor until someone on your team sends it.
For NetSuite, the connection is built and we test it against your NetSuite sandbox with you before go-live.
Which ERPs does it work with?
Every system is set up with our team on a short call.
| ERP | How it connects | How to start |
|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Online | We set it up with you on a call; you enter the purchase order in QuickBooks Online from the lines it gives you | Book a setup call |
| Xero | We set it up with you on a call; you enter the purchase order in Xero from the lines it gives you | Book a setup call |
| Shopify | We set it up with you on a call; Lancaster Agentic builds the purchase order for you to send | Book a setup call |
| Zoho Inventory | We set it up with you on a call; Lancaster Agentic creates the purchase order in Zoho Inventory when you tell it to | Book a setup call |
| EBMS | Runs in production for EBMS companies today | Book a call |
| Business Central | Connection built and tested against Business Central test systems; we connect it to yours with you during setup | Book a call |
| Odoo | Connection built and tested against Odoo test systems; we connect it to yours with you during setup | Book a call |
| Acumatica | Connection built and tested against Acumatica test systems; we connect it to yours with you during setup | Book a call |
| NetSuite | Connection built; we test it against your NetSuite sandbox with you before go-live | Book a call |
What happens to my data?
Each connected company gets its own database, and one account cannot see another account's purchase orders or data. Sign-in uses OAuth 2.1, and Google sign-in asks only for your basic profile and email.
- Reading your ERP uses read-only access. The only thing written to your ERP is a purchase order you tell it to create.
- Built workbooks are deleted after 7 days. Deleting your account removes your workbooks. Nothing is sold or shared.
The privacy policy has the full detail.
Is Lancaster Agentic in the ChatGPT Plugin directory?
Not yet. Lancaster Agentic is coming to the ChatGPT Plugin directory. Every system starts with a setup call.
Frequently asked questions
Which version of ChatGPT should I use?
Use ChatGPT on the web, which is where Lancaster Agentic is tested. In the ChatGPT Windows desktop app the workbook may not appear as a card; the download link in the answer still works.
Will it send purchase orders to my vendors?
No. For EBMS, Business Central, Odoo or a connected Zoho Inventory, Lancaster Agentic creates the purchase order in your system when you tell it to, and never sends it anywhere. Nothing goes to a vendor until someone on your team sends it.
Does it use Slack instead of ChatGPT or Claude?
Slack is available for EBMS today. Other systems work through ChatGPT or Claude. See the page on the purchasing agent in Slack for details.