# Zenventory and Volty > Buyers email about a missing item and Volty finds the backordered line in Zenventory, while owners ask how much stock is free to sell after allocations. Small brands on Zenventory let Volty explain backordered lines to buyers by email, and tell the owner how much stock is free to sell after allocations. Talk to Volty · Free trial Updated 2 Nov 2026 ## The grinder is missing Tyrone emails about order #20931. Volty reads it in Zenventory and finds the backordered line. TB Tyrone Banks Gmail · Customer I got my order but the grinder is missing. Order #20931. Checked Zenventory · #20931 · 2 of 3 items shipped · Burr grinder on backorder, due Nov 6 Volty Hi Tyrone, the burr grinder on order #20931 is on backorder. It is due in on November 6 and will ship to you then at no extra cost. The other two items shipped on October 28. Zenventory order #20931 Part shipped Customer Tyrone Banks Shipped Pour-over kettle, filters Backorder Burr grinder Due in Nov 6 Customer order and item fields, read by key ## What Volty does with Zenventory Zenventory handles inventory, customer orders and purchase orders for small e-commerce brands that ship their own goods. Volty reads a customer order in Zenventory and tells the buyer what shipped and what is on backorder, with the date it is due in. Owners ask Volty how much stock is free to sell after open orders are allocated. - Backorders by line · The missing item, its due date and that it ships at no extra cost. - Free to sell · On hand minus what open orders already hold. - Email replies · Order questions sent to your support inbox get a reply from the order record. - Notes off at first · Volty's order note tool waits for an admin to enable it. Connects with Zenventory REST API 2.0, key and secret Volty reads Customer orders, items, inventory, purchase orders Volty can change Order notes, after you turn them on Setup The Volty team, with your Zenventory admin Category Retail & POS Allocated and free stock split out before a sale goes live. ### Kettles before the sale Grace asks what can sell this weekend. Volty reads on-hand and allocated counts. Shop team Volty · Team chat G Grace How many pour-over kettles do we have before the weekend sale? Checked Zenventory · Pour-over kettle · 64 on hand · 12 allocated VoltyAPP 64 on hand, with 12 already allocated to open orders, so 52 are free to sell. ## As an automation Describe it to Volty in a sentence; it drafts the automation and an admin turns it on. Backorder heads-up - When · Each morning · On a schedule you set - Step 1 · Finds orders gone to backorder · Overnight - Step 2 · Lets the buyer know · Using your approved template - Step 3 · Replies to what comes back · Brings in support for refunds A backordered grinder, explained before Tyrone writes back. ## How Volty connects to Zenventory Zenventory's REST API 2.0 uses a key and secret tied to a Zenventory user. Your admin generates them, and the Volty team sets Volty up with them as a custom connection. - 01 · Generate a key and secret · In Zenventory, Admin, then Users, then API Keys: pick the user and click the refresh arrow. Both values show once. - 02 · Hand them to our team · Volty calls REST API 2.0 with them for customer orders, items and inventory. - 03 · One approval in Volty · An admin approves the connection before the first order lookup. - 04 · Choose switches · Each Zenventory tool is On, Check with staff, or Off. ### The tools Volty gets Each one is a switch on the Sources page in Volty. - Find customer order · Reads - Read shipped and backordered lines · Reads - Read on hand and allocated · Reads - Add order note · Changes Reading tools can be turned on straight away. Anything that changes Zenventory starts Off, and once on it can be set to check with staff, so each change waits for a colleague. ## Common questions ### Where do we create the Zenventory key Volty uses? In Zenventory, an admin goes to Admin, then Users, then API Keys, selects a user and clicks the clockwise arrow to generate an API key and secret. Both are shown only once. Volty uses them with Zenventory's REST API 2.0, so pick a user whose access fits what you agree to share. ### Can Volty tell a customer when a backordered item will arrive? Yes, when the date is in Zenventory. Volty reads the backordered line on the customer order and the purchase order it is waiting on, and gives the expected date. If no date is recorded, Volty says the item is on backorder and brings in your team. ### Does Volty use the old Zenventory API? No. Zenventory still documents a legacy REST 1.0 with a SecureKey header, but Volty is set up on REST API 2.0, which covers customer orders, items, inventory and purchase orders. ### How much does it cost to connect Zenventory with Volty? Every Volty plan includes seats, active contacts and AI credits and starts with a free 7-day trial, and the plan prices are on voltade.com/pricing. Meta bills message charges separately for WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger. ## Related integrations - Sellercloud Retail & POS - SkuVault Retail & POS - Shopify E-commerce - WooCommerce E-commerce - Gmail Email All integrations ## Start your free trial Talk to Volty · Start your free trial Sign up for our 7-day trial. No credit card needed. ## Not convinced? Hear more from our CEO and Volty The Leonard and Volty Show · 8 October 2026 ### Meta now charges for WhatsApp replies The Leonard and Volty Show · 1 October 2026 ### Too busy to hire? The Leonard and Volty Show · 21 September 2026 ### From $500 chatbot jobs to agentic AI The Leonard and Volty Show · 10 September 2026 ### Your AI is a new employee The Leonard and Volty Show · 4 September 2026 ### Trust in the AI world The Leonard and Volty Show · 29 August 2026 ### Does the AI model matter? The Leonard and Volty Show · 19 August 2026 ### What are AI agents? Meta now charges for WhatsApp replies. Here's what it means for your business, 8 October 2026 ## Links - [Retail & POS](https://voltade.com/integrations?category=retail) - [SellercloudRetail & POS](https://voltade.com/integrations/sellercloud) - [SkuVaultRetail & POS](https://voltade.com/integrations/skuvault) - [ShopifyE-commerce](https://voltade.com/integrations/shopify) - [WooCommerceE-commerce](https://voltade.com/integrations/woocommerce) - [GmailEmail](https://voltade.com/integrations/gmail) - [All integrations](https://voltade.com/integrations)