The quick answer
Go to Transactions > Order Management > Reallocate Items and choose the Item and Location. The page lists every open order line for that item at that location, oldest order first, each with an editable Quantity Committed. Lower the committed quantity on the order that can wait, and Uncommitted shows the stock you released. Then check the priority order's line and confirm its Quantity Committed, typing the quantity if it isn't filled. Click Submit. The new commitments save to the sales orders: the priority line's Committed goes up and its Back Ordered goes down, and the older order shows the opposite.
The screenshots show sample data. Person and operating-company names are fictional. Use your own records and values when following the steps.
Before you start
You need a role that can commit orders and edit sales orders. The item has to be on open sales order lines whose location is the one you'll pick. Depending on your commitment preferences, NetSuite commits stock automatically, and oldest order first is a common setting. That's how a newer order ends up back ordered while the stock sits on the shelf for older ones. If your account uses Supply Allocation, commitments are handled by allocation tools instead, so check with whoever owns that setup before using this page.
Only open, eligible quantities can move. Firmed quantities and stock already picked, packed or shipped are excluded, and special-order lines follow their linked purchase order. Lot, serial and bin items can need inventory detail, so test those on one order first.
In this example, Reno Warehouse has 40 HX-440 Hydraulic Pumps on hand and 60 on open orders. SO3107 for Cascade Fleet Services (30, ordered 09/08/2026) and SO3112 for Delta Ag Supply (10, ordered 09/14/2026) hold all 40. SO3126 for Summit Rail Maintenance, entered 09/25/2026 for 20, has nothing committed. Summit Rail needs its pumps first, and Cascade Fleet has agreed to take 10 now and the rest from the next receipt.
01. Check the priority order's line
Open SO3126. On the Items subtab, the HX-440 Hydraulic Pump line for 20 shows Committed 0 and Back Ordered 20. Available is 0, because every pump at Reno Warehouse is committed to the older orders.
02. Open Reallocate Items for the item and location
Go to Transactions > Order Management > Reallocate Items. Choose HX-440 Hydraulic Pump in Item and Reno Warehouse in Location. The page works on one item at one location. To move stock at several locations, repeat it for each one.
The header shows Quantity On Hand 40, Quantity Committed 40 and Quantity Required 60. Every pump is spoken for and 20 are short. The lines are sorted by Order Date, oldest first: SO3107 (30), SO3112 (10) and SO3126 (20). SO3107 and SO3112 are checked. SO3126 isn't.
Scroll the list right to Quantity Committed: 30 on SO3107, 10 on SO3112 and 0 on SO3126.
03. Release stock from the older order
In SO3107's Quantity Committed, replace 30 with 10. Uncommitted now shows 20, the pumps released from SO3107 that no line holds yet. The total committed across the lines can't go above Quantity On Hand.
04. Commit the stock to the priority order
Scroll the list back to the left and check the SO3126 line. Scroll right again. SO3126's Quantity Committed is now 20, filled from the released pumps, and Uncommitted is back to 0.
Check the value before you submit. In this recording, checking the line filled in the stock no other line held, but your account may not fill it. If it doesn't, type the quantity yourself.
05. Submit and review the commitments
Click Submit. NetSuite shows the confirmation "Items successfully Committed."
Choose HX-440 Hydraulic Pump and Reno Warehouse again. Quantity Committed is now 10 on SO3107, 10 on SO3112 and 20 on SO3126, still 40 in total.
06. Confirm both sales orders
Open SO3126 again. Its line shows Committed 20 and Back Ordered 0, so the warehouse can pick and ship the whole order.
Open SO3107. Its line shows Committed 10 and Back Ordered 20. Cascade Fleet Services gets 10 now, and the other 20 wait for new stock.
Check the result
- Reallocate Items shows the new Quantity Committed on each line, and the total doesn't exceed what's on hand. Here it's exactly 40.
- The priority order's line shows the committed quantity you gave it, with Back Ordered down by the same amount.
- The order that gave up stock shows Committed down and Back Ordered up.
- Orders you didn't touch keep their commitments.
A manual reallocation isn't locked in. Commit Orders, a scheduled commitment run, automatic commitment, edits to an order line, receipts and other inventory transactions can recalculate commitments later. If the priority order has to keep its stock, check it again after those run, and look at your account's commitment and order priority settings.
Common questions
Why is my new sales order back ordered when the item has stock on hand?
The stock on hand is already committed to other orders. Reno Warehouse had 40 pumps, but SO3107 and SO3112 held all 40, so SO3126 showed Committed 0 and Back Ordered 20 until some of that commitment moved.
What does Uncommitted mean on Reallocate Items?
It's the stock you've released from lines on the page that no other line holds yet. Lowering SO3107 from 30 to 10 made Uncommitted 20. Committing those 20 to SO3126 brought it back to 0.
Does checking a line commit the remaining stock automatically?
Sometimes. In this recording, checking SO3126 filled its Quantity Committed with the 20 nobody held, up to what the line still needed. Your account may calculate it differently, so check the value and type it in if it isn't filled. Nothing saves until you click Submit.
What does Auto Commit do?
It commits the available stock for you using your account's commitment-ordering rules, which often means oldest order first. That's the opposite of what you want when a newer order has to jump the queue. In that case, type the quantities and check the lines yourself.
Can I reallocate inventory across several locations at once?
No. Reallocate Items works on one item at one location. Choose the next location and repeat the steps there.
Why can't I reallocate special-order or picked lines?
Only open, eligible quantities can move. Firmed quantities and stock that's already picked, packed or shipped are excluded, and a special-order line is tied to the purchase order that supplies it. Those lines may be greyed out or not editable.
Why did my reallocation change back after Commit Orders ran?
A manual reallocation isn't locked in. Commit Orders, a scheduled commitment run or automatic commitment can recalculate commitments using your account's rules. Check the priority order again after they run.