Understand the shopping list

SawWise uses a few related lists. Once you know which is which, the shopping result is straightforward.

Four useful terms

The cut list asks, “What pieces are needed?” The shopping list asks, “What new stock is needed for this particular plan?” They are not interchangeable.

Read What to buy

The Overview tab contains What to buy, a consolidated list of timber and sheet stock. Summary cards also show Timber to buy and Sheets to buy.

The shopping list sits beside the review count, making it easy to spot anything that still needs a choice.

For each item, check:

• Stock name and physical dimensions.
• Purchase length or sheet size.
• Quantity.
• Material and thickness.
• Any panels that could not be placed.

The list is based on current part assignments, kerf, plan style, available stock lengths, sheet-size preference, completed panels, and compatible panel inventory. Changing any of these can change the result.

Timber can use mixed lengths

A timber stock entry may have several available purchase lengths. SawWise can allocate boards of different lengths and lists each stock length separately with its board quantity.

Compare the listed lengths with what your supplier offers. Editing Length for plans in Settings reduces that entry to one available length for future plans.

The list gives you total boards rather than reserving particular ones. At the timber yard, you can choose the grade and condition you want and make sure the lengths will fit in the car.

Sheets to buy and inventory

SawWise tries compatible entries from Offcut inventory before purchasing new sheets when using an offcut improves the plan. Inventory sheets appear as In stock or Existing offcut in the sheet plan, not as new sheets in Sheets to buy.

This means the purchase count can be lower than the total number of blanks in the cutting plans. Give the real offcut a quick measure first, especially if its edges have had a hard life.

Choosing half sheets can also affect purchases. If a linked half-sheet variant is missing or a panel is too large, SawWise reports a full-sheet fallback.

Why might the list look short?

Some parts do not add anything to the shopping list:

• Unknown or Unclassified parts have no reliable stock assignment.
• Weak match and Review parts may be assigned incorrectly.
• Unplaced panels could not fit the available sheet or offcut arrangement.
• Ignored parts marked Exclude from cut list contribute no quantity.
• Zero-quantity parts contribute no quantity.
• Sheet panels previously completed through inventory use are omitted from remaining sheet requirements.
• Loose drawing geometry is omitted because it is not a group or component part.

If the total looks unexpectedly good, these are the first places to look.

When no stock is required

No new stock is required means the current calculation produced no new-board or new-sheet purchases. Possible reasons include:

• There are no classified, non-ignored cut parts.
• All relevant sheet parts are covered by offcut inventory.
• Relevant sheet panels have already been marked complete through inventory use.
• A planning or optimisation failure prevented a purchase result from being produced.

If that result surprises you, look at Unknowns and warnings, Parts, and the Sheets tab to see which case applies.

Before ordering

1. Compare quantities with SketchUp and sort out unclassified or unplaced parts.
2. Match timber and sheet sizes to your supplier's stock.
3. Check that any offcuts in the plan are still on the rack.
4. Add whatever spare or trimming allowance suits the project.

SawWise optimises material rather than price. Supplier deals, delivery, pack quantities, and quality can still make a different purchase the better bargain.