---
title: "Release Notes: February 2021"
description: "Inventory upgrades and more!"
url: https://help.labstep.com/en/articles/5012944-release-notes-february-2021
collection: "2021"
updated: 2026-10-20
language: en
---

# Release Notes: February 2021

Inventory upgrades and more!

The major theme of this month's release was inventory management, including many highly requested features such as:

-   Low stock alerts
    
-   Maps and box views for locations
    
-   Import items with locations
    
-   Item view for inventory
    

We also made it even easier to refer to the resources used in your experiments and protocols.

# Low Stock Alerts

You can now set a custom threshold on your resources. When the number of available items falls below the threshold it will trigger an alert.

![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helpcenter/699dc51d2188da0fb351700e/20260224153856_8534.gif)

You can also set alert thresholds for the amount remaining on individual items.

![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helpcenter/699dc51d2188da0fb351700e/20260224153853_0792.gif)

Set alert thresholds on templates to save time.

![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helpcenter/699dc51d2188da0fb351700e/20260224153852_1177.gif)![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helpcenter/699dc51d2188da0fb351700e/20260224153852_7200.gif)

In your notification settings customise whether you want to be notified about all low stock alerts or only resources / items you've been assigned to. Choose to be notified by email or via the web app.

![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helpcenter/699dc51d2188da0fb351700e/20260224153856_2412.gif)

# Import Items with Location

You can now specify the location of items when you create them to save you time.

![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helpcenter/699dc51d2188da0fb351700e/20260224153854_4199.gif)

# Location Maps

You can now visualise your locations to show the position of sub-locations or items within them to help you find your items faster.

![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helpcenter/699dc51d2188da0fb351700e/20260224153858_1738.gif)![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helpcenter/699dc51d2188da0fb351700e/20260224153855_0087.gif)

# Item View for Inventory

You can now see and search through all the items in your inventory across different resources in a single view.

![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helpcenter/699dc51d2188da0fb351700e/20260224153855_1310.gif)

# Adding Materials to Experiments / Protocols

We've made some changes to how you add materials to experiments and protocols to make it quicker and easier.

You will no longer be required to give the material a name. Instead you can match to a resource from your inventory straight away.

![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helpcenter/699dc51d2188da0fb351700e/20260224153856_5191.gif)

If it's a variable material such as a Sample or Primer that changes each time you run the protocol - don't worry! You can still add a Descriptor label to identify the slot without having to select a resource. The Descriptor can also be used as an abbreviation when referring to the material in the document.  
​

![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helpcenter/699dc51d2188da0fb351700e/20260224153858_7451.gif)

# Box Integration

This month we also released an integration with the cloud storage provider Box. You can now link files from your Box account into your experiments and protocols.

![](https://staticfiles.gleap.io/helpcenter/699dc51d2188da0fb351700e/20260224153856_7693.gif)

_Something missing? If there's a feature you'd like us to add reach out to_ [_info@labstep.com_](mailto:info@labstep.com) _or use the in-app chat function._