22-25 April 2026

Fabric Data Activator: Real-Time Data Feeds, Automated Alerts & Stock Intelligence

Proposed session for SQLBits 2026

TL; DR

Retailers can use Microsoft Fabric to stream sales and stock data in real time, triggering automated alerts via Data Activator for rapid response to inventory changes and sales surges, driving smarter, faster retail operations.

Session Details

In today’s fast-paced retail environment, the ability to respond instantly to sales trends and stock fluctuations is critical for maintaining customer satisfaction and maximising revenue. This session explores how Microsoft Fabric’s Real-Time Intelligence (RTI) data capabilities empower retailers, amongst others, to monitor product sales and inventory levels, triggering automated alerts and actions through Data Activator.

We’ll dive into a practical retail scenario: imagine a chain of stores where every transaction and stock movement is streamed into Fabric’s Real-time Hub. Using Event Streams and Event House databases, data is ingested and processed at scale, blending both live and historical feeds with SQL and KQL. Data Activator then monitors these feeds for critical thresholds such as sudden spikes in sales or low stock levels and automatically generates alerts to store managers to trigger replenishment workflows.

3 things you'll get out of this session

• How to architect real-time retail solutions using Microsoft Fabric. • The role of Real-time Hub, Event Streams, and Data Activator in building responsive, intelligent systems. • How to design alerting logic for sales surges and inventory drops. • The business impact of real-time analytics and automation in retail operations.