Which of the following is NOT one of the four pieces of information needed to purchase inventory in a month?

To successfully purchase inventory for a given month, it's crucial to consider several key pieces of information that directly influence inventory management and purchasing decisions. These include the cost of merchandise already ordered, the projected cost of goods sold for the upcoming month, and the ending inventory for the month, as these factors determine both the need for and the amount of stock to be purchased.

The total sales from the previous month, while informative, does not directly impact the decision about how much inventory needs to be purchased for the current month. Instead, it may provide a historical perspective on sales trends, but does not account for current needs, which are governed by upcoming projected sales and inventory considerations. Understanding how much inventory you still have at the end of the month and projecting the cost of goods sold are critical in making informed purchasing decisions. Therefore, the total sales figure from the previous month is not essential for determining current inventory purchases.