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Section · 6 guides

Reordering

Reorder points, order quantities, lead time, and the safety stock that should reflect how unreliable your supplier actually is.

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Most reorder points were set once, by someone who has left, against a demand pattern that no longer applies. They are then blamed for stockouts that are really the arithmetic doing exactly what it was told.

These guides work through the calculation: demand during lead time, variability on both sides, and how much buffer that actually justifies — which is usually less than the cautious answer and more than the optimistic one.

Reordering8 min read

The reorder point, and the two numbers it needs

Most reorder points are a level someone felt comfortable with. The calculation is not difficult and produces a different answer.

Once workload is measured, workforce optimization software is one example of using that data to change capacity or process rather than merely report it.

For broader small-business operating guidance, the U.S. Small Business Administration publishes public resources on managing day-to-day business processes.

For wider demand context, U.S. Census Bureau retail data provides public retail trade statistics rather than business-specific forecasts.

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Reordering7 min read

Deciding how much to order

The reorder point says when. Order quantity says how much, and it is usually set by whatever the supplier's price break happens to be.

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