This tab displays the item’s MRP settings and stock availability within its planning period.
Screen Details
MRP Settings
The item’s MRP settings are displayed in this panel.
Link:
Planning Days
The Planning Days is the total number of days associated with the settings listed below that comprise the item's Planning Period.
Lead Days
For M items the Lead Days is the number of calendar days allocated for procuring material or making subassemblies prior to starting a job. For P items the Lead Days is the number of calendar days allocated for procuring the item.
Job Days
For M items the Job Days is the number of shop days allocated for making the item.
MRP Interval
The system MRP Interval setting accounts for the shop days that may elapse between MRP sessions.
Extra Days
The system Extra Days setting expands item Planning Periods with extra shop days.
Calendar Days, Period End
The item’s planning period not only includes the Planning Days above, but also must account for any non-working days defined on the Shop Calendar, which are presented by the Calendar Days.
Link:
Period End
The Period End date is the item’s Planning Period end date, which is forward scheduled from the current date by the Planning Days + Calendar Days.
How is the Planning Period used?
The planning period is the MRP “action window”, which is the total time allocated for assessing net demand. Requirements within the item’s planning period are responded to with a planned job or PO. Requirements outside the planning period need no current action and are responded to in future MRP sessions.
Order Policy
Values include To Order, in which case the item is made or purchased to order, Forecast RP, in which case the item is made or purchased to stock from a forecast-derived Reorder Point, or Manual RP, in which case the item is made or purchased to stock from a manually entered Reorder Point.
Monthly Forecast
This field is visible when the Order Policy is Forecast Reorder Point. It displays the item's total Monthly Forecast, which includes sales, usage, and safety factor.
Reorder Point, Supply Days, Min Order, Order Multiple, Whole No Rounding, Spare Stock
The Reorder Point is derived from a forecast or stock level and triggers job or PO generation. The Supply Days is used with a forecast and is the number of days to be covered by each job or PO quantity. The Min Order establishes a minimum job or PO quantity. The Order Multiple make the quantity divisible by a multiple, and Whole No Rounding prevents decimal stock quantities. Spare Stock increases the job or PO quantity against To Order order policy items to maintain a spare stock target.
Planning Period Availability
This panel is a summary of projected supply and demand within the item’s Planning Period, which corresponds with the upper grid details displayed in the Projected tab.
On Hand Qty
This is the item’s total stock on hand.
(+) Purchase Orders
This field is only visible against purchased items and shows total short-term inbound supply. It is the total non-received quantity on open purchase orders with expected dates inside the item Planning Period.
(+) Job Outputs
This field is only visible against manufactured items and shows total short-term inbound supply. It is the total non-received quantity on open jobs with finish dates inside the item Planning Period.
(-) Sales Orders
If this is a sell item, this field shows total short-term sales demand. It is the total quantity of non-picked lines on open sales orders with required dates inside the item Planning Period.
(-) Job Inputs
If this is a subassembly or purchased item, this field shows total short-term job demand. It is the total quantity of non-issued job lines where the job start date is inside the item Planning Period.
(=) Projected Qty
This is the sum of the previous fields, which is the net projected quantity as of the period end date shown at left.
Beyond Planning Period
This panel is a summary of projected supply and demand outside the item’s Planning Period, which corresponds with the lower grid details displayed in the Projected tab. The period end date is displayed in the panel title for reference.
(+) Purchase Orders
This field is only visible against purchased items and shows total longer-term inbound supply. It is the total non-received quantity on open purchase orders with expected dates outside the item Planning Period.
(+) Job Outputs
This field is only visible against manufactured items and shows total longer-term inbound supply. It is the total non-received quantity on open jobs with finish dates outside the item Planning Period.
Days to Cover
This field provides an action signal for manual planners.
NOTE: When MRP is run on a regular basis, this field should not have a value unless you are making erratic changes to MRP item settings.
A numeric value indicates a demand-supply “doughnut hole”
A numeric value in this field indicates the existence of a demand-supply “doughnut hole” where a shortage is projected at the end of the item Planning Period that is covered later by a future scheduled PO or Job. The doughnut hole is a temporary misalignment between short-term demand and inbound supply. The Days to Cover amount is the number of days (calendar days for P items, shop days for M items) from today to the date when the period end negative quantity is covered by supply.
Avoid creating future scheduled PO lines and manual Jobs
What causes a doughnut hole? Any future scheduled PO line due dates or future manual Jobs can cause significant misalignments in your schedule. The most common source are blanket purchase orders whereby a set of PO lines are scheduled over time. The overall total PO quantity covers existing demand, but within the item Planning Period, an unexpected spike in demand can easily cause a temporary shortage.
The immediate remedy for a doughnut hole is to drill down to the Stock Status screen to the Projected tab, Beyond Planning Period panel, and click the link against the PO Number field to open the PO Schedule screen. You will likely see a value in the Days Past Req field against this PO. Contact the supplier and see if the PO can be expedited.
NOTE: The ultimate remedy for doughnut holes is to replace blanket purchasing and future scheduled PO lines and Jobs with MRP, where demand-driven replenishment ensures that planned supply is always aligned with firm demand.
If you choose to create manual POs, you should always allow the lead days to auto create your PO due dates and avoid future scheduling PO lines.
‘Short’ indicates the need for new supply
‘Short’ is displayed in this field when the period end Projected Qty is negative and not covered by an inbound PO or Job.
NOTE: Running MRP automatically resolves all ‘Short’ conditions with Job and PO generation.
(-) Sales Orders
If this is a sell item, this field shows total longer-term sales demand. It is the total quantity of non-picked lines on open sales orders with required dates outside the item Planning Period.
(-) Job Inputs
If this is a subassembly or purchased item, this field shows total longer-term job demand. It is the total quantity of non-issued job lines where the job start date is outside the item Planning Period.
