Inventory
How much stock to hold, where to hold it, and what it protects you from.
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Stop 1
Why inventory exists
Cycle, safety, pipeline and anticipation stock, and what each one costs you to hold.
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Stop 2
How much to order: EOQ
Balancing the cost of ordering against the cost of holding stock to find the order size with the lowest total cost.
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Stop 3
Safety stock & reorder points
How big a buffer each item needs, when to reorder, and how to say it in days of supply.
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Stop 4
Service levels: CSL vs fill rate
Two different meanings of “95% service”, and why the difference changes how much stock you need.
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Stop 6
Inventory segmentation (ABC-XYZ)
Sorting items by value and predictability so each group gets a policy that fits, instead of one blanket rule.
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Stop 7
Risk pooling & centralization
Why combining stock points shrinks the total buffer, and what you give up in return.
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Stop 8
Multi-echelon inventory (MEIO)
Placing buffers across plant, warehouse and store as one system, instead of letting every site protect itself.
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Stop 9
Replenishment & deployment (DRP)
When each warehouse should be refilled and by how much, and where available stock goes when there isn't enough.
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Stop 10
Slow-moving & obsolete stock
Spotting stock that has stopped moving before it loses its value, and choosing the least costly way out.
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Stop 11
Postponement
Holding generic stock and making the final version only when real demand is known.