Planned versus observed
Compare the stated lead time with actual order-to-receipt history for the relevant supplier and material context.
PLATFORM / SUPPLIER PERFORMANCE
Plan for the lead time you actually experience.
A 45-day lead time on the material record means little when deliveries repeatedly arrive later. Bring supplier history into the inventory decision.
Lead-time reviewIllustrative
The promise.
And the pattern.
POLICY REVIEW
Revisit the planning lead time
and required stock protection.
Fictional example · Review variability and receipt history before changing policy.
Turn delivery patterns into planning signals.
Early and late delivery
Consistent early receipts can suggest a shorter planning assumption. Repeated delays can support a longer horizon or more protection.
Variability matters
A supplier with an acceptable average can still be unreliable. Review the spread, number of observations and quality of the receipt history.
Separate today’s recovery from tomorrow’s policy.
- 01
Recover the immediate gap
Identify the receipt that arrives too late. Ask for a confirmed partial delivery, an alternative source or a feasible transfer.
- 02
Review the recurring pattern
Check whether delays are isolated, seasonal or persistent. Validate order dates, receipt dates and partial receipts.
- 03
Propose a policy change
Review the effect of a revised lead time on stock targets. Approve the change under your purchasing and planning controls.
Historical delivery behavior informs a proposal; it does not guarantee the next delivery date.
What if a supplier usually delivers earlier or later than its stated lead time?
Compare planned lead time with observed order-to-receipt history. Repeated delays may support more protection or a longer planning assumption; consistently earlier receipts may support a shorter one. Review the spread and quality of the history, not only the average. Supplier behavior informs a proposal rather than guaranteeing a future date.
Can it recommend minimum, maximum and target inventory levels?
Yes. The inventory workflow presents policy proposals based on the available demand and supplier timing evidence. Review those assumptions alongside coverage, variability and your operating constraints. A proposed policy change is distinct from an urgent early-delivery request and is approved before becoming a customer’s operating baseline.
YOUR NEXT MOVE
Let’s start with
your operation.
Bring a recurring inventory challenge. We’ll discuss the data, scope and a practical path forward.