Forecast Order & Transfer Schedule Options (As Needed)

In this article, we'll discuss more advanced settings for your order schedule and transfer schedule in SoStocked. Please make sure that you have already studied our Get Started Mini-Course, which covers the basics before you watch this video. Especially the lesson on How to Set up Your Forecast.

There are really two types of order schedules and two types of transfer schedules, both with a few variations. The two main types are Fixed and As-Needed.

A fixed schedule is our default setting. This means you have a fixed frequency that you place your orders or transfers. For example, you order from your supplier each month on the 1st and you transfer inventory from your warehouse to Amazon each week on Mondays.

As-needed ordering or transferring means you have selected a minimum and a maximum amount of inventory instead of a fixed schedule. So rather than placing orders on the 1st of each month, you might select to order 90 days of inventory, but always keep at least 30 days at Amazon.

You can order directly to Amazon or to a warehouse, with transfers to Amazon. These are predicted on your lead times.

If your lead time bypasses the warehouse and goes directly to Amazon, then the system will ignore your warehouse min and max numbers, as these are now irrelevant. The lead time is sending inventory to Amazon, not to a warehouse.

The final option is called a pass-through lead time and is not as common. Pass-through lead times use a warehouse as a prep center, but ignore the min-max numbers at the warehouse, as the inventory needs are predicated on Amazon min-max.