Record accuracy has become the focus of attention for many businesses because customers have higher expectations of the right item being delivered on time, and competitive pressures do not allow for extra stockholding. Businesses now have the opportunity to become much more effective given the correct information, the development of better communication and integration of systems. For inventory management, the pressure for most companies is to become more efficient and hold less inventory.
The accuracy of data has gradually been emerging in importance. The systems only work if the data is correct and with the introduction of integrated data, there are wide ranging repercussions for businesses that draw conclusions and make decisions based on inaccurate records.
Where there is a lot of data, there is the opportunity for many and large errors. This is often the case with inventory: many items, large varieties of different items, and fast changing inventory. Measuring how much there is becomes a challenge in many businesses such as consumer retailing and manufacturing processes where inventory changes so rapidly. With large warehouses there is also the risk of inaccurate recording so that items are not there or not in the right place.
Improving Inventory Record Accuracy initially discusses how to quantify the problem, set sensible targets for improvement and how to make the case for doing something to improve accuracy. The book then discusses why inventory records do go wrong and how to rectify the major causes of error. Finally the book illustrates the techniques with which everyone can make their records very accurate.
This is a practical book that solves a practicalproblem and shows the ways to improve record accuracy. Tony Wild has amassed many techniques over the years, has tried them out in practice and he presents them here in an accessible style for professional managers in logistics and stock control, retail/wholesale distribution. The book is also intended for use by students on Institute of Operations Management Certificate, DPIM, CPIM and DLM courses.

Best Practice in Inventory Management 3E offers a simple, entirely jargon-free and yet comprehensive introduction to key aspects of inventory management. Good management of inventory enables companies to improve their customer service, cash flow and profitability. This text outlines the basic techniques, how and where to apply them, and provides advice to ensure they work to provide the desired effect in practice.

With an unrivalled balance between qualitative and quantitative aspects of inventory control, experienced consultant Tony Wild portrays the many ways in which stock management is more nuanced than simple "number crunching" and mathematical modelling.

This long-awaited new edition has been substantially and thoroughly updated.

The product of decades of experience and expertise in the field, Best Practice in Inventory Management 3E provides students and professionals, even those with no prior experience in the area, an unbiased and honest picture of what it takes to effectively manage stocks in a firm.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

1 THE BASIS OF INVENTORY CONTROL

1.A The role of inventory management

1.B Objectives for inventory control

1.C Profit through inventory management

1.D Reasons for the current stock

2 CUSTOMER SERVICE

2.A Customer Relations

2.B Measuring availability

2.C Demand management

2.D Consuming forecast demand and supply lead time

3 SHAPING INVENTORY

3.A Using Pareto Analysis for control

3.B ABC Analysis

3.C Stock cover

3.D Pareto stock balance

　

4 PRACTICAL METHODS FOR REDUCING STOCKHOLDING

4.A Approach to Inventory Reduction

4.B The Reduction Project

4 C Obsolete and Excess Stock

5 MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL

5.A Where stock control fits into the organisation

5.B Responsibilities and targets

5.C Skills and Systems

5.D Inventory valuation

6 LEAN SUPPLY

6.A Lean Supply Philosophy

6.B Lean Principles

6.C Implementing lean

6.D Operational benefits of Lean Supply

6.E Developing Lean Operations

7 SAFETY STOCKS

7.A Learning from History

7.B Normal demand patterns

7.C Evaluating safety stocks

8 SETTING THE RIGHT STOCK LEVELS

8.A Simple Assessment of Review Levels

8.B Managing Lead Times

8.C Supplier Delivery frequency effects

8.D Target stock levels

9 PROCUREMENT

9.A The Role of Supply Chain Procurement

9.B Supply partnerships

9.C Single Sourcing

9.D Supply Partnerships

9.E Vendor Appraisal

9.F Pricing Methods

10 DELIVERY QUANTITIES

10.A Supply and Suppliers

10.B Organising Repetitive Supply

10.C Order types

10.D Order quantities

10.E Delivery Quantities

10.F Scheduling supply

10.G Supply Co-ordination

10.H Purchasing Processes

11 FORECASTING DEMAND

11.A Options for assessing demand

11.B Causes of forecasting inaccuracy

11.C Methods of improving forecasting

12 HISTORICAL FORECASTING TECHNIQUES

12.A Basic Forecasting Techniques

12.B Moving Average

12.C Exponentially Weighted Averages

12.D Improved Values for Mean Absolute Deviation

12.E Choosing the Best Forecast - Focus Forecasting

13 IMPROVED FORECASTING METHODS

13.A More Forecasting Tools

13.B Forecasting for seasonal sales

14 DEPENDENT DEMAND

14.A Avoiding uncertainty

14.B Material requirements planning

14.C Master planning

15 SUPPLY CHAIN INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

15.A The basis of the lean supply chain

15.B Coordination

15.C Supply Chain Operations

15.D Replenishment Techniques

16 MEETING THE CHALLENGES

16.A Review

16.B Recipe for success

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Best Practice in Inventory Management 3E offers a simple, entirely jargon-free and yet comprehensive introduction to key aspects of inventory management. Good management of inventory enables companies to improve their customer service, cash flow and profitability. This text outlines the basic techniques, how and where to apply them, and provides advice to ensure they work to provide the desired effect in practice. With an unrivalled balance between qualitative and quantitative aspects of inventory control, experienced consultant Tony Wild portrays the many ways in which stock management is more nuanced than simple "number crunching" and mathematical modelling. This long-awaited new edition has been substantially and thoroughly updated. The product of decades of experience and expertise in the field, Best Practice in Inventory Management 3E provides students and professionals, even those with no prior experience in the area, an unbiased and honest picture of what it takes to effectively manage stocks in a firm.

Record accuracy can impact a business' success - customers have high expectations of receiving the right item at the right time, and competitive pressures limit extra stockholding. Opportunities exist to be more effective through efficient inventory management - having correct information, developing better communication, and integrating systems. Improving Inventory Record Accuracy discusses: - how to quantify the problem and set sensible targets for improvement - how to make the case for doing something to improve accuracy - why inventory records do go wrong and how to rectify the major causes of error

Good management of inventory enables companies to improve their customer service, cash flow and profitability. 'Best Practice in Inventory Management' outlines the basic techniques, how and where to apply them, and provides advice to ensure they work to produce the desired effect in practice.
The book shows how inventory management techniques can be used in a wide variety of situations, particularly in stores where the inventory can be anything from fast moving products to slow moving spares. The discussion extends across distribution warehousing and manufacturers' operations.
The text is based on best theory and practice, which has been gradually developed by the inventory management profession over the years. It covers the inventory control aspects included in the courses for the DPIM, COM, DLM, CPIM and other professional and academic qualifications.
Readers develop their understanding of stock control by seeing the techniques explained logically and learn how inventory structuring, individual item control, forecasting and co-ordination provide the base for logistics management. This new edition has been up-dated throughout and the final chapter, The Future - Inventory and Logistics, has been re-written to reflect the developing applications of technology and changes in focus.
Explains how inventory management techniques achieve low stocks and improved customer serviceActs as a practical manual for making improvements in stock control and for saving moneyCovers the syllabi of the DPIM, COM, DLM and other professional and academic qualifications