Starting your own business
Accounting and bookkeeping: A guide for sole traders
Smart accounting software - no commitment, cancel anytime
If you operate a business that sells inventory, then you have many important decisions to make. One of those decisions is when you should order more supplier stock.
It doesn't matter whether you manage a major superstore or own a small boutique, every business wants to stock enough inventory to operate without overstocking or under stocking. This is where our Reorder Point calculator can help.
When you stock an item in demand, every purchase reduces your inventory levels. The inventory Reorder Point is the formula that allows you to reorder stock at the correct time. Having a system in place to deal with your Reorder Point can reduce costs, but it can also remove the stress from ordering inventory.
You need to order fresh stock before you run out, but if it is too early you will increase holding costs. If it is too late, you run the risk of stock-outs, which may send your customers to the competition.
How do you know when it is time? Safety stock is stocked to give you time to place new purchase orders. You can work out your safety stock levels by multiplying your average daily usage and lead time in days.
Average lead time gives you a good indication as to how long you will need to wait for new stock because you need a sufficient amount of stock to meet customer demand in the meantime. Safety stock provides you with a buffer in case of supply chain issues, depending on the number of days it takes to receive stock.
You can calculate the Reorder Point for your business by using the Reorder Point formula.
Lead time demand + Safety Stock Level = Reorder Level
If you struggle with calculating the reorder point, or want to speed up your calculations use the reorder point calculator above.
Using a Reorder Point calculator is the simplest and most effective way to know the amount of inventory to order and when.
The calculator is simple to use. You first need to know your lead time demand and your safety stock level. Then simply input them into the form to calculate the Reorder Point. Be sure you use accurate figures, otherwise, your result will be skewed.
Managing your inventory is crucial to running a successful business, and you can make that easier with QuickBooks. It removes the guesswork and manual calculations from the process to improve your bottom line. Visit our pricing page to get started with a free trial.
You can also visit our blog to find more free assets that can help you run and grow your business.
Use the Reorder Point formula. Lead time demand + Safety Stock Level = Reorder Level
Average daily usage x lead time shows you how many unit sales you can expect, which shows you how much stock you need for any given amount of time.
It takes time to receive stock once you order it and safety stock is the product that will tide you over until you receive delivery of stock.
This content is for information purposes only and should not be considered legal, accounting or tax advice, or a substitute for obtaining professional advice specific to your business. Additional information and exceptions may apply. Applicable laws may vary by region, state or locality. No assurance is given that the information is comprehensive in its coverage or that it is suitable in dealing with a customer’s particular situation. Intuit does not have any responsibility for updating or revising any information presented herein. Accordingly, the information provided should not be relied upon as a substitute for independent research. Intuit does not warrant that the material contained herein will continue to be accurate nor that it is completely free of errors when published. Readers should verify statements before relying on them.
We may occasionally provide third-party links as a convenience and for informational purposes only. Intuit does not endorse or approve the views or opinions of any corporation or organisation or individual herein. Intuit accepts no responsibility for the accuracy, or legality, of third-party content.
9.00am - 5.30pm Monday - Thursday
9.00am - 4.30pm Friday