Häufig gestellte Fragen
What does material planning mean in material management?
Material planning — in the ERP context often referred to as materials disposition — is the planning and control of material procurement with the goal of providing the right material in the right quantity at the right time. To do this, it links the requirements from orders and forecasts with available stock, open purchase orders and running production orders, and derives concrete procurement or production proposals from any shortfall. Material planning thus forms the link between sales, purchasing, warehousing and production. Good material planning reduces both shortages and unnecessary excess stock, and with it excessive capital tie-up.
What is the difference between demand-driven and consumption-driven material planning?
Demand-driven (plan-driven, deterministic) material planning derives requirements precisely from concrete customer orders, primary requirements and the explosion of bills of materials, typically using the MRP procedure — it is precise but data- and maintenance-intensive. Consumption-driven (stochastic) planning, by contrast, relies on historical consumption and statistical forecasts and usually triggers procurement via a reorder point — it is simpler but less accurate. In practice, the demand-driven variant is used for high-value, well-plannable A items, the consumption-driven one for inexpensive B and C items as well as auxiliary and operating materials. Many companies combine both procedures on a per-item basis via the respective planning indicator.
Which parameters control material planning in the ERP?
The most important planning parameters include the reorder point, below which a replenishment order is triggered, the safety stock as a buffer against demand and supply fluctuations, and the replenishment or lead time. Added to these are lot size, planning horizon, supplier assignment and the planning indicator, which defines the chosen procedure for each item. The reorder point is calculated as the safety stock plus the forecast consumption during the replenishment lead time. It is crucial that this master data is maintained and up to date, since even the best procedure produces useless proposals with wrong parameters.
How does ABC analysis support material planning?
ABC analysis ranks items by their economic significance, usually measured by their share of value or consumption. High-value A items, which account for a large share of the procurement value, are generally planned precisely on a demand-driven basis via MRP, since the higher planning effort pays off here. Low-value C items, by contrast, are planned on a consumption-driven basis via simple reorder points or fixed ordering cycles to keep the effort low. This allows planning effort and inventory costs to be reduced specifically where value is low, while capital-intensive items are managed tightly.
Does material planning run automatically in the ERP system?
Material planning runs largely automated: the planning run (the MRP run in many systems) matches requirements against stock and automatically generates purchase and production proposals including scheduled delivery and start dates. These proposals are not binding orders, however, but are reviewed by material planners in the planning list, adjusted in quantity or date where necessary, and only then released. Modern ERP systems increasingly incorporate sales forecasts and in some cases AI-supported methods to better reflect seasonality and consumption patterns. The professional assessment of exception messages and special cases remains with humans.
What does a material planner do in material planning?
A material planner ensures that required materials and raw materials are available on time without warehouse stocks — and with them storage costs — rising unnecessarily. In concrete terms, they review and process the purchase and production proposals generated by the ERP system, respond to exception messages such as impending shortfalls or schedule shifts, and coordinate with purchasing, warehousing and production. They also maintain the planning parameters such as reorder point, safety stock and lot size, and monitor delivery dates and stock coverage. In doing so, the material planner translates the strategic targets of inventory management into concrete operational procurement decisions.
How does material planning affect capital tie-up and delivery capability?
Material planning has a direct effect on two opposing business metrics: delivery capability and the capital tied up in inventory. Safety stocks and reorder points set too cautiously drive up stocks, storage costs and tied-up capital, while settings that are too tight risk shortages and schedule delays. Well-tuned material planning therefore seeks the economic balance — the lowest possible stock level with assured delivery reliability. Metrics such as stock coverage, inventory turnover and service level help to continuously monitor and readjust this balance.