Forecast accuracy formula: how to calculate MAPE, WAPE and bias
How to calculate forecast accuracy with MAPE, WAPE and bias, with a worked example, Excel formulas and advice on which measure to report.
Demand forecasting
Inventory & replenishment
Fill rate vs service level: formulas and the difference
How to calculate fill rate and cycle service level, why the two numbers differ, and which one to use when you set safety stock or report to customers.
Inventory & replenishment
Min-max inventory: formula, example and when to use it
How to set min and max inventory levels, with the formula, a worked example, spreadsheet formulas and the cases where min-max stops working.
Inventory & replenishment
Clear to build: what it means and how to build the report
What clear to build means in manufacturing, how to calculate it from a bill of materials, a worked example, and the columns a good report needs.
Inventory & replenishment
What is MRP in manufacturing? A worked example
What material requirements planning is, the three inputs it needs, what it produces, and a week-by-week example of how net requirements are calculated.
Choosing software
How much does supply chain software cost?
What supply chain software costs in 2026: published prices by type, costs beyond the subscription, and a simple way to budget for a small company.
Working with consultants
Supply chain services for small businesses: what to outsource and what to keep
Which supply chain services are worth buying and which work to keep in-house. A plain guide for small manufacturers, distributors and retailers.
The Statadventure Optimization Lab is open: sign up online
The Statadventure Optimization Lab is open for sign-up online: supply chain planning on your own data, with every improvement ranked in dollars, from $297 a month with users included.
Purchase order confirmations: how to get suppliers to confirm dates
A purchase order confirmation routine a small purchasing team can keep up: what to ask suppliers, when to ask, which lines come first and what to do with the answers.