Business Central’s supply planning calculates what needs to be purchased or produced to meet demand. The result depends on the reordering policy and planning parameters you set on each item (or SKU). Getting these settings right means the planning engine generates supply suggestions that match actual demand.
Reordering Policies
The Reorder Policy field on the Item Card (under the Planning tab) controls how the system calculates supply. There are four options.
Fixed Reorder Qty
The system suggests a fixed quantity whenever projected stock drops below the reorder point.
Use when: You want to order the same quantity each time, for example, buying in pallet quantities.
Key fields: Reorder Point, Reorder Quantity, Safety Stock Quantity
Maximum Qty
The system suggests enough to bring stock up to a defined maximum level whenever projected stock falls below the reorder point.
Use when: You have limited storage and want to cap stock at a ceiling.
Key fields: Reorder Point, Maximum Inventory, Safety Stock Quantity
Order
The system creates one supply order per demand line, matching quantity exactly. No batching.
Use when: Items are purchased or produced specifically against a sales order or demand. Common for high-value, low-volume items.
Lot-for-Lot
The system batches demand within a defined time window into one supply order.
Use when: You want to consolidate demand but still match quantities closely. Common for production components.
Key fields: Lot Accumulation Period, Safety Stock Quantity
Key Planning Fields
These fields appear on the Planning tab of the Item Card. The same fields are available on Stockkeeping Unit cards, where they override the item card for a specific location.
| Field | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Reorder Point | The projected inventory level that triggers a new supply suggestion |
| Reorder Quantity | The fixed quantity to order (used with Fixed Reorder Qty policy) |
| Maximum Inventory | The target stock level to replenish up to (used with Maximum Qty policy) |
| Safety Stock Quantity | Buffer stock the planning engine keeps in reserve, it treats this as a floor when calculating projected stock |
| Lead Time Calculation | Date formula added to the order date to calculate the expected arrival date (e.g. 7D, 2W, 1M) |
| Lot Accumulation Period | Time window for grouping demand together (Lot-for-Lot policy) |
| Rescheduling Period | How far an existing supply order can be moved before the planner suggests cancelling and creating a new one |
Setting Up Planning Fields on an Item
- Search for Items using
Alt + Qand open the item. - Go to the Planning tab.
- Set the Replenishment System, typically Purchase or Prod. Order.
- Set the Reorder Policy.
- Fill in the relevant quantity fields based on the policy chosen.
- Set the Lead Time Calculation to match your supplier or production lead time.
- Save.
Running the Planning Worksheet
The Planning Worksheet evaluates all demand (sales orders, production requirements, service orders) and compares it against supply (purchase orders, production orders, existing stock) to generate suggestions.
- Search for Planning Worksheet using
Alt + Q. - Select Calculate Regenerative Plan from the action bar for a full recalculation, or Calculate Net Change Plan for an incremental run covering only items with changes since the last calculation.
- In the options dialog:
- Set Starting Date and Ending Date to define the planning horizon
- Filter by Item No. or Location Code if you want to limit the scope
- Select OK to run.
Business Central fills the worksheet with suggested actions:
| Action | Meaning |
|---|---|
| New | Create a new supply order |
| Change Qty. | Adjust an existing order quantity |
| Reschedule | Move an existing order to a different date |
| Resched. & Chg. Qty. | Move and adjust an existing order |
| Cancel | Cancel an existing order that is no longer needed |
Using the Requisition Worksheet
The Requisition Worksheet is similar to the Planning Worksheet but is used specifically for generating purchase orders. It does not plan production orders.
Use the Requisition Worksheet when:
- You only need to manage purchasing replenishment
- You want a simpler view without production planning lines
- Your role is purchasing rather than production planning
Search for Requisition Worksheet and use Calculate Plan to populate it.
Converting Suggestions to Orders
Once you have reviewed the planning lines:
- Select the lines you want to act on (use Select All or check individual lines).
- Select Carry Out Action Message from the action bar.
- In the dialog, confirm whether to create Purchase Orders, Production Orders, or both, depending on what the lines require.
- Select OK.
Business Central creates the orders and clears the acted-upon lines from the worksheet.
Common Planning Issues
Suggestions not appearing for an item: Check that the item has a reorder policy set. Items with no reorder policy are excluded from planning.
Overly large order quantities: Check the Reorder Quantity and Maximum Inventory fields. Also verify the demand is correct, a large open sales order can inflate suggestions.
Suggestions ignoring existing purchase orders: Make sure existing purchase orders have the correct expected receipt date. The planner only considers supply it can see in the system.
Safety stock causing constant suggestions: If the safety stock quantity is set higher than typical demand patterns support, the planner will always try to replenish. Adjust safety stock to reflect realistic minimums.
To set up location-specific overrides for these planning fields, see How to Set Up Stockkeeping Units (SKUs) in Business Central.