Allocate inventory by rules, not by whoever asks first.
When demand exceeds supply, allocation decisions determine who gets product and who waits. Most manufacturers make these decisions in spreadsheets, email threads, or by whoever gets to the warehouse manager first. We replace that with rules-based allocation logic that’s governed, auditable, and integrated with your ERP.
Inventory Allocation by Spreadsheet and Politics
- →Allocation decisions made in spreadsheets with no audit trail and no business rules enforcement
- →Sales reps over-committing available inventory because they can’t see real-time allocation state
- →Priority customers getting the same treatment as spot buyers because there’s no tiered allocation logic
- →Multi-warehouse allocation done manually — nobody optimizes which warehouse fulfills which order
Inventory Allocation Engine
Rules-Based Allocation Logic
Define allocation rules by customer tier, channel priority, order type, and product category. Rules execute automatically when inventory is received or demand changes — no manual intervention.
Multi-Warehouse Allocation
Allocate across warehouses based on proximity, stock levels, shipping cost, and fulfillment capacity. The engine considers all locations simultaneously, not one at a time.
Channel Priority Management
Prioritize allocation by channel — contract orders before spot sales, key accounts before general distribution, backorders before new orders. Business priorities enforced systematically.
Available-to-Promise (ATP) Accuracy
Real-time ATP that reflects current allocations, not just raw inventory counts. Sales and portal systems show what’s actually available to promise, not what’s in the warehouse.
Allocation Visibility & Audit Trail
Full visibility into what’s allocated to whom, why, and when. Every allocation decision is logged with the rule that triggered it — no more "who took my inventory?" conversations.
ERP & WMS Integration
Allocation engine reads inventory from and writes allocation commitments back to your ERP and WMS. Sales, operations, and warehouse all see the same allocated state.
The Engagement Process
Allocation Policy Audit
Document current allocation practices, customer tiers, channel priorities, and pain points. Identify where allocation decisions are being made and what rules (if any) govern them.
Rules Engine Design
Design the allocation rules hierarchy — tier priorities, channel rules, product-level overrides, and exception handling. Get business stakeholder sign-off on the priority logic before building.
Integration & Build
Build the allocation engine and integrate with your ERP inventory module and WMS. Real-time inventory feeds trigger allocation recalculation as stock moves.
Testing & Validation
Test allocation scenarios against historical demand patterns. Validate that the rules produce the expected outcomes for normal, constrained, and peak-demand situations.
Production & Tuning
Deploy with allocation dashboards and audit reporting. Tune rules based on real-world results and evolving business priorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Process Automation · Inventory Allocation
Every engagement starts with an assessment.
We scope work after we understand your operation — not before. The Launchpad assessment maps where you are, quantifies what it's costing you, and sequences what to do first.
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