🛡️ Understanding the Reliability Indicator
The Reliability Indicator is a confidence score displayed next to a purchase suggestion. It indicates how reliable the suggested order quantity is, on a scale of 0 (Lowest) to 10 (Highest).
This score helps you determine whether you can trust the advice blindly or if you should perform a manual check before placing the order.
How the Score is Calculated
The Reliability Indicator is a weighted average of three distinct sub-scores:
1. Lead Time Reliability (Supplier Performance)
Measures the consistency of your supplier's deliveries.
High Score: The supplier delivers consistently on time (actual delivery matches the set lead time).
Low Score: The supplier’s delivery times vary significantly or differ from the lead time configured in Optiply.
2. Safety Stock (Demand Predictability)
Measures the stability of customer demand.
High Score: Demand is consistent and predictable (regular order sizes and intervals).
Low Score: Demand is erratic, with high variance in order sizes or the time between orders, making safety stock calculations less certain.
3. Forecast Quality (Data Maturity)
Measures the quality and quantity of historical data available.
High Score: The product has a long sales history, and the forecast closely matches historical trends.
Low Score: The product is novel (New), has little history, or has recently been out of stock, making the forecast less certain.
How to Use This Score
You can use the Reliability Indicator to speed up your purchasing workflow:
High Reliability (8-10): You can generally trust the advice and order automatically or with a quick glance.
Low Reliability (0-5): You should manually review the order line. A low score suggests that external factors (like an unstable supplier or a new product launch) are making the math difficult.
Improving a Low Score
If you consistently see a low reliability score for a specific supplier or product, it is a trigger to investigate your settings:
Check Lead Times: Has the supplier changed their delivery speed? Updating the "Lead Time" setting to match reality will improve the score over time.
Check History: Did you recently have a stockout that wasn't marked properly? Ensuring data accuracy helps the forecast stabilise.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does a low Reliability Score mean the advice is wrong?
Not necessarily. It means the advice is uncertain. Optiply has calculated the best possible number based on the data, but because the data is volatile (e.g., erratic sales), there is a higher margin of error.
Can I manually change the Reliability Score?
No. The score is automatically calculated based on historical performance and settings. You can only influence it by improving the accuracy of your input data (like correct Lead Times).
Why does a new product always have a low score?
New products lack historical data. Without a track record of sales and lead times, the "Forecast" and "Safety Stock" sub-scores will naturally be low until more data is accumulated.
What is considered a "good" score?
Generally, a score above 7 is considered healthy. A score below 5 indicates that the product or supplier requires close attention during purchasing.