⏳ Time-Dependent Stock Position
Time-Dependent Stock Position is an advanced feature that refines how Optiply calculates your inventory levels.
Normally, Optiply calculates the Stock Position as Free Stock + All Incoming Stock. However, when this feature is enabled, Optiply filters the incoming stock. It will only consider incoming deliveries that are scheduled to arrive within the current supplier's cycle.
How It Works
This feature ensures that purchase orders scheduled for the distant future do not incorrectly lower your purchase advice for today.
The Logic:
Practical Example
Imagine you have a supplier with a 14-day cycle (Lead Time + Reorder Period).
Scenario: You have a large purchase order arriving in 2 months (e.g., a seasonal pre-order).
Without this feature: Optiply sees that future stock, thinks you are "full," and tells you to buy 0 today. You might run out of stock next week because that future order won't help you now.
With this feature: Optiply ignores the order arriving in 2 months because it is outside the 14-day cycle. It advises you to buy stock today to cover the immediate 14-day period.
Availability and Setup
How to Enable: This is an account-level setting. Please contact your Customer Success Manager (CSM) or support to have this feature enabled for your account.
Optiply Lite: This feature is unavailable for the Optiply Lite version.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does this feature delete my future orders?
No. It simply "hides" them from the current calculation. The orders remain in the system and will be counted once the current date moves close enough that the arrival falls within the cycle.
What defines the "Supplier's Cycle"?
The supplier's cycle is typically defined as the sum of the Lead Time (delivery speed) and the Reorder Period (frequency of ordering). This represents the total time horizon you are buying for.
Why would I place an order 2 months in advance?
This is common for seasonal goods (e.g., ordering Christmas stock in July) or container optimisation. This feature prevents those large strategic orders from messing up your regular weekly replenishment.