This article explains the key metrics shown in the Supply Planner Overview Grid — what each metric means, how it’s calculated, and a concise example so you can interpret your data at a glance.
Total Orders
Total Orders
Description: The aggregate quantity of Order Suggestions and Firm Orders
Calculation / Logic: Total Orders = Order Suggestions + Firm Orders
Example: Order Suggestions of 500 and Firm Orders of 250. Total Orders = 750
FF Total Orders
Description: The aggregate quantity of FF Order Suggestions and FF Firm Orders
Calculation / Logic: FF Total Orders = FF Order Suggestions + FF Firm Orders
Example: FF Order Suggestions of 500 and FF Firm Orders of 250. FF Total Orders = 750
UF Total Orders
Description: The aggregate quantity of UF Order Suggestions and UF Firm Orders
Calculation / Logic: UF Total Orders = UF Order Suggestions + UF Firm Orders
Example: UF Order Suggestions of 500 and UF Firm Orders of 250. UF Total Orders = 750
Order Suggestions
Order Suggestions
Description: Generated by PLAIO to meet demand and maintain safety stock levels
Calculation / Logic: See chapter on Order Suggestion logic
Example: Plan to order 100 units, but only have components for 80. Order Suggestions = 100 units
FF Order Suggestions
Description: Quantity of Fulfillable Order Suggestions based on availability of components
Calculation / Logic: Orders that can be fully sourced because all required components are available in inventory at the time of ordering
Example: Plan to order 100 units, but only have components for 80. FF Order Suggestions = 80 units
UF Order Suggestions
Description: Quantity of Unfulfillable Order Suggestions based on availability of components
Calculation / Logic: UF Order Suggestions = Order Suggestions - FF Order Suggestions
Example: Plan to order 100 units, but only have components for 80. UF Order Suggestions = 20 units
Orders & Deliveries
Firm Orders
Description: Orders uploaded by the customer. They are typically used to account for deliveries and therefore inventory that have yet to arrive
Calculation / Logic: Orders already committed with suppliers, imported into the system to track expected incoming inventory
Example: A Firm Order for 100 units was placed with a supplier last month. This is uploaded as a Firm Order to track the expected delivery
FF Firm Orders
Description: Quantity of Fulfillable Firm Orders based on availability of components
Calculation / Logic:
For suppliers with "Firm Order Allocation Timing = At Simulation Start", this shows how much of the firm order could actually be sourced, given current component inventory
For suppliers with "Firm Order Allocation Timing = "At Order Date", all Firm Orders are FF
Example: Firm Order for 100 units, but only 60 units' worth of components available at simulation start. FF Firm Orders = 60 units
UF Firm Orders
Description: Quantity of Unfulfillable Firm Orders based on availability of components
Calculation / Logic: UF Firm Orders = Firm Orders - FF Firm Orders
Example: Firm order for 100 units, but only 60 units' worth of components available. UF Firm Orders = 40 units
Deliveries
Description: Aggregate quantity in deliveries from Suggested Orders and Firm Orders. Deliveries are calculated by the standard lead time set in the Supplier Constraints
Calculation / Logic: Orders placed on review period dates arrive on Delivery Date = Order Date + Lead Time
Example: 100 units ordered on Jan 1st with a 1-month lead time. 100 units appear as Deliveries on Feb 1st
Firm Deliveries
Description: Deliveries specifically from Firm Orders (the portion from Deliveries that are Firm)
Calculation / Logic: No calculation. Delivery date is specified in "Exp Delivery Date" in the Inventory worksheet
Example: A Firm Order for 50 units has Expected Delivery Date of Feb 1st. 50 units appear as Firm Deliveries on Feb 1st
Demand Metrics
Total Demand
Description: Sum of the Direct and Derived Demand for the item
Calculation / Logic:
Total Demand = Direct Demand + Derived Demand
Direct Demand comes from forecasts
Derived Demand comes from parent item orders consuming this component
Example: Demand of 50 units to be sold (Direct) + 30 units used in higher-level production (Derived). Total Demand = 80 units
FF Total Demand
Description: Fulfillable Total Demand
Calculation / Logic: The portion of Total Demand that is met by current inventory. Fulfilled using FEFO (First Expired, First Out)
Example: 60 units in inventory and 80 units of Total Demand. FF Total Demand = 60 units
UF Total Demand
Description: Unfulfillable Total Demand
Calculation / Logic: UF Total Demand = Total Demand - FF Total Demand. Creates backorders when positive
Example: 60 units in inventory and 80 units of Total Demand. UF Total Demand = 20 units
Direct Demand
Description: Demand for items that are sold directly
Calculation / Logic: Demand from forecasts
Example: An item has forecasted demand of 100 units. Direct Demand = 100 units
Derived Demand
Description: Component demand created when items that use this component are planned for production
Calculation / Logic: Higher-level item order quantity × component quantity per unit; sum across all parent items
Example: Item A requires 2 units of Item B. An order for 50 units of A → Derived Demand of 100 units for B
Inventory & Fulfilment
Backorder Fulfilment
Description: Backorders that were created in the past that can now be fulfilled
Calculation / Logic: When new inventory arrives, backorders are fulfilled before new demand
Example: Last month had 20 units of UF Demand (backorder). This month 30 units arrive → 20 units go to Backorder Fulfilment, 10 go to new inventory
Inventory
Description: The quantity available in inventory AFTER completing all transactions of the period
Calculation / Logic:
Inventory = Starting Inventory + Deliveries - FF Total Demand - Backorder Fulfilment - Unsellable
Example: Starting inventory 100, Deliveries 50, Total Demand 40, Unsellable 5 → Inventory = 105 units
Safety Stock
Description: The calculated safety stock quantity for the given date
Calculation / Logic: Based on Safety Stock Policy (Fixed or Dynamic).
Dynamic = Sum of next X periods of Demand
Example:
Total Demand: Feb = 10, Mar = 20, Apr = 30
Dynamic Safety Stock (2-month coverage):
Jan 1st: 10 + 20 = 30
Feb 1st: 20 + 30 = 50
Mar 1st: 30 + 0 = 30
Unsellable
Description: Quantity of items that become unsellable
Calculation / Logic: Items become unsellable when:
Simulation Date ≥ Sellable Until Date
Sellable Until Date = Expiry Date - Minimum Remaining Shelf Life
Example: Batch expiring Jan 1st with 1-month remaining shelf life → becomes unsellable on Dec 1st
Cost Metrics (COGS)
COGS Total Orders
Description: The aggregate COGS of Order Suggestions and Firm Orders
Calculation / Logic: COGS Total Orders = COGS Order Suggestions + COGS Firm Orders
Example: $500 COGS Order Suggestions + $250 COGS Firm Orders = $750
COGS Order Suggestions
Description: COGS for Order Suggestions, based on item-level COGS
Calculation / Logic: COGS Order Suggestions = Order Suggestions Quantity × Item Unit COGS
Example: 100 units × $5 = $500
COGS Firm Orders
Description: COGS for Firm Orders, based on item-level COGS
Calculation / Logic: COGS Firm Orders = Firm Orders Quantity × Item Unit COGS
Example: 200 units × $5 = $1000
COGS Unsellable
Description: COGS for inventory that becomes unsellable, based on item-level COGS
Calculated when inventory passes its Sellable Until Date
Calculation / Logic: COGS Unsellable = Unsellable Quantity × Item Unit COGS
Example: 20 units × $5 = $100