System and method of simultaneous computation of optimal order point and optimal order quantity

1. A system, comprising:

a multi-echelon supply chain network comprising two or more entities, the two or more entities comprising at least a first entity that produces an item and at least a final entity comprising a customer demand;

one or more computers comprising one or more memory units and one or more processing units, collectively configured to:

receive initial inputs over a computer network, the initial inputs comprising a target performance of the multi-echelon supply chain network and the two or more entities, each of the two or more entities comprising a reorder point (R) and an ordering quantity (Q);

compute a baseline inventory performance;

compare the baseline inventory performance to the target performance;

compute a reorder point derivative and an ordering quantity derivative for each of the two or more entities;

sort the one or more reorder point and ordering quantity derivatives;

select a best derivative (D′) based on maximizing improvement in inventory performance while minimizing increase in cost;

constantly monitor the D′ to determine whether the D′ is the reorder point derivative or the ordering quantity derivative;

automatically change the reorder point (R) of the entity corresponding to the best derivative to the R plus a reorder point increment (Inc R) when the D′ is the reorder point derivative;

automatically change the ordering quantity (Q) of the entity corresponding to the best derivative to the Q plus an ordering quantity increment (Inc Q) when the D′ is the ordering quantity derivative;

compute a new inventory performance; and

compare the new inventory performance to the target performance; and

at least one of the two or more entities, adjusts the ordering quantity (Q) at least partially based on the new inventory performance such that the size of the order is based on the adjusted ordering quantity (Q) of the item when the reorder point (R) is reached to reduce a customer wait time for the item based on the target performance associated with the final entity in the multi-echelon supply chain network.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the initial inputs further comprise:

a reorder point increment and an ordering quantity increment (Q′);

an average lead-time for each of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network;

a lead-time variance for each of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network;

a mean daily demand of each of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network;

a demand variance of each of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network;

a unit cost for each of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network;

a holding cost for each of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network; and

an ordering cost for each of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the target performance further comprises a fill rate.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein:

the initial inputs further comprise at least one performance constraint; and

the one or more computers are further configured to:

automatically perform at least one optimization constraint iteration based on the at least one performance constraint for at least one of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network such that the at least one entity is considered for the optimization constraint iteration when the at least one performance constraint is satisfied.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the one or more computers are further configured to:

perform at least one cost reduction repair iteration by reducing at least one of either the R or the Q associated with at least one entity in the multi-echelon supply chain network; and

automatically perform the cost reduction repair iterations by simultaneously determining a change in inventory performance for levels in the multi-echelon supply chain network when the R is decremented by the R′ and when the Q is decremented by the Q′.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the final entity comprises one or more source entities, and the at least one cost reduction repair iteration automatically considers only the final entity and the one or more source entities of the final entity when the final entity has over-achieved the target performance and the at least one source entity is considered for the cost reduction repair iteration.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the one or more computers are further configured to report:

an expected fill rate of the final entity;

an expected customer wait time at the final entity;

an average inventory as a function of the Q, safety stock, and expected back order;

the safety stock;

a stock level;

the average inventory cost; and

a cycle stock.

8. The system of claim 2 , wherein:

each entity further comprises an item and a level location; and

compute the baseline inventory performance further comprises:

create a sorted list by sorting each of the one or more of the entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network by the item and by the level location;

retrieve a first entity on the sorted list;

determine whether any entities have been found;

automatically set R equal to R′ and Q equal to Q′ when at least one entity has been found;

determine whether the entity comprises a source;

automatically add a customer wait time of the source to the lead-time when the entity comprises a source;

automatically add a customer wait time variance to the lead-time variance when the entity comprises a source;

compute a new inventory performance comprising at least one of a fill rate, an expected back order, a customer wait time, a customer wait time variance, and an expected back order variance;

retrieve a second entity on the sorted list; and

automatically determine whether an additional entity is available and return to set R equal to R′ and Q equal to Q′ when the additional entity is available.

9. The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more computers are further configured to compute the reorder point derivative (Rd) and the ordering quantity derivative (Qd) for each of the two or more entities comprising:

retrieve the entity;

perform an R series, the R series comprising:

set the R equal to the R plus an Inc R and set the Q equal to the Q;

compute a system performance and cost;

compute a delta performance and cost for a change in the R; and

compute a derivative for the change in the R;

perform a Q series, the Q series comprising:

set the Q equal to the Q plus an Inc Q and set the R equal to the R;

compute a system performance and cost;

compute a delta performance and cost for a change in the Q; and

compute a derivative for the change in the Q; and

compute any remaining entity derivatives.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein compute a system performance and cost further comprises:

retrieve a current setting of the R and Q;

determine whether the entity has an entity source;

automatically add a entity source's computed customer wait time to the lead time and add the entity source's computed customer wait time variance to the lead time variance when the entity has an entity source;

compute inventory performance for at least one of a fill rate, an expected back order, a customer wait time, a customer wait time variance, and an expected back order variance;

compute an average inventory cost;

compute a delta performance and delta cost due to change in one of the R and the Q;

add the delta performance and delta cost to system performance and cost;

determine whether the entity has a destination;

automatically retrieve destinations from a highest level to a lowest level when the entity has a destination and return to retrieve current setting of entity the R and the Q; and

automatically return the system performance and cost when the entity does not have a destination.

11. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving initial inputs over a computer network, the initial inputs comprising a target performance of a multi-echelon supply chain network and two or more entities comprising at least a first entity that produces an item and at least a final entity comprising a customer demand, each of the two or more entities comprising a reorder point (R) and an ordering quantity (Q);

computing a baseline inventory performance;

comparing the baseline inventory performance to the target performance;

computing a reorder point derivative and an ordering quantity derivative for each of the two or more entities;

sorting the one or more reorder point and ordering quantity derivatives;

selecting a best derivative (D′) based on system performance or cost data;

constantly monitoring the D′ to determine whether the D′ is the reorder point derivative or the ordering quantity derivative;

automatically changing the reorder point (R) of the entity corresponding to the best derivative to the R plus a reorder point increment (Inc R) when the D′ is the reorder point derivative;

automatically changing the ordering quantity (Q) of the entity corresponding to the best derivative to the Q plus an ordering quantity increment (Inc Q) when the D′ is the ordering quantity derivative;

computing a new inventory level performance;

comparing the new inventory level performance to the target performance; and

adjusting, by at least one of the two or more entities, the ordering quantity (Q) at least partially based on the new inventory performance such that the size of the order is based on the adjusted ordering quantity (Q) of the item when the reorder point (R) is reached to reduce a customer wait time for the item based on the target performance associated with the final entity in the multi-echelon supply chain network.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the initial inputs further comprise:

a reorder point increment and an ordering quantity increment (Q′);

an average lead-time for each of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network;

a lead-time variance for each of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network;

a mean daily demand of each of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network;

a demand variance of each of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network;

a unit cost for each of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network;

a holding cost for each of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network; and

an ordering cost for each of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein the target performance further comprises a fill rate.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising:

automatically performing, by the computer, at least one optimization constraint iteration based on the at least one performance constraint for at least one of the two or more entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network such that the at least one entity is considered for the optimization constraint iteration when the at least one performance constraint is satisfied.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , further comprising:

performing at least one cost reduction repair iteration by reducing at least one of either the R or the Q associated with at least one entity in the multi-echelon supply chain network; and

automatically performing the cost reduction repair iterations by simultaneously determining a change in inventory performance for levels in the multi-echelon supply chain network when the R is decremented by the R′ and when the Q is decremented by the Q′.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15 , wherein the final entity further comprises one or more source entities, and the at least one cost reduction repair iteration automatically considers only the final entity and the one or more source entities of the final entity when the final entity has over-achieved the target performance and the at least one source entity is considered for the cost reduction repair iteration.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , further comprising:

reporting an expected fill rate of the final entity;

reporting an expected customer wait time at the final entity;

reporting an average inventory as a function of the Q, safety stock, and expected back order;

reporting the safety stock;

reporting a stock level;

reporting the average inventory cost; and

reporting a cycle stock.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , wherein:

each entity further comprises an item and a level location; and

compute the baseline inventory performance further comprises:

creating a sorted list by sorting each of the one or more of the entities in the multi-echelon supply chain network by item and by the item and by the level location;

retrieving a first entity on the sorted list;

determining whether any entity has been found;

automatically setting R equal to R′ and Q equal to Q′ when at least one entity has been found;

determining whether the entity comprises a source;

adding a customer wait time of the source to the lead-time if the entity comprises a source;

adding a customer wait time variance to the lead-time variance if the entity comprises a source;

computing a new inventory performance comprising at least one of a fill rate, an expected back order, a customer wait time, a customer wait time variance, and an expected back order variance;

retrieving a second entity on the sorted list;

determining whether an additional entity is available and returning to set R equal to R′ and Q equal to Q′ if additional entities are available; and

completing the baseline performance if no additional entities have been found.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 , further computing the reorder point derivative (Rd) and the ordering quantity derivative (Qd) for each of the two or more entities comprising:

retrieving the entity;

performing an R series, the R series comprising:

setting the R equal to the R plus an Inc R and set the Q equal to the Q;

computing a system performance and cost;

computing a delta performance and cost for a change in the R; and

computing a derivative for the change in the R;

performing a Q series, the Q series comprising:

setting the Q equal to the Q plus an Inc Q and set the R equal to the R;

computing a system performance and cost;

computing a delta performance and cost for a change in the Q; and

computing a derivative for the change in the Q; and

computing any remaining entity derivatives.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19 , wherein computing a system performance and cost comprises:

retrieving a current setting of the entities R and Q;

determining whether the entity has an entity source;

automatically adding a entity source's computed customer wait time to the lead time and adding the entity source's computed customer wait time variance to the lead time variance when the entity has an entity source;

computing inventory performance for at least one of a fill rate, an expected back order, a customer wait time, a customer wait time variance, and an expected back order variance;

computing an average inventory cost;

computing a delta performance and delta cost due to change in one of the R and the Q;

adding the delta performance and delta cost to system performance and cost;

determining whether the entity has a destination;

retrieving destinations from a highest level to a lowest level if the entity has a destination and return to retrieve current setting of entities the R and the Q; and

returning the system performance and cost if the entity does not have a destination.