Inventory Management [Function]

• Product standardization: At Bantam Doubleday Dell implemented standardization measures that with no perceptible change in variety of books published decreased paper raw material inventory from $8.5 million to $6.2 million and had no effect on printing lead times. (Trade4)
• Inventory planning system: Implemented system to reforecast monthly title demand and returns, month-by-month at an ISBN level over a 36-month horizon. System computes projected inventory position out into the future allowing a dynamic schedule of printings that allows projection of inventory levels, cash requirements, vendor capacity, and raw materials (paper) requirements. System also provides sufficient notice of reprint requirements to allow sufficient time for corrections and offshore sourcing if available. (HE4)
• Customer data integration: Developed plan to tie customer inventory, sales and returns data into inventory planning system using a consolidated data model. The objective was to increase the accuracy of demand and inventory positions forecasts and to provide meaningful recommendations to the customer on which titles and quantities they should be purchasing. (HE6)
• Inventory planning algorithm: Built algorithm to balance economic and risk factors over the life of a title to drive minimum total cost of ownership. Algorithm was implemented as part of overall inventory management system and reduced inventory levels by over 30% while decreasing backorders. (HE8)
• Inventory Metrics: Implemented monthly reporting of changes in inventory levels based on differences in sales, returns, purchasing, scrapping and unit value. (HE25)