Patent ID: 8655753

Claim:
A system comprising: memory for storing current inventory levels of products, the memory further storing minimum inventory levels and maximum inventory levels for each of the products; and a processor configured to execute instructions in order to cause the system to: generate a shipment schedule for a first time period indicating a plurality of scheduled shipments of the products to a location, the plurality of scheduled shipments being defined to occur at regular intervals during the first time period, each scheduled shipment including a quantity of products for the location; and generate a minimum inventory level and a maximum inventory level for each product based on the shipment schedule and stock flow for the product at the location; wherein, at a plurality of intervals occurring during the first time period, the system is further configured to: receive current inventory levels of products for the location; determine first products having current inventory levels below the generated respective minimum inventory level for the product at the location; determine second products having current inventory levels above the generated respective maximum inventory for the product at the location; determine add exceptions for the first products based on a comparison of current inventory levels of the first products to the generated respective minimum inventory levels for the first products at the location, the add exceptions representing respective quantities of ones of the first products to add to one or more scheduled shipments for the location; determine withhold exceptions for the second products based on a comparison of current inventory levels of the second products to the generated respective maximum inventory levels for the second products at the location, the withhold exceptions representing respective quantities of ones of the second products to withhold from one or more scheduled shipments for the location; apply the determined withhold exceptions to one or more scheduled shipments for the location; and after applying the determined withhold exceptions, apply the determined add exceptions to one or more scheduled shipments for the location.