---
title: "Simple MRP (pre-28.4)"
slug: "simple-mrp-pre-28-4"
updated: 2026-09-02T10:35:17Z
published: 2026-09-02T10:35:28Z
canonical: "docs.abakion.com/simple-mrp-pre-28-4"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.abakion.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Simple MRP (pre-28.4)

## Feature Overview

Simple MRP is Reverse Planning's demand-driven supply planning journal. It calculates which items need replenishment within a defined planning horizon and generates a list of suggested supply orders — purchase orders, production orders, transfer orders, or assembly orders — directly in the journal. The planner reviews the suggestions, adjusts quantities and dates, and carries them out to the Reverse Planning – Planning Worksheet where the actual orders can be created.

The calculation is item-level MRP without the full complexity of BC's native planning engine. Instead of regenerating the entire plan, Simple MRP runs a targeted calculation based on configurable Planning Templates that define exactly which demand types, supply types, date ranges, and trigger conditions to include. A single template might plan purchase items for one vendor group; another might plan all production items; a third might chain into the next template automatically. The result lands in a named journal batch that is personal to the user — multiple planners can run their own batches in parallel without interfering.

The journal shows current inventory, end inventory, lowest inventory, reorder parameters, and all relevant quantity fields alongside the suggested order quantity. Each line's quantity can be adjusted manually or calculated automatically using the Suggest Quantity to Order action, which applies the Order Quantity Template logic (Calculate From, Calculate To, order modifiers). Once lines are accepted, Carry Out Action Message moves them to the Reverse Planning – Planning Worksheet where orders are created.

|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| **Primary page** | Reverse Planning – Simple MRP |
| **Planning Templates** | Fully configurable per demand type, supply type, date range, and trigger level |
| **Trigger options** | Zero inventory, Safety Stock, Reorder Point, or Always insert |
| **Quantity suggestion** | Order Quantity Templates (Calculate From/To, order modifiers, rounding, max order qty, lot accumulation) |
| **Date suggestion** | Date Templates with triggers (today, first date below zero, below safety stock, below reorder point) |
| **Automation** | Auto-run Suggest Qty, Auto-run Carry Out, chain to next template, run per low-level code |
| **Integration** | Assign Quantity (use assigned quantities), Flexible Forecast (convert to forecast), Graphical Inventory Profile |

---

## Getting Started

1. Open **Reverse Planning – Simple MRP** from the BC search menu or the Reverse Planning Role Center.
2. The page opens in a journal batch. On first use, the system creates a personal journal batch linked to the planning worksheet. Check the **Journal Batch Name** field at the top.
3. Click **Calculate Simple MRP**. The report request page opens showing the active Planning Template for Simple MRP. Review or select the template and adjust item/location filters if needed.
4. Run the calculation. The journal populates with one line per item/location combination that triggered a supply need, showing inventory levels and a suggested Action Message.
5. For lines where **Action Message** is *New* or *Reschedule & Change Qty.* and **Accept Action Message** is set, review the **Quantity to Order** field. Click **Suggest Quantity to Order** to auto-calculate the quantity using your Order Quantity Template settings.
6. Adjust any quantities or dates manually as needed. Use the factboxes on the right to see demand and supply details per line.
7. Click **Carry Out Action Message**. Lines with **Accept Action Message** checked are moved to the Reverse Planning – Planning Worksheet as requisition lines.
8. Open the **Reverse Planning – Planning Worksheet** to review and firm the planning lines into actual orders.

---

## Related Features

**Planning Templates** are the configuration backbone of Simple MRP — every calculation run uses a template that defines demand types, supply types, date range, trigger level, and automation behaviour. **Order Quantity Templates** control how Suggest Quantity to Order calculates the proposed order quantity. **Date Templates** control how Suggest Quantity to Order calculates the proposed order date based on inventory events. **Item Filter Templates** and **SKU Filter Templates** allow the item or SKU scope to be saved as a reusable filter. The **Reverse Planning – Planning Worksheet** is where Simple MRP lines land after Carry Out Action Message, and where purchase/production/transfer orders are created from planning lines. **Move Demand Dates** and **Direct Replenishment** are sibling journals that solve different planning problems and share the same Reverse Planning – Planning Worksheet. **Sales Order Handling** provides a journal that can be used in conjunction with Move Demand Dates to propose and carry out date changes on sales order lines.

---

## User Stories

****US-01: Run a Simple MRP calculation for a set of items and generate supply suggestions****

**As a** Purchasing Planner or Production Planner **I want to** calculate which items need replenishment and get a list of suggested supply orders based on current inventory and demand **So that** I have a clear, actionable starting point for placing purchase or production orders without manually checking each item

**Setup:**

1. Open **Reverse Planning – Simple MRP**.
2. Click **Calculate Simple MRP**. The request page shows the active Planning Template for Simple MRP.
3. Review the template settings: start/end date, demand types included, supply types included, trigger on inventory level (Zero, Safety Stock, or Reorder Point).
4. Set item or location filters if needed (or rely on those saved in the Item Filter Template attached to the template).
5. Run the calculation. The journal shows one line per item/location that fell below the trigger level within the calculation period.
6. Each line shows: current inventory, end inventory, lowest inventory, first date below the trigger level, open sales/purchase/production quantities, and a suggested Action Message.

> **Note:** Lines are only generated for items that actually trigger a supply need based on the template's **Trigger on Inventory Level** setting. Items with sufficient stock are excluded unless **Always Insert Supply Lines** is enabled on the template.

****US-02: Configure a Planning Template to control what is included in the calculation****

**As a** Planning Administrator or Senior Planner **I want to** define reusable Planning Templates that specify exactly which demand and supply types are included, what date range to use, and what triggers a supply suggestion **So that** different planners or planning scenarios can have consistent, repeatable calculation settings without re-entering parameters each time

**Setup:**

1. Open **Planning Templates** from within the Simple MRP journal via the **Templates** action, or navigate to it from the Reverse Planning Role Center.
2. Create a new template with a unique **Code** and set **Planning Feature** to *Simple MRP*.
3. In the **Calculation Interval** section, set **Default Start Date Formula** (e.g. `<-CW>` for start of current week) and **Calculation Period** (*End Date*, *Lead Time*, or *Rolled Up Lead Time*). When set to *End Date*, the planning horizon extends to the **Default End Date**. When set to *Lead Time* or *Rolled Up Lead Time*, the horizon per item is determined by the item's own lead time — keeping the calculation tightly focused on items with imminent shortages.
4. In the **Demands** section, configure which demand types are included: Sales Orders (All, Only Released, None), Sales Blanket Orders, Sales Quotes, Transfer Demands, Production Components, Service Orders. Enable **Include Only Items with Demand Orders** to exclude items that have only safety stock demand and no actual orders.
5. In the **Supplies** section, configure: Purchase Orders (All, Only Released, None), Purchase Quotes, Production Orders, Transfer Supply, Assembly Orders. Set **Purchase Order Date** (Expected or Promised Receipt Date).
6. In the **Simple MRP** section, set **Trigger on Inventory Level** (Zero, Safety Stock, Reorder Point) and optionally enable **Trigger on End Inventory** to only trigger if the *end* inventory — not just the lowest point during the period — falls below the trigger level.
7. Link an **Order Quantity Template** and an **Item Filter Template** if applicable.
8. Save the template. It is now available when running the calculation.

****US-03: Use rolling date formulas so a template never needs manual date updates****

**As a** Planning Administrator **I want to** set date formulas on Planning Templates so that start and end dates recalculate from today every time the template is used **So that** the same template can be run weekly or daily without anyone changing dates manually

**Setup:**

1. On the Planning Template, set **Default Start Date Formula** to a formula relative to work date (e.g. `<-CW>` for start of current week, `<0D>` for today).
2. Set **Default End Date Formula** to a formula relative to the start date (e.g. `<+8W>` for eight weeks forward).
3. Each time the calculation runs, the actual start and end dates are recalculated from the current work date before the calculation begins.
4. The Demand Forecast start and end dates follow the same formulas if linked to a forecast.

****US-04: Suggest Quantity to Order automatically using an Order Quantity Template****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** have the system automatically calculate how much to order for each item based on reorder parameters — not just suggest that an order is needed **So that** I can carry out orders without manually determining the quantity for each line

**Setup:**

1. Open **Planning Templates** from the Simple MRP journal and open the relevant template. In the **Order Quantity Template** field, select an existing template or open the lookup to navigate to Order Quantity Templates.
2. On the Order Quantity Template, set **Calculate From**: *Zero* (order enough to bring inventory to target), *Lowest Inventory* (top up from the lowest projected point), *End Inventory* (top up from the end-of-period inventory), or *Lowest Inventory after Forecast*.
3. Set **Calculate To**: *Safety Stock*, *Reorder Point*, *Reorder Quantity*, *Reorder Point plus Reorder Quantity*, *Maximum Inventory*, or *Zero* (fixed quantity scenarios).
4. Optionally enable **Use Order Modifiers** to apply Minimum Order Quantity, Maximum Order Quantity, and Order Multiple from the item or SKU card.
5. Set the **Rounding Principle** and link a **Date Template** to control the suggested due date.
6. In the Simple MRP journal after running the calculation, click **Suggest Quantity to Order**. The system fills in the **Quantity to Order** field for all lines using the template logic and marks **Accept Action Message**.

****US-05: Use a Date Template to suggest the right order date based on inventory events****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** have the suggested order date automatically set to reflect when the item first falls below a critical level — not just a fixed date **So that** purchase orders are timed to arrive exactly when needed rather than defaulting to the planning start date

**Setup:**

1. Open **Planning Templates** from the Simple MRP journal, open the linked Order Quantity Template, and navigate to the **Date Template** field.
2. On the Date Template, add **Date Triggers**. Each trigger specifies: **Trigger on Date** (Today, First date below Zero, First date below Safety Stock, First date below Reorder Point, or a specific date), and **Planning Direction** (Forward or Backward).
3. When Suggest Quantity to Order runs with this setup, the calculated due date on each planning line reflects the trigger event rather than defaulting to the start date.

****US-06: Split large orders by Maximum Order Quantity or Lot Accumulation Period****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** automatically split suggested orders that exceed a maximum order quantity, or consolidate demand within a lot accumulation period into a single order **So that** the planning output respects item-level constraints and produces realistic, actionable order proposals

**Setup:**

1. On the **Order Quantity Template**, enable **Split Orders by Maximum Order Qty.** to automatically split lines where the suggested quantity exceeds the item's Maximum Order Quantity.
2. Enable **Split Orders by Lot Accumulation Period** to consolidate demands within the same Lot Accumulation Period (from the item or SKU card) into one line per period.
3. When both are enabled, splitting takes precedence over accumulation where they conflict.
4. Split lines appear in the Simple MRP journal with the **Is Split Line** or **Is Lot Accumulation Line** column marked, making them easy to identify.

> **Note:** These are preview features that must be enabled in Feature Management. The columns are only visible when the respective feature is active.

****US-07: Use the Past Planning Policy to handle orders that would be placed in the past****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** control what happens when a demand requires an order to be placed in the past — because the lead time means it should have been ordered already **So that** the planning output is realistic and I know which lines require immediate action

**Setup:**

1. On the **Order Quantity Template**, set **Past Planning Policy**:
  - *No Action*: the calculated date is kept as-is, even if it is in the past.
  - *Warning Only*: the line is marked with a **Planning Date Warning** but the date is not changed.
  - *Adjust to Work Date*: the planned order start date is moved to today.
  - *Adjust to Planning Start Date*: the planned order start date is moved to the calculation start date.
2. When Suggest Quantity to Order runs, lines affected by this policy show the **Planning Date Warning**, **Calculated Starting Date**, and **Calculated Due Date** columns in the journal.

****US-08: Filter items by any item field using an Item Filter Template****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** run the Simple MRP calculation for a specific subset of items — such as items from a specific vendor, item category, or product group — without entering filters manually each time **So that** I can run targeted planning calculations for different buyers or product segments using a saved, reusable filter

**Setup:**

1. Open **Planning Templates** from the Simple MRP journal, and navigate to the **Item Filter Template** field. Open the lookup to access Item Filter Templates.
2. Create a new template and click the **Filter Text** field to open the item filter dialog.
3. Set filters on any item field — item number, item category, vendor, global dimension, or any other field.
4. Save the template and link it to the Planning Template in the **Item Filter Template** field.
5. When the calculation runs, only items matching the filter are included.
6. Enable **User Item Filter has Priority** on the Planning Template if the filter entered on the request page at run time should override the template filter. When disabled, the Item Filter Template filter always applies regardless of what is entered at runtime.

****US-09: Run the calculation per location and per variant to get separate planning lines****

**As a** Logistics Planner **I want to** get one planning line per item per location (and per variant) rather than one aggregate line across all locations **So that** purchase orders and transfer orders are created for the correct location rather than requiring manual splitting after the calculation

**Setup:**

1. On the Planning Template, enable **Calculate per Location**. The calculation generates one line per item/location combination.
2. Enable **Calculate per Variant** to additionally split by item variant.
3. Combine with **Only use Stockkeeping Units** to restrict the calculation to items that have a Stockkeeping Unit card for the relevant location/variant combination — useful when planning rules (lead time, vendor, reorder point) are defined at the SKU level.
4. Enable **User Location has Priority** if the location filter entered on the request page at runtime should override the location defined in the Item Filter Template.

****US-10: Plan across multiple low-level codes automatically (run for all low-level codes)****

**As a** Production Planner **I want to** plan the full BOM hierarchy in one action — so that when Simple MRP suggests a production order for a top-level item, it automatically calculates the component requirements and suggests purchase or production orders for those too **So that** I get a complete multi-level supply plan in one calculation run rather than having to re-run the calculation manually for each BOM level

**Setup:**

1. On the Planning Template, enable **Run for all Low Level Codes**.
2. Also enable **Auto run Suggest Quantity to Order** and **Auto run Carry Out Action Message** (both are required when running for all low-level codes).
3. When the calculation runs, it starts from low-level code 0 (top-level items), runs Suggest Quantity to Order and Carry Out Action Message automatically, then recalculates for low-level code 1 (first-level components), and so on through all levels.
4. The result is a complete set of planning lines in the Reverse Planning – Planning Worksheet covering all levels of the BOM.

> **Note:** Run for all Low Level Codes cannot be combined with Auto run next Template.

****US-11: Chain templates so one calculation automatically triggers the next****

**As a** Planning Administrator **I want to** define a sequence of Planning Templates that run automatically one after another in a single calculation **So that** I can build a planning hierarchy — for example, first plan purchase items, then plan production items using the purchase planning output — without manually triggering each template in sequence

**Setup:**

1. On the first Planning Template, set **Auto run next Template** to the code of the next template.
2. Also enable **Auto run Suggest Quantity to Order** and **Auto run Carry Out Action Message** on the first template (required for chaining).
3. On the second template, optionally set its own **Auto run next Template** to continue the chain.
4. When the first template's calculation runs, it completes the full cycle (Calculate → Suggest Qty → Carry Out), then automatically starts the second template's calculation.
5. The chain continues until all templates in the sequence have been processed.

> **Note:** Recursive template references (where template A chains to template B which chains back to A) are detected and blocked with an error.

****US-12: Always insert supply lines regardless of current inventory level****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** open the Simple MRP journal pre-populated with lines for all items in my filter — not just items that are short — so that I can create purchase orders directly from the journal without running a shortage-based calculation **So that** I can use the journal as a direct order entry tool for items I always replenish on a schedule

**Setup:**

1. On the Planning Template, enable **Always Insert Supply Lines**.
2. When Always Insert is enabled, **Trigger on Inventory Level** is not evaluated — every item matching the filter gets a line.
3. Run the calculation. Every item matching the filter gets a line in the journal regardless of inventory level.
4. Use Suggest Quantity to Order to fill in the order quantity, or enter it manually.
5. Carry out the accepted lines to the Reverse Planning – Planning Worksheet.

> **Note:** This mode is most useful when combined with Item Filter Templates that target specific vendor groups or item categories that are always ordered together.

****US-13: Keep lines in the journal after carry out to create multiple order types from the same item****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** retain a journal line after I carry it out so that I can create a second planning line for the same item — for example, one line for a purchase order and another for a transfer order **So that** complex multi-source supply scenarios can be handled from a single journal without re-running the calculation

**Setup:**

1. On the Planning Template, enable **Keep Line After Carry Out**.
2. Alternatively, enable it per line in the journal using the **Keep Line After Carry Out** column.
3. When Carry Out Action Message runs, lines with this flag enabled remain in the journal after the planning line is created, allowing the planner to modify the quantity and replenishment system and carry out again for a different order type.

****US-14: Skip items that already have planning lines in the worksheet****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** exclude items from the Simple MRP calculation if they already have lines in the Reverse Planning – Planning Worksheet from a previous run **So that** re-running the calculation does not overwrite or duplicate planning lines that were already reviewed and accepted

**Setup:**

1. On the Planning Template, enable **Skip if Already Planned** (enabled by default).
2. When the calculation runs, items that already have lines in the Reverse Planning – Planning Worksheet are skipped and their existing lines are not deleted.
3. This allows partial re-calculation — for example, re-running for new items added to a filter without disturbing the planning output for items already processed.

****US-15: Include demand from a Flexible Forecast in the calculation****

**As a** Demand Planner **I want to** include forecast demand alongside actual sales orders and production components in the Simple MRP calculation **So that** the planning output anticipates future demand from the forecast rather than only reacting to existing orders

**Setup:**

1. On the Planning Template, set **Demand Forecast** to the BC production forecast to include.
2. Set **Demand Forecast Start Date** and **Demand Forecast End Date** to control which forecast entries are included (these default to the calculation start and end dates if left blank).
3. Run the calculation. Forecast entries are included as demand alongside the configured order demand types.

> **Note:** Enable **Trigger on Actual Demand Orders** on the template to ensure that forecast and planning lines only influence the inventory level display — not the trigger condition itself. With this flag on, a line is only generated if there are actual demand orders (sales, components, etc.) driving the shortage; items with only forecast demand are excluded from the trigger but forecast quantities are still visible in the inventory level columns.

****US-16: Trigger only on actual demand orders, not on forecast or planning lines****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** restrict the trigger condition to actual demand orders only — so that items with only forecast demand or only planning lines do not generate supply suggestions — while still displaying forecast and planning line quantities in the inventory columns **So that** the journal stays focused on confirmed shortages while still giving me a complete inventory picture

**Setup:**

1. On the Planning Template, enable **Trigger on Actual Demand Orders**.
2. With this flag enabled, forecast entries and planning lines are excluded from the trigger calculation. An item only generates a supply suggestion if actual demand orders (sales orders, production components, service orders, etc.) cause it to fall below the trigger level.
3. Forecast quantities and planning line quantities are still shown in the inventory level columns in the journal, giving the full picture without driving the supply trigger.

****US-17: Include planning lines from the Reverse Planning – Planning Worksheet in the calculation****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** include existing planning lines from the Reverse Planning – Planning Worksheet as supply in the Simple MRP calculation **So that** items with already-planned but not-yet-created orders are not flagged again as short

**Setup:**

1. On the Planning Template, set **Include Planning Lines** to one of three options:
  - *No*: planning lines are excluded from the calculation entirely.
  - *All*: all planning lines regardless of date are included as supply.
  - *From start date*: only planning lines dated on or after the calculation start date are included.
2. Optionally set **Worksheet Template Name** and **Journal Batch Name** to restrict which planning lines are included — useful if multiple planners have separate batches and you only want your own lines to count.

****US-18: Use Sales Order Handling dates in the Simple MRP calculation****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** use the proposed new shipment dates from the Sales Order Handling journal instead of the original dates on sales orders in the Simple MRP calculation **So that** the demand picture in Simple MRP reflects the outcome of the delivery date review process and I avoid planning supply for dates that have already been renegotiated

**Setup:**

1. On the Planning Template, enable **Use Sales Order Handling**.
2. When the calculation runs, demand from sales orders uses the proposed new date from the Reverse Planning – Sales Order Handling journal where a proposal exists. Sales orders without a proposal in the handling journal are included with their original shipment date.

****US-19: Plan demand from another BC company****

**As a** Group Planner **I want to** calculate supply needs for my company based on demand that exists in another BC company **So that** a central purchasing company can plan supply for subsidiaries without users having to switch companies

**Setup:**

1. On the Planning Template, set **Plan from other Company** to the name of the source company.
2. Run the calculation. Demand (sales orders, production components, etc.) is read from the specified company, while supply orders are created in the current company.
3. For companies in a different tenant, set **External Tenant Code** instead of Plan from other Company.

****US-20: Review inventory levels and demand/supply details per line using factboxes****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** see a breakdown of what is driving each planning line — which sales orders are creating demand, which purchase orders are providing supply, and how inventory evolves over the period — without leaving the journal **So that** I can verify the planning suggestion and make informed adjustments without opening separate pages

**Setup:**

1. In the Simple MRP journal, select a line. The right-hand factbox panel shows:
  - **Calculation Fact Box**: a summary of key inventory figures for the selected item/location.
  - **Item Demands**: a breakdown of all demand entries (sales orders, components, forecasts, etc.) contributing to the calculation for this line.
  - **Item Supplies**: a breakdown of all supply entries (purchase orders, production orders, etc.) included for this line.
  - **Calc. Inventory**: a period-by-period inventory projection.
  - **Item Planning / SKU Planning**: the item or SKU's reorder parameters (safety stock, reorder point, reorder quantity, lead time).
2. Click **Graphical Inventory Profile** (if installed) to open a visual chart of the inventory profile for the selected item.

****US-21: Convert planning suggestions to a Flexible Forecast****

**As a** Demand Planner **I want to** convert the lines from the Simple MRP journal into a demand forecast **So that** the planning output can feed back into the forecast for the next planning cycle without manual re-entry

**Setup:**

1. In the Simple MRP journal, select the lines to convert (or use all lines with a Quantity to Order filled in).
2. Click **Convert to Forecast**. The system writes the planning line quantities as forecast entries into the active demand forecast.
3. Flexible Forecast must be installed and enabled for this action to be available.

****US-22: Open Item Availability views from any journal line****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** open BC's standard Item Availability by Event, Period, Variant, Location, BOM Level, Lot, or Unit of Measure directly from a journal line **So that** I can investigate the full availability picture for an item without leaving the planning context

**Setup:**

1. In the Simple MRP journal, select a line.
2. Use the **Item Availability by** group in the Navigate menu to open the availability view of your choice.
3. All standard BC availability views are available directly from the journal.

****US-23: Calculate Rolled Up Lead Time from the Simple MRP journal****

**As a** Production Planner **I want to** calculate the total lead time for produced items — rolling up component and routing lead times through the full BOM — directly from the Simple MRP journal **So that** I can see the correct cumulative lead time for each item without leaving the planning context

**Setup:**

1. In the Simple MRP journal, click **Calculate Rolled up Lead Time** in the action bar.
2. The report runs for the items in the current filter and calculates the rolled-up lead time by traversing the production BOM and routing structure.
3. Results are stored and visible from the **Rolled up Lead Times** page, accessible via the Navigate menu in the journal.
4. The **Calculation Period** field on the Planning Template includes the options *Lead Time* and *Rolled Up Lead Time* — these use the results of this calculation to determine the planning horizon per item.

****US-24: Organise Planning Templates into categories and set per-user default views****

**As a** Planning Administrator or Planner **I want to** group Planning Templates into named categories and configure which categories each user sees by default when opening the template list **So that** planners only see the templates relevant to their role and the template list stays manageable as the number of templates grows

**Setup:**

1. Open **Planning Template Categories** from the action bar in the Planning Templates list, and create the categories you need (e.g. *PURCHASE PLANNING*, *PRODUCTION PLANNING*, *FORECAST*).
2. On each Planning Template, set the **Template Category** field to the appropriate category.
3. Planners can open **User-Defined Category Preferences** from the Planning Templates list to configure which categories they see by default. Each user can select one or more categories; the list will then filter to those categories on opening.
4. Use **Show All Templates** on the template list to temporarily override the category filter and see all templates.
5. Templates without a category are always visible alongside the selected category templates.

****US-25: Copy an existing Planning Template to create a variant****

**As a** Planning Administrator **I want to** duplicate an existing Planning Template and give the copy a new code and description **So that** I can create a variant of an established template — for example, the same calculation for a different location or vendor group — without re-entering all the settings from scratch

**Setup:**

1. Open **Planning Templates** from the Simple MRP journal.
2. Select the template to copy and click **Copy Planning Template** in the action bar.
3. Enter a unique **New Template Code** and a **New Template Description**. The existing template's description is shown for reference.
4. Click OK. A new template is created with all settings, filter links (Item Filter Template, SKU Filter Template, Order Quantity Template, Date Template), and date formulas copied from the original.
5. Open the new template and adjust the settings that differ from the original.

****US-26: Use a SKU Filter Template to restrict the calculation to specific Stockkeeping Units****

**As a** Logistics Planner **I want to** define a reusable filter on the Stockkeeping Unit table and attach it to a Planning Template **So that** the calculation only considers items that have a matching SKU card — for example, only items with Transfer replenishment, or only SKUs at a specific location — without entering filters manually each time

**Setup:**

1. Open **Planning Templates** from the Simple MRP journal, and navigate to the **SKU Filter Template** field. Open the lookup to access SKU Filter Templates.
2. Create a new template with a unique code and click the **Filter Text** field to open the SKU filter dialog.
3. Set filters on any Stockkeeping Unit field — replenishment system, transfer-from location, vendor, or others. The standard setup creates an *ONLY TRANSFER* SKU filter template that restricts to SKUs with Transfer replenishment.
4. Link the SKU Filter Template to the Planning Template in the **SKU Filter Template** field.
5. When the calculation runs, only item/location/variant combinations that have an SKU card matching the filter are included.
6. SKU Filter Template and Item Filter Template can be combined: the Item Filter Template restricts which items are considered, and the SKU Filter Template further restricts which of those items must have a matching SKU.

****US-27: Break down a demand forecast into actual supply orders per month using chained forecast templates****

**As a** Production Planner or Purchasing Planner **I want to** convert a monthly demand forecast into actual purchase or production orders by running a two-step template chain: first transfer the forecast period to planning lines, then break those planning lines down through all BOM levels **So that** the annual forecast becomes a concrete, level-by-level supply plan without manual calculation

**Setup:**

1. The standard template setup includes a *BREAK DOWN SALES FORECAST* category with paired templates for each calendar month (e.g. *JAN NEXT YEAR – TRANSFER LINES FROM FORECAST* and *JAN NEXT YEAR – BREAK DOWN FROM PLANNING LINES*).
2. The first template in each pair (Transfer Lines) uses a forecast-only configuration: all sales, purchase, and production demand types are set to None, inventory is excluded, and the linked forecast covers only the target month. It chains automatically to the second template via **Auto run next Template**.
3. The second template (Break Down) reads the planning lines created by the first template and runs for all low-level codes to generate component-level supply suggestions throughout the BOM.
4. To use this pattern with your own forecast, duplicate a month pair template, update the date range and the **Demand Forecast** field, and run the first template. The full chain executes automatically.

> **Note:** Templates in the *Break Down Sales Forecast* category use `Trigger on Inventory Level = Zero`, `Exclude Inventory = true`, all demand types = None, and `Include Planning Lines = All`. The linked Order Quantity Template is *EXACT DEMAND*, which calculates from End Inventory to Zero without order modifiers — producing exactly the forecast quantity as the order quantity.

****US-28: Refresh Standard Templates to get the latest Abakion best practice setup****

**As a** Planning Administrator **I want to** refresh all standard Abakion Planning Templates, Order Quantity Templates, Item Filter Templates, SKU Filter Templates, and Date Templates with the latest recommended settings **So that** the planning setup stays current with Abakion's best practices without manually reviewing and updating each template

**Setup:**

1. Open **Planning Templates** from the Simple MRP journal.
2. Click **Refresh Standard Templates** in the action bar.
3. The system deletes all templates marked as *Standard Template* and recreates them from the built-in Abakion defaults — including all categories, Order Quantity Templates, Date Templates, Item Filter Templates, and SKU Filter Templates.
4. Custom templates (those not marked as Standard Template) are not affected.

> **Note:** On the first installation, standard templates are created automatically when the Planning Templates page is opened. Refreshing overwrites the standard templates but preserves any custom templates you have added.

****US-29: Set the trigger level that determines when an item generates a supply suggestion****

**As a** Planning Administrator **I want to** configure the Trigger on Inventory Level field on a Planning Template so that supply suggestions are only generated for items that fall below a meaningful threshold — not just any item with any demand **So that** the journal stays focused on items that genuinely need action rather than producing noise for items that are well-stocked

**Setup:**

1. Open **Planning Templates** from the Simple MRP journal and open the relevant template.
2. Set **Trigger on Inventory Level** to one of four options:
  - *Zero*: a supply suggestion is generated when projected inventory falls below zero — the item would go into backorder.
  - *Safety Stock*: a supply suggestion is generated when projected inventory falls below the item's Safety Stock Quantity.
  - *Reorder Point*: a supply suggestion is generated when projected inventory falls below the item's Reorder Point.
  - *blank* (Always Insert): no trigger evaluation — every item matching the filter gets a line regardless of inventory level. Equivalent to enabling **Always Insert Supply Lines**.
3. Save. The selected level applies to all items calculated with this template.

> **Note:** Trigger on Inventory Level works in combination with **Trigger on End Inventory** and **Trigger on Actual Demand Orders**. These three fields together define exactly which items the calculation flags as requiring supply.

****US-30: Only trigger a supply suggestion when end inventory — not just the lowest point — falls below the level****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** configure Simple MRP so that an item only generates a supply suggestion if its inventory is still below the trigger level at the end of the calculation period — not just temporarily during the period **So that** items that dip briefly due to a seasonal demand spike but recover by end of period do not generate unnecessary purchase orders

**Setup:**

1. Open **Planning Templates** from the Simple MRP journal and open the relevant template.
2. Ensure **Trigger on Inventory Level** is set to *Zero*, *Safety Stock*, or *Reorder Point*.
3. Enable **Trigger on End Inventory**.
4. With this flag enabled, the calculation evaluates the inventory level at the *end* of the calculation period, not the lowest point reached during it. An item is only included if its ending inventory is below the trigger level.
5. Save and run the calculation. Items that temporarily fall below the trigger level but recover by the end date are excluded from the results.

> **Note:** Disable this flag (the default) when you want to catch all shortages during the period regardless of recovery — for example, when planning to avoid any stockout even if inventory recovers afterwards.

****US-31: Restrict the calculation to items that have actual demand orders, not just reorder parameters****

**As a** Purchasing Planner **I want to** exclude items from the Simple MRP results unless they have at least one actual demand order — such as a sales order or production component — driving the shortage **So that** the journal only shows items where a real customer or production need exists, and items that are below safety stock but have no open demand are excluded

**Setup:**

1. Open **Planning Templates** from the Simple MRP journal and open the relevant template.
2. Enable **Include Only Items with Demand Orders**.
3. With this flag enabled, an item is only included in the results if at least one actual demand order (sales order, production component, service order, etc.) contributes to the inventory shortfall. Items below the trigger level solely because of safety stock or reorder point settings — but with no open demand — are excluded.
4. Save. This is the recommended setting for day-to-day operational planning where action is driven by confirmed customer or production demand.

> **Note:** This flag works alongside **Trigger on Actual Demand Orders** but has a different effect. **Include Only Items with Demand Orders** filters which items appear in the journal. **Trigger on Actual Demand Orders** controls whether forecast and planning lines count toward the trigger calculation. Both can be enabled simultaneously.

****US-32: Control the planning horizon using item lead time or rolled-up lead time instead of a fixed end date****

**As a** Purchasing Planner or Production Planner **I want to** set the planning horizon per item based on its own lead time rather than a single fixed end date **So that** items with short lead times only show demand within their reorder window, while items with long lead times show a longer horizon — keeping the journal focused on what actually needs ordering now

**Setup:**

1. Open **Planning Templates** from the Simple MRP journal and open the relevant template.
2. Set **Calculation Period** to one of three options:
  - *End Date*: the calculation includes all demands from the start date up to the **Default End Date**. All items use the same fixed horizon.
  - *Lead Time*: the calculation includes demands within each item's own lead time (from the item or SKU card). Items with a 5-day lead time get a 5-day horizon; items with a 60-day lead time get a 60-day horizon.
  - *Rolled Up Lead Time*: the calculation uses each item's rolled-up lead time — the cumulative lead time through the full BOM including all components. This is the most accurate option for produced items and requires **Calculate Rolled Up Lead Time** to have been run first.
3. Save. When *Lead Time* or *Rolled Up Lead Time* is selected, the **Default End Date** field is disabled — the horizon is determined per item at runtime.

> **Note:** Use *End Date* for purchase planning with a fixed ordering window. Use *Lead Time* for operational replenishment where each item's urgency differs. Use *Rolled Up Lead Time* for production planning where the full BOM procurement time must be considered.

****US-33: Restrict the calculation to items with a Stockkeeping Unit card and control which location filter takes priority****

**As a** Logistics Planner **I want to** restrict the Simple MRP calculation to items that have a Stockkeeping Unit card, and control whether the runtime location filter or the template's Item Filter Template takes priority **So that** only items with defined planning parameters at the SKU level are included, and I can flexibly override the default location scope when running the calculation for a specific warehouse

**Setup:**

1. Open **Planning Templates** from the Simple MRP journal and open the relevant template.
2. Enable **Only use Stockkeeping Units** to restrict the calculation to item/location/variant combinations that have an SKU card. Items without a matching SKU card are excluded even if they match the item filter.
3. Set **User Location has Priority**:
  - *Enabled* (default): when a location filter is entered on the request page at runtime, it overrides any location defined in the Item Filter Template. Use this when planners need to run the same template for different warehouses without changing the template.
  - *Disabled*: the location defined in the Item Filter Template always applies, and the runtime location filter is ignored. Use this to lock a template to a specific location.
4. Set **User Item Filter has Priority**:
  - *Enabled*: item filters entered on the request page at runtime override the Item Filter Template. Use this when planners occasionally need to narrow the scope of a calculation ad hoc.
  - *Disabled* (default): the Item Filter Template always applies regardless of runtime input.
5. Save.

---

## Field Reference

| Field | Where to find it | What it does | Default |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Code | Planning Template | Unique identifier for the template | — |
| Description | Planning Template | Description of the template | — |
| Planning Feature | Planning Template | Which journal the template applies to: Simple MRP, Move Demand Dates, or Direct Replenishment | Simple MRP |
| Default Start Date Formula | Planning Template | Rolling date formula for the calculation start date, relative to work date | Blank |
| Default Start Date | Planning Template | Fixed start date (recalculated from formula when formula is set) | — |
| Calculation Period | Planning Template | Determines the planning horizon: *End Date* (include all demands up to end date), *Lead Time* (include only demands within the item's lead time), or *Rolled Up Lead Time* (include only demands within the item's rolled-up lead time — for assembled/produced items) | — |
| Default End Date Formula | Planning Template | Rolling date formula for the calculation end date | Blank |
| Default End Date | Planning Template | Fixed end date (only applicable when Calculation Period = End Date) | — |
| Lead Time Buffer (Factor) | Planning Template | Multiplies item lead time by this factor for the planning horizon | Blank |
| Lead Time Buffer (days) | Planning Template | Adds a fixed number of days to item lead time for the planning horizon | Blank |
| Include Sales Orders | Planning Template | All, Only Released, or None | All |
| Include Sales Blanket Orders | Planning Template | Include blanket sales order quantities as demand | Off |
| Include Sales Quotes | Planning Template | Include sales quote quantities as demand | Off |
| Include Outbound Transfer Demands | Planning Template | Include outgoing transfer order quantities as demand | Off |
| Include Production Component Demands | Planning Template | All, Only Released, Planned to Released, or None (Premium license required) | — |
| Include Service Orders | Planning Template | Include service order quantities as demand | Off |
| Include Only Items with Demand Orders | Planning Template | Exclude items that have only safety stock demand and no actual orders | On |
| Trigger on Actual Demand Orders | Planning Template | When enabled, only actual demand orders (not forecast or planning lines) trigger a supply suggestion. Forecast and planning line quantities are still shown in the inventory columns but do not drive the trigger | Off |
| Demand Forecast | Planning Template | The BC production forecast to include as demand | Blank |
| Demand Forecast Start Date | Planning Template | Start date for forecast entries included in the calculation | From start date |
| Demand Forecast End Date | Planning Template | End date for forecast entries included in the calculation | From end date |
| Include Purchase Orders | Planning Template | All, Only Released, or None | All |
| Include Purchase Quotes | Planning Template | Include purchase quote quantities as supply | Off |
| Purchase Order Date | Planning Template | Expected Receipt Date, Promised Receipt Date, or Promised – if blank move to End Date | Expected Receipt Date |
| Include Production Orders | Planning Template | Firm Planned and Released, Only Released, Planned to Released, or None | — |
| Include Inbound Transfer Supplies | Planning Template | Include incoming transfer order quantities as supply | Off |
| Include Assembly Orders | Planning Template | Include assembly orders as both demand (components) and supply | Off |
| Include Planning Lines | Planning Template | Whether existing requisition lines are included as supply: No, All, or From start date | — |
| Exclude Inventory | Planning Template | Exclude current inventory from the supply calculation | Off |
| Trigger on Inventory Level | Planning Template | Zero, Safety Stock, Reorder Point, or blank (Always Insert) | Zero |
| Trigger on End Inventory | Planning Template | When enabled, a supply line is only generated if the *end* inventory falls below the trigger level — items that dip temporarily but recover by end of period are excluded | Off |
| Always Insert Supply Lines | Planning Template | Insert a line for every item regardless of inventory level | Off |
| Skip if Already Planned | Planning Template | Skip items that already have lines in the Reverse Planning – Planning Worksheet | On |
| Only use Stockkeeping Units | Planning Template | Only include items that have a Stockkeeping Unit card for the relevant location/variant | Off |
| Calculate per Location | Planning Template | Generate one line per item/location combination | Off |
| Calculate per Variant | Planning Template | Generate one line per item/variant combination | Off |
| Use Sales Order Handling | Planning Template | When enabled, uses proposed shipment dates from the Reverse Planning – Sales Order Handling journal instead of actual sales order dates | Off |
| User Location has Priority | Planning Template | When enabled, the location filter entered on the request page at runtime overrides the location defined in the Item Filter Template | On |
| User Item Filter has Priority | Planning Template | When enabled, the item filter entered on the request page at runtime overrides the Item Filter Template filter | Off |
| Run for all Low Level Codes | Planning Template | Automatically run through all BOM levels sequentially | Off |
| Auto run next Template | Planning Template | Code of the next template to run automatically after this one | Blank |
| Auto run Suggest Quantity to Order | Planning Template | Automatically run Suggest Quantity to Order after the calculation | Off |
| Auto run Carry Out Action Message | Planning Template | Automatically carry out accepted lines after Suggest Quantity to Order | Off |
| Keep Line After Carry Out | Planning Template | Retain journal lines after Carry Out Action Message | Off |
| Plan from other Company | Planning Template | Read demand from this BC company | Blank |
| External Tenant Code | Planning Template | External tenant code if the source company is in another tenant | Blank |
| Order Quantity Template | Planning Template | Linked template controlling Suggest Quantity to Order logic | Blank |
| Item Filter Template | Planning Template | Linked template defining the default item filter | Blank |
| SKU Filter Template | Planning Template | Linked template defining the default SKU filter | Blank |
| Code | Order Quantity Template | Unique identifier | — |
| Calculate From | Order Quantity Template | Zero, Lowest Inventory, End Inventory, or Lowest Inventory after Forecast | Zero |
| Calculate To | Order Quantity Template | Safety Stock, Reorder Point, Reorder Quantity, Reorder Point + Reorder Quantity, Maximum Inventory, or Zero | Safety Stock |
| Use Order Modifiers | Order Quantity Template | Apply Minimum, Maximum, and Order Multiple from item/SKU | Off |
| Rounding Principle | Order Quantity Template | How to round the calculated quantity | — |
| Date Template | Order Quantity Template | Linked Date Template controlling suggested order dates | Blank |
| Past Planning Policy | Order Quantity Template | No Action, Warning Only, Adjust to Work Date, or Adjust to Planning Start Date | No Action |
| Split Orders by Maximum Order Qty. | Order Quantity Template | Split lines exceeding Max Order Qty into multiple lines | Off |
| Split Orders by Lot Accumulation Period | Order Quantity Template | Consolidate demand within the Lot Accumulation Period into one line | Off |