# Electronic Component Sourcing Resilience Assessment > Source: https://netray.co/tools/electronic-component-sourcing-resilience-assessment > Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems. > Section: Free Tools ## Short answer Score your sourcing practices across sourcing breadth, forecasts, alternates, buffers, supplier terms and data quality to see where shortage exposure is greatest. ## Category supply-chain ## Industry Electronics Manufacturing ## Audience - Electronics buyer - Supply chain manager - Operations director ## Tool **Kind:** assessment **Questions:** #### What share of your high-value or long lead time components have at least one approved alternate or second source? **Options:** ##### Under 20 percent **Score:** 0 ##### 20 to 50 percent **Score:** 1 ##### 50 to 80 percent **Score:** 2 ##### Over 80 percent **Score:** 3 #### How do you share demand forecasts with component suppliers and distributors? **Options:** ##### We do not share forecasts **Score:** 0 ##### Occasionally by email **Score:** 1 ##### Regular forecast for key parts **Score:** 2 ##### Regular forecast with agreed commitments or consignment on key parts **Score:** 3 #### How current is your lifecycle and end-of-life monitoring? **Options:** ##### We react to notices when they arrive **Score:** 0 ##### Reviewed ad hoc by engineering **Score:** 1 ##### Periodic review of key BOMs **Score:** 2 ##### Continuous monitoring linked to the item master and open orders **Score:** 3 #### How do you set buffer stock for long lead time parts? **Options:** ##### No policy, buy to demand **Score:** 0 ##### Rule of thumb by buyer **Score:** 1 ##### Policy by lead time class **Score:** 2 ##### Policy based on lead time variability and criticality, reviewed regularly **Score:** 3 #### How is purchasing from non-franchised sources controlled? **Options:** ##### Buyers decide case by case **Score:** 0 ##### Manager approval needed **Score:** 1 ##### Written policy with approval and inspection **Score:** 2 ##### Written policy, authorized sources first, testing and traceability for every exception **Score:** 3 #### How accurate are your BOM data and manufacturer part numbers? **Options:** ##### Frequent errors found at purchase **Score:** 0 ##### Occasional errors **Score:** 1 ##### Checked before release **Score:** 2 ##### Systematic scrub before release and after changes **Score:** 3 #### How concentrated is your spend with a single distributor or region? **Options:** ##### One distributor or region over 80 percent **Score:** 0 ##### Two sources over 80 percent **Score:** 1 ##### Spread with a clear primary **Score:** 2 ##### Spread by design with tested backups **Score:** 3 #### How quickly can you identify which products are affected when a part goes short? **Options:** ##### Days, manual search **Score:** 0 ##### Hours, using spreadsheets **Score:** 1 ##### Same day through ERP where-used **Score:** 2 ##### Minutes, with demand and revenue impact shown **Score:** 3 #### How are supplier terms for allocation and cancellation handled? **Options:** ##### Standard web terms, never reviewed **Score:** 0 ##### Reviewed only for large suppliers **Score:** 1 ##### Negotiated for key suppliers **Score:** 2 ##### Negotiated with agreed allocation and flexibility terms **Score:** 3 #### How often do buyers, engineering and planning meet about shortages and alternates? **Options:** ##### Only during a crisis **Score:** 0 ##### Monthly or less **Score:** 1 ##### Weekly **Score:** 2 ##### Weekly with a tracked action list **Score:** 3 **Bands:** #### Exposed **Min:** 0 **Max:** 30 **Verdict:** Your sourcing relies on individual effort and luck. A single allocation event could stop production. **Recommendations:** - List your top 25 long lead time or single source parts and start alternate approvals on them - Fix BOM data errors before the next release - Set a written policy for non-franchised purchases #### Reactive **Min:** 31 **Max:** 55 **Verdict:** You have some controls but they depend on who is buying. Shortages are handled after they appear. **Recommendations:** - Share a rolling forecast with distributors for key parts - Link lifecycle notices to open orders and BOM where-used - Hold a weekly shortage meeting with engineering and planning #### Managed **Min:** 56 **Max:** 80 **Verdict:** Your sourcing is structured. The remaining gaps are speed of impact analysis and supplier flexibility. **Recommendations:** - Quantify revenue at risk per part so effort is prioritized - Negotiate allocation and cancellation terms with key suppliers - Test your backup sources with a small order #### Resilient **Min:** 81 **Max:** 100 **Verdict:** Your practices cover alternates, data quality, buffers and communication. Maintain them as the product mix changes. **Recommendations:** - Review buffer policy each quarter against lead time trends - Audit alternate approvals for expiry or changes - Document the process so it survives staff changes ## Content **Intro:** Component shortages rarely come from one failure. They come from single sourcing, poor forecasts, bad BOM data and late warning of end-of-life. This assessment scores ten sourcing practices and shows which gaps to close first. **Sections:** #### How to use the assessment **Body:** Answer each question for the products and suppliers that matter most, not for the average part. Be honest about practice rather than policy, since a written rule that nobody follows scores as no rule. The result shows a band and recommended next steps. Repeat it each quarter and compare, or ask buyers, planners and engineers to answer separately and discuss the differences. **Bullets:** - Answer for your critical parts first - Score what is done, not what is written - Share results with engineering and planning #### What the questions measure **Body:** The questions cover approved alternates, forecast sharing, lifecycle monitoring, buffer policy, control of non-franchised purchases, BOM data accuracy, concentration of spend, speed of impact analysis, supplier terms and cross-functional meetings. Together they describe whether your team can see a shortage early, understand its impact, and have something ready to do about it. #### Reading the result **Body:** A low score does not mean your buyers are poor. It usually shows missing structure: no approved alternate list, no shared forecast, and BOM data nobody scrubbed. A mid score means individuals compensate for weak systems. A high score means the practices are repeatable. Use the recommendations as a short list of changes and assign owners and dates rather than trying everything at once. #### Common mistakes **Body:** Teams often buy extra stock everywhere in response to a shortage, which ties up cash and still misses the part that mattered. Better to rank parts by lead time, single-source status and revenue exposure, and then act on the top group. Another mistake is relying on brokers without testing and traceability, which trades a shortage problem for a counterfeit one. **Cta:** If you want shortage impact, where-used and lifecycle alerts available from one question inside your ERP, we can build a private read-only agent for your data. **Faq:** #### Is this assessment specific to one ERP? **Answer:** No. It covers sourcing practices that apply whether you run SAP, Infor, Epicor, NetSuite, Dynamics or another system. The ERP matters for how quickly you can answer the where-used question. #### How many parts should I consider when answering? **Answer:** Focus on parts that are long lead time, single source or high value. These drive most shortage risk, and averages over the full BOM can hide the problem. #### Does a high score guarantee no shortages? **Answer:** No. Global allocation events can affect even well run teams. A high score means you are likely to see problems earlier and have options ready. #### How often should I repeat it? **Answer:** Quarterly is practical for most teams, and after any major supply event or change in product mix. Compare scores over time to see whether actions are working. ## Search terms component sourcing risk assessment, electronics supply chain resilience, dual sourcing assessment, component shortage preparedness, electronics procurement maturity, single source component risk, supply chain resilience score, electronics buyer self assessment --- Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json