# Materials Planner Weekly Exception Review Checklist > Source: https://netray.co/tools/materials-planner-weekly-exception-review-checklist > Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems. > Section: Free Tools ## Short answer A 30-point weekly routine for clearing MRP exceptions, protecting supply and keeping inventory parameters healthy. ## Category supply-chain ## Audience - Materials planner - Production planner - Supply chain manager ## Tool **Kind:** checklist **Groups:** #### Before you start **Items:** **Text:** Confirm the last MRP or planning run completed without errors **Critical:** true Check that item master, BOM and routing changes since last week are reflected Check that demand inputs (sales orders, forecast, work orders) are current Review the previous week's open actions and carry-over items Note any planned shutdowns, holidays or capacity limits in the horizon Open the shortage and exception reports you will work from #### Shortages and critical supply **Items:** **Text:** List parts short against orders due in the next two weeks **Critical:** true **Text:** Confirm supplier dates for every open order that covers a shortage **Critical:** true Expedite, split or reschedule orders with late confirmations Identify alternates or substitutes approved for the short parts Alert production and sales to orders likely to slip Check inbound shipments, customs or inspection holds on critical items #### MRP action messages **Items:** **Text:** Process release, new order and expedite recommendations **Critical:** true Review reschedule-out and cancel messages for open orders Review past-due planned orders and fix their cause Confirm firm planned orders are still valid Check for negative on-hand or unmatched allocations Review exceptions for items with zero or missing lead times #### Parameters and policy **Items:** Compare actual supplier lead time with planned lead time on the top 20 items by value **Text:** Check safety stock and reorder points on items with repeated stockouts **Critical:** true Check min-max levels against recent usage for fast movers Review lot sizes and order multiples against supplier terms Submit change requests for parameters that need updating Confirm no temporary safety stock increase is past its review date #### Excess, slow and accuracy **Items:** Review open orders for parts with more than twelve weeks of cover Check the no-movement report for new slow-moving items Flag excess stock candidates to the weekly inventory meeting **Text:** Reconcile cycle count variances above threshold **Critical:** true Check items with high inventory value and low turns Update the weekly KPI sheet: shortages, past-dues, turns, service level **Scoring Note:** Aim to complete the critical items every week. Carry unfinished items to next week's list with an owner and a date. ## Content **Intro:** Good planning is mostly a habit: the same checks, in the same order, every week. This checklist gives a materials planner a repeatable routine for MRP exceptions, shortages and parameter hygiene. **Sections:** #### How to use the checklist **Body:** Work through the groups in order, ticking items as you complete them. The first group verifies that your data and the planning run are trustworthy, since everything else depends on them. Shortages come second because they hurt customers soonest. Export the ticked list to PDF to attach to your weekly review or Excel to track completion over time. Adjust the items to your ERP and your planning horizon. #### Why exceptions first **Body:** MRP produces more recommendations than any planner can read line by line. Exception-based planning means focusing on messages that change an outcome: orders that will be late, shortages against firm demand, and cancellations that release cash. The rest can be handled by rule or on a slower cycle. The checklist reflects this order: confirm the run, handle shortages, process action messages, then fix the parameters that created repeat problems. **Bullets:** - Record the root cause of each repeated exception - Fix the parameter, not just the order - Keep a short list of parts that always need attention #### Linking to parameters and policy **Body:** A planner who keeps expediting the same part is usually fighting a wrong parameter: a planned lead time shorter than reality, a safety stock too small for supplier variability, or a lot size that conflicts with a pack multiple. The parameter group asks you to compare planned with actual lead time on high-value items and to raise a change request when the data supports it. Over a few months this reduces exception volume more than any amount of faster firefighting. #### Common mistakes **Body:** Skipping the data checks and then acting on a stale run. Clearing action messages by releasing everything, which inflates inventory. Ignoring cancel and reschedule-out messages, which leaves excess on order. Not recording decisions, so the next planner repeats the investigation. And leaving the weekly KPI update until the end, when it is the cheapest way to see whether the routine is working. **Cta:** If you want the exception lists, lead time comparisons and no-movement reports produced from your ERP data every Monday, Netray can build that as a read-only assistant over your system. **Faq:** #### Is weekly the right cadence? **Answer:** For most discrete manufacturers a weekly routine plus a daily shortage check works well. Fast moving or make-to-order environments may need a daily pass through the first three groups. #### Which ERP does this apply to? **Answer:** It is ERP-neutral. The same steps apply to SAP MRP, Oracle planning, Infor SyteLine or LN, Epicor, NetSuite and others, only the screen and report names differ. #### How many parameter reviews should I do a week? **Answer:** Start with the top 20 items by value or by exception count. A steady 10 to 20 reviews a week covers the item base over a few months without overloading the planner. #### What should I track as KPIs? **Answer:** Typically past-due purchase orders, shortages against orders, service level or on-time delivery, inventory turns and excess value. Pick a handful, chart them weekly and discuss changes, not just levels. ## Search terms materials planner checklist, weekly mrp review checklist, mrp exception messages checklist, inventory planner weekly routine, planner daily weekly tasks, shortage review checklist, inventory planning checklist, supply planning review template --- Talk to an engineer: https://netray.co/contact?intent=erp_ai | Machine catalog: https://netray.co/agent/catalog.json