MRP Planning Practice Self-Assessment
Two plants with the same ERP can get very different results from MRP. This quick assessment looks at habits rather than software settings, and gives you a score and next steps.
1. How are MRP action messages handled?
2. How are lead times maintained?
3. How are planning time fences used?
4. How accurate is on-hand inventory?
5. How often are BOM and routing errors found on the shop floor?
6. How do you treat past-due orders?
7. How is safety stock set?
8. How are lot sizes chosen?
9. How do planners and the sales team share changes in demand?
10. How often do you replan from scratch versus net change?
How to use the assessment
Answer for how things actually happen this month, not what the procedure says. It is best done by the planning lead together with a buyer and a shop floor supervisor, because each sees different gaps. The score is a percentage of the maximum, and each band lists three practical next steps. Repeat it in six months to see movement.
What the questions measure
The ten questions cover five areas: exception handling, parameter upkeep, data accuracy, process cadence and links to sales. These are the areas where MRP outcomes most depend on people. Parameters such as lead times and safety stock decay without a review habit, and action messages lose meaning if nobody owns them.
Reading your result
A low score is not a verdict on the system. It usually means that planners learned to work around data problems and stopped relying on MRP.
- Pick one weak area, not all.
- Fix data before changing parameters.
- Assign an owner and date to each action.
- Re-run after changes to confirm movement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this assessment specific to one ERP?
No. The questions describe planning practice that applies in any ERP with an MRP engine, whether it is SAP, Oracle, Infor, Epicor, Dynamics or another system. Field names differ but the habits are the same.
Who should answer?
Ideally the planning lead with a buyer and a production supervisor. One person alone tends to score their own area generously. Disagreement between them is useful information on where the process is unclear.
How is the score calculated?
Each answer scores 0 to 3, the total is divided by the maximum of 30 and shown as a percentage. The percentage is matched to a band. It is a conversation starter, not an audit result.
What should I fix first?
Usually inventory accuracy and past-due orders, because every other practice relies on them. After that, assign owners to action messages and review lead times on the highest spend items.
If you want help turning the findings into an improvement plan, or automating routine checks in your ERP, we are happy to discuss it.
Related Tools
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Supply Chain & InventoryLot Sizing Rule Selection Reference
A comparison table of the common MRP lot sizing rules, how each sizes an order, when it fits and what to watch for.
Supply Chain & InventoryMRP Planning Terms Glossary Reference
A searchable glossary of the terms MRP planners use every day, with the plain meaning and how each term shows up in a planning run.
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