How many units can you promise by 14:00?
Check the stock that can leave by the customer’s cutoff.
“to know what we have, to know exactly where it is, and know how it's deployable” (opens the source)
The question
A retailer ordered 200 units of one item. The order must leave East warehouse by 14:00 Friday. The customer accepts partial shipment and requires at least 90% of units at that handoff. Use the lowest premium needed to meet the floor.
| Units | Friday status | |
|---|---|---|
| East warehouse on hand | 150 | Available before existing reservations |
| Already reserved at East | 35 | Committed to other orders |
| Transfer from West | 70 | Ready at East before 14:00 |
| Supplier receipt | 40 | Due at East at 16:00 |
Each line covers the same item. The West transfer is separate from the East stock count.
Confirm all 200 units. After existing reservations, East will have access to 225 units by the end of Friday.
“Give the customer a quantity and dispatch time you can support.”
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A strong answer, step by step
Open each step in turn. This is one strong answer, not the only one.
Step 1: Set the service measure
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Use 180 units at 14:00 as the service floor.
The strong move. The 90% target applies to units at the warehouse handoff.
Use all inventory due before the end of Friday.
Tempting, but it misses something. The customer’s cutoff is 14:00. The supplier receipt is due two hours later.
See how a strong candidate says it
“We need 180 of the 200 requested units ready to leave by 14:00. I’ll count units that can ship by then.”
Why it works: The 90% target applies to units at the warehouse handoff.
Step 2: Check usable stock
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Promise 185 now and schedule the remaining 15 separately.
The strong move. Subtract prior reservations and add only the transfer ready at the cutoff.
Confirm 200 from the East stock and West transfer.
Tempting, but it misses something. That would take 15 units already committed to other orders.
See how a strong candidate says it
“East has 115 unreserved units. West will add 70 in time, so I can promise 185 by the cutoff. That covers 92.5% of the order. The other 15 need a later dispatch.”
Why it works: Subtract prior reservations and add only the transfer ready at the cutoff.
Step 3: Update the allocation
Quality puts 20 of East’s 115 unallocated units on hold. An approved local partner can supply up to 25 units ready to ship before 14:00 for a premium of $4 per unit. You can buy any whole-unit quantity.
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Buy 15 units at $4 each and confirm a total of 180.
The strong move. The extra 15 meet the service floor at the lowest stated premium.
Buy all 25 units that the partner can supply.
Tempting, but it misses something. That would cost $100. Fifteen units are enough to reach the stated floor for $60.
See how a strong candidate says it
“The hold leaves 95 units at East. With West’s 70, I have 165. I would buy 15 from the local partner for $60 to reach 180.”
Why it works: The extra 15 meet the service floor at the lowest stated premium.
Step 4: Give the new commitment
What would you do here? Open the move you’d make.
Confirm the partner handoff and give the late units a separate dispatch plan.
The strong move. Give the customer a firm quantity and a separate plan for the balance.
Include the held units in the commitment while Quality reviews them.
Tempting, but it misses something. The hold removes those units from available stock until Quality releases them.
See how a strong candidate says it
“After confirming the local handoff, I can promise 180 units at 14:00. I’ll confirm the next dispatch date for the other 20 after checking the late receipt.”
Why it works: Give the customer a firm quantity and a separate plan for the balance.
The answer, in short
- Decision
- Confirm 180 units by 14:00 with a $60 premium.
- Because
- East and West provide 165 usable units after the hold. The local partner can cover the 15-unit gap to the floor.
- What would change it
- A release from Quality before the partner order is firm would reduce the premium needed.
Common traps
- Counting an arrival after the cutoff.
- Using stock committed to other orders or on hold.
Check your answer
- I stated the unit fill target and cutoff.
- I checked stock that was free to use.
- I bought only what met the floor.
- I gave the remaining units a separate plan.
Last reviewed Nov 11, 2026