Supply chain consultant — planning systems specialist

Your planning system isn't broken.
Your planning logic is.

I fix the inventory classifications, reorder points, balance files, and scheduling logic underneath your planning system — whether that's an ERP, an MRP system, or a spreadsheet someone built five years ago. So your planners can finally trust the numbers it gives them.

⬇ Get the free run-out analysis tool See how it works
FIG. 01 — BALANCE FILE, BEFORE / AFTER REPAIR
SKU
ROP / SS
CLASS
STATUS
10042-A
120 / 40
85 / 28
fixed
10118-C
0 / 0
210 / 60
fixed
10204-B
A-item
C-item
reclassed
10311-A
—
—
pending
⬇ Free inventory run-out analysis tool — download below, no sign-up required
⬇ Free tools & templates

Start here — no commitment required

Two free planning tools to understand your inventory position right now — plus a full paid toolkit and custom template option for teams who want to go deeper.

Free download — no sign-up required

Inventory Run-Out Analysis Tool

Enter up to 10 items with current on-hand quantities and weekly or monthly demand. The tool automatically calculates days of supply remaining, estimated run-out dates, and flags critical items before they become a problem.

  • Weekly or monthly demand toggle
  • Days of supply per item — auto-calculated
  • Estimated run-out date per item
  • Traffic light status — Critical, Low, OK
  • Works with any ERP export or manual entry
⬇ Download Free Tool (Excel)
Free download — no sign-up required

ABC/XYZ Inventory Classifier

Enter up to 10 items with annual dollar usage and 6 months of demand data. The tool automatically classifies each item by value (ABC) and demand variability (XYZ) — and tells you exactly what planning policy each item deserves.

  • ABC classification by annual dollar spend
  • XYZ classification by demand variability (CoV)
  • Combined 9-cell planning matrix per item
  • Plain-language planning policy per item
  • Portfolio summary — A, B, C and Z-item counts
⬇ Download Free Classifier (Excel)
$39 — instant download
Full planning systems toolkit

HarborPoint Planning Systems Toolkit

Custom planning dashboard preview — inventory coverage and value tracking
  • Inventory Run-Out Analysis Tool
  • ABC/XYZ Classifier with visual dashboard
  • Safety Stock & ROP Calculator
  • Capacity vs. Forecast Model
  • Balance File & Scheduling Templates
  • Inventory Classification SOP (Word)
⬇ Buy the Toolkit — $39
Custom templates — by request

Need something built for your specific operation?

HarborPoint builds custom planning templates tailored to your operation — reorder point calculators sized to your lead times, capacity models built around your work centers, or classification tools pre-configured for your ERP.

  • Built to your specific SKU count and ERP
  • Calibrated to your actual lead times and demand
  • Delivered with instructions and a walkthrough
  • Priced based on scope — request a quote
Why harborpoint

Seven places planning systems quietly break

Whether you're running an ERP, an MRP system, or a spreadsheet someone built five years ago — the planning logic underneath it can drift, break, or never get built in the first place. These are the seven places that show up first.

01

Inventory classification gone stale — ABC/XYZ that no longer matches real demand

02

Reorder points and safety stock set once, never recalculated

03

Balance files and MRP inputs feeding the system bad numbers

04

Production schedules disconnected from real capacity

05

No documented SOPs, so fixes don't outlast the person who made them

06

Planning coverage gaps when a key team member leaves or is out — work doesn't stop

07

Planning running entirely on spreadsheets with no formal logic, structure, or process behind them

Engagement model

Three ways to work together

Start with a fixed-scope diagnostic. Move into a project to fix what's broken. Stay on retainer if you want ongoing planning support without a full-time hire — including bridge coverage when a planner role is vacant or short-staffed. Works with ERP, MRP, or Excel-based operations.

Stage 1 — Diagnose

Planning system audit

2–3 weeks · Custom pricing based on scope

A structured review of your current inventory, planning, and scheduling logic, with a prioritized list of what's broken and what it's costing you.

  • ABC/XYZ and reorder point review
  • Balance file and MRP input check
  • Capacity vs. forecast gap analysis
  • Written findings report
Most common
Stage 2 — Fix

Planning system repair project

6–12 weeks · Custom pricing based on scope

Hands-on rebuild of the logic identified in the audit — reorder points, classifications, scheduling rules — plus the SOPs to keep it working.

  • Rebuilt inventory & reorder logic
  • Corrected MRP/balance file inputs
  • Updated scheduling parameters
  • Documented SOPs for your team
Stage 2 (alt) — Build

Planning process build from scratch

Scoped by complexity · Custom pricing

For operations running entirely on spreadsheets with no formal planning structure — build the logic, classification, and process from the ground up and document it so it scales.

  • ABC/XYZ classification built from data
  • Reorder logic and safety stock established
  • Planning process designed and documented
  • SOPs written for ongoing use
Stage 3 — Sustain

Fractional planning support

Ongoing · Custom pricing based on scope

Ongoing hours acting as your part-time planning function — monitoring, adjusting, and improving the system as demand and capacity shift.

  • Monthly inventory health checks
  • Ongoing reorder point tuning
  • Capacity/forecast re-modeling
  • On-call planning support
  • Coverage during planner/staff shortages

Every engagement is scoped to the specific size and complexity of your operation — rates are tailored after a short conversation about your needs, not fixed off a price list.

Insights

Practical guides for operations teams

Straightforward articles on inventory planning, reorder points, ABC/XYZ classification, and fixing the logic inside your ERP — written from real operational experience.

Reorder Points · 6 min
How to Recalculate Reorder Points in Your ERP
Most ROPs were set at go-live and never touched again. Here's how to fix that.
Classification · 8 min
ABC/XYZ Inventory Classification: A Complete Guide
Segment your SKUs by value and demand variability — and apply the right policy to each.
ERP Planning · 5 min
Why Your ERP Planning Parameters Are Costing You Money
Your ERP isn't broken. Your planning parameters are.
View all articles →
Track record

15+ years inside planning systems, not around them

Focused entirely on inventory, material planning, scheduling, and capacity — not transportation or freight.

15+
years in supply chain planning
5
core planning disciplines covered
0
transportation/freight work — not my lane
SMB
focus: small & mid-size manufacturers and distributors
—Built and corrected ABC/XYZ classifications across full SKU portfolios
—Rebuilt reorder point and safety stock logic from the ground up
—Cleaned and re-fed balance files and MRP inputs after years of drift
—Modeled capacity against forecast to expose hidden bottlenecks
—Designed production scheduling logic tied to real shop-floor constraints
—Written SOPs that survived staff turnover, not just slide decks
About

About Matt

Matt Walker is a supply chain consultant and founder of HarborPoint Operations Consulting, with 15+ years working inside manufacturing and distribution planning functions — building and fixing the inventory classifications, reorder logic, and scheduling systems that keep operations running.

He works with companies running ERP systems, MRP platforms, and Excel-based operations alike — the tool doesn't matter as much as the logic and process behind it. He focuses exclusively on planning systems and deliberately stays out of transportation and freight, so clients get depth in one lane instead of a generalist's overview.

Based out of his home office, supervised daily by two Newfoundlands and one very opinionated American bulldog.

Get started

Find out what's actually broken

Book a planning system audit and get a clear, prioritized view of where your inventory and scheduling logic is costing you money — before committing to anything bigger.

Request more info

Tell us a bit about what you need — we'll follow up with a custom quote.

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