Fewer avoidable stockouts
Arbitration uses the network before declaring unavailability.
Capabilities Intelligent stock allocation
Capability · Intelligent stock allocation
The right stock.At the right place. At the right time.
Arbitrate availability across the network using promise, channel, priority, capacity and risk—then confirm what was actually executed.
A capability shaped by your flows, rules and field evidence.
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Better-contributing stock
Each site protects its constraints without unnecessarily freezing the rest of the network.
More reliable promise
Allocation and fulfilment capacity are reconciled before commitment.
Explainable decision
Rule, alternative, exception and confirmation remain recorded.
Decision framework
Connect promise, responsibility and proof.
A physical quantity becomes promiseable only after reservations, statuses, lots, horizons and execution capacity are considered.
Gaps to eliminate
What weakens day-to-day decisions.
Each gap connects an observable situation to a business consequence. Diagnosis then verifies frequency, impact and cause.
Fragmented stock
Warehouses, stores, partners and work in progress do not expose the same truth.
Stock pockets and stockouts at the same timePromise without capacity
Stock exists but cannot be picked or delivered within the window.
Delay discovered too lateImplicit rules
Teams reallocate by urgency without a shared hierarchy.
Inconsistent service across customersIncomplete loop
Reservation, transfer or substitution does not always return to the original record.
Overstated theoretical availabilityOperational journey
A chain of decisions, not a stack of screens.
Each transition identifies the participant, responsible system and expected proof.
1
Demand
Read the promise
Product, quantity, customer, channel, date, destination and expected service are qualified.
- Owner
- OMS / ERP
- Proof
- Complete demand
2
Availability
Calculate promiseable stock
Physical, reserved, blocked, expected stock and capacity are reconciled by horizon.
- Owner
- WMS / OMS
- Proof
- Mobilisable quantity by site
3
Constraints
Eliminate the impossible
Lot, date, quality, zone, customer, channel and transport filter options.
- Owner
- Rules engine
- Proof
- Admissible options
4
Arbitration
Prioritise the best choice
Service, margin, cost, contribution and risk determine the selected allocation.
- Owner
- OMS / business
- Proof
- Choice and reason
5
Execution
Reserve or transfer
The instruction is sent to the right system with the rule and action window.
- Owner
- WMS / ERP
- Proof
- Acknowledgement and status
6
Reconciliation
Feed reality back
Picked, transferred, substituted or cancelled updates order and availability.
- Owner
- OMS
- Proof
- Closed loop
Decision lab
Change context. Follow what genuinely needs to happen.
These scenarios are illustrative: they show decision logic and responsibilities without claiming to simulate your actual outcomes.
Product launch
Protect first-day availability
Initial demand exceeds stock in two regions.
Allocate using commercial weight, capacity and replenishment horizon.
Quota, rule and protected stock visible.
B‑AGILEdecision flowOMSWMSERPTMSBI
Promotion
Prevent one channel absorbing all stock
An e-commerce promotion accelerates faster than expected.
Revise quotas without breaking store commitments.
Allocation by channel and service impact tracked.
B‑AGILEdecision flowOMSWMSERPTMSBI
Potential stockout
Act before the first lost order
Coverage falls below supply lead time.
Compare transfer, supplier expedite and substitution.
Selected option and exception cost documented.
B‑AGILEdecision flowOMSWMSERPTMSBI
Return
Promise only after inspection
A return volume is expected but not yet qualified.
Keep expected returns out of availability until inspection.
Expected, received, inspected and available statuses separated.
B‑AGILEdecision flowOMSWMSERPTMSBI
Responsibility architecture
Unify the flow without pretending one system does everything.
The responsibilities below form a reference architecture to adapt to the existing IT landscape.
OMS
Carries arbitration- Owns
- Promise, priority and allocation rules
- Publishes
- Reservation and selected alternative
WMS
Carries physical reality- Owns
- Stock, locations, lots, statuses and capacity
- Publishes
- Availability and confirmations
ERP
Carries management- Owns
- Master data, supply, costs and orders
- Publishes
- Expected supply and management constraints
TMS
Carries transport feasibility- Owns
- Windows, capacity, mission and cost
- Publishes
- Transfer option and status
BI
Carries measurement- Owns
- Definitions, history and comparison
- Publishes
- Service, stockout and stability
Actionable cockpit
Network decision map
Each node should show what is available, protected, at risk and what action remains possible.
- Available to promiseAvoid confusing quantity with possible commitment
- Stockout riskAct while transfer or replenishment still helps
- Reallocation rateDetect unstable rules or data
- Exception costCompare achieved service with committed cost
Operational view · example
Fragmented stockPromise without capacityImplicit rules
Success conditions
What must be true before automation.
Aligned master data
Item, unit, site, channel, customer, lot and status reconcile unambiguously.
Known frequency
Each decision knows the maximum acceptable data age.
Versioned rules
Priorities, quotas and overrides have an effective date and owner.
Confirmed execution
Reservation is not treated as executed without feedback from the responsible system.
Related B‑AGILE solutions
Compose the right scope.
A capability may be carried by a full suite, a standalone solution or an existing system. Diagnosis decides.
Suite
EMS Commerce
Unifies orders, channels, availability and omnichannel execution.
Explore SolutionPROTECH WMS
Carries physical stock, reservations, lots and field confirmations.
Explore SolutionESSOR ERP
Connects supply, management, master data and costs.
Explore CapabilityBusiness Intelligence
Measures availability, stockout, reallocation and service with shared definitions.
ExploreGo further
Content to prepare a real discussion.
Frequently asked questions
Decide with the right boundaries.
Does allocation apply to every channel?
Yes, if demand, rules, horizons and execution feedback are integrated. Scope can be progressive.
Can complex rules be used?
Yes, but each rule must remain understandable, testable, versioned and linked to a business owner.
Should we simulate before execution?
For sensitive arbitration, comparing options and impacts before transmission reduces irreversible decisions.
How is performance measured?
By linking promise kept, stockout, reallocation, emergency transfer and exception cost to an agreed baseline.
Can we start with one site?
A pilot should include at least one demand node, one contributing node and the confirmation loop.
Is in-transit stock promiseable?
Only under defined horizon, reliability and risk rules; it must remain separate from physically available stock.
Your context first
Turn your stock network into a decision network.
Identify the decisions, data, responsibilities and pilot that will deliver observable value.