Excel Template for Logistics Planning with Stock Control (Basic Version)

This basic-style Excel template is specifically designed to support logistics planning through effective stock control. Ideal for small to medium-sized businesses, warehouse managers, or supply chain coordinators, this template offers an intuitive and accessible way to manage inventory levels, forecast demand trends, and ensure operational efficiency without requiring advanced technical skills.

Overview of the Template

The template is structured around four core sheets: Inventory Overview, Stock Movement Log, Demand Forecasting (Basic), and Dashboard & KPIs. Each sheet serves a distinct but interconnected role in the logistics planning cycle, ensuring that stock levels remain aligned with demand, minimizing overstocking and stockouts.

Sheet Names and Functions

• Inventory Overview: Central hub for current stock details, including item ID, description, current quantity on hand (QOH), reorder point (ROP), safety stock level, and last updated date.
• Stock Movement Log: Tracks all inbound and outbound inventory activities such as deliveries, dispatches, returns, and adjustments.
• Demand Forecasting (Basic): Uses historical sales data to generate simple projections for upcoming periods based on moving averages or trends.
• Dashboard & KPIs: Presents real-time visualizations of key performance indicators such as stock turnover ratio, fill rate, stockout frequency, and current inventory value.

Table Structures and Column Definitions

1. Inventory Overview Sheet

This table maintains a live record of all stocked items:

Buffer stock to prevent stockouts during lead time.

Standard measure for quantity.

Date when the QOH was last verified or adjusted.

2. Stock Movement Log Sheet

This log records all transactions affecting inventory levels:

Reference to the product involved.

Type of transaction.

Value added or removed from stock. Positive for incoming; negative for outgoing.

Order number, invoice ID, or shipment reference.

Brief reason for movement (e.g., "Customer Order #123", "Received from Supplier").

Automatically calculates the new stock level after each entry.

3. Demand Forecasting (Basic) Sheet

This sheet uses a simple moving average method to predict future demand:

e.g., Jan 2024, Feb 2024.

Historical sales data per month.

Average of the last 3 periods’ demand.

Value from Moving Average column used as prediction.

Formulas Required

• In Stock Movement Log → Updated QOH (Auto):
  =VLOOKUP(Item ID, Inventory Overview!$A$2:$G$100, 4, FALSE) + Quantity
  This formula retrieves the current QOH from the Inventory Overview sheet and adds/subtracts the movement quantity.
• In Demand Forecasting → Moving Average (3-Month):
  =AVERAGE(OFFSET(Actual Demand, -2, 0, 3, 1))
  This calculates the average of the last three months’ actual demand.
• In Inventory Overview → Reorder Trigger (Optional Flag):
  =IF(Current Quantity on Hand <= Reorder Point, "Reorder Required", "OK")
  Provides a visual alert when stock is low.

Conditional Formatting

• Stock Level Warning: Highlight any row in “Inventory Overview” where QOH ≤ ROP in red.
• Outbound Movement Alerts: If the Quantity field in Stock Movement Log is negative, apply yellow background to flag outbound activity.
• Reorder Trigger Column: Use green for “OK”, red for “Reorder Required”.

User Instructions

1. Enter all item details in the Inventory Overview sheet, including ROP and safety stock levels.
2. Add new transactions (inbound/outbound/adjustments) to the Stock Movement Log.
3. The template automatically updates QOH in the Inventory Overview via formulas.
4. Input historical demand data into the Demand Forecasting sheet monthly. The forecast will auto-update.
5. Review the Dashboard to monitor KPIs and identify potential stockouts or overstock situations.

Example Rows (Sample Data)

Recommended Charts and Dashboards

• In Stock vs. Out of Stock Items Bar Chart: Visualize how many items are below ROP versus in stock.
• Monthly Demand Trend Line Graph: Shows actual vs. forecasted demand over time.
• Stock Turnover Ratio Gauge (KPI): Displays how frequently inventory is sold and replaced in a given period.
• Stockout Frequency Heatmap: Identifies high-risk products or periods with frequent stockouts.

This basic-style Excel template for Logistics Planning and Stock Control offers a lightweight, scalable foundation to enhance inventory visibility, reduce waste, and support informed decision-making. With minimal setup and automatic calculations, it empowers users to maintain optimal stock levels while aligning with logistical workflows.