Inventory management apparatus and operating method thereof

Abstract

Disclosed is an inventory management device and a method of operation thereof that enable effective control of an appropriate inventory level and establishment of a production plan. The disclosed method receives inventory management information including information regarding the sales volume of goods, information regarding the lead time regarding the time when goods are supplied, and information regarding the current inventory of goods; calculates a safety stock based on the information regarding sales volume and the information regarding lead time; calculates the inventory at the time of production start based on the calculated safety stock and the information regarding sales volume; calculates a standard stock based on the calculated safety stock and the inventory at the time of production start; and calculates a recommended production quantity of goods based on the calculated standard stock, information regarding sales volume, information regarding lead time, and information regarding current inventory.

Description

Technology Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an inventory management device and a method of operating the same, and more specifically, to an inventory management device capable of appropriately controlling inventory levels and a method of operating the same. Background Technology

[0002] In business management, inventory incurs costs, and these costs result in losses for the company. Therefore, maintaining the adequacy and soundness of inventory is a critical issue in corporate management.

[0003] Inventory management, the timing of orders, and planning for inventory depletion are organically interconnected processes; when each process is performed independently without linking information, it becomes a cause of inefficiency in inventory management.

[0004] Conventional inventory management methods were limited to simply displaying item quantities or presenting only the current inventory; therefore, they served merely as a means of providing information and failed to be utilized as a tool for organically leveraging diverse information.

[0005] The matters described in the background technology above are intended to aid in understanding the background of the invention and may include matters that are not disclosed prior art. Prior art literature

[0006] Republic of Korea Published Patent No. 10-2009-0001672 (Order Management System and Method) The problem to be solved

[0007] The present invention is proposed in consideration of the aforementioned conventional circumstances, and aims to provide an inventory management device and a method of operation thereof that enable effective control of appropriate inventory levels and establishment of production plans. means of solving the problem

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, an inventory management method according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises, as an inventory management method in an inventory management device, a step of receiving inventory management information including information related to the sales volume of an item, information related to a lead time related to the time at which the item is supplied, and information related to the current inventory of the item; a step of calculating a safety stock based on the information related to the sales volume and the information related to the lead time; a step of calculating an inventory at the time of production commencement based on the calculated safety stock and the information related to the sales volume; a step of calculating a standard stock based on the calculated safety stock and the inventory at the time of production commencement; and a step of calculating a recommended production quantity of the item based on the calculated standard stock, the information related to the sales volume, the information related to the lead time, and the information related to the current inventory.

[0009] After the step of calculating the recommended production quantity, the method may further include: a step of calculating daily inventory based on information related to the recommended production quantity and the sales quantity; and a step of generating screen data that visually displays the calculated daily inventory.

[0010] The above screen data can further visually represent the safety stock and the standard stock.

[0011] The step of generating the above screen data may include the step of transmitting the generated screen data to an administrator terminal.

[0012] After the step of generating screen data that visually displays daily inventory calculated based on information related to the recommended production quantity and sales quantity, the method may further include: receiving information regarding a confirmed production quantity different from the recommended production quantity from an administrator terminal; calculating daily inventory based on information related to the confirmed production quantity and sales quantity; and generating screen data that visually displays daily inventory calculated based on information related to the confirmed production quantity and sales quantity.

[0013] The above inventory management information further includes information related to past actual production quantities for the above goods, and the step of calculating the daily inventory may include: a step of searching for a past actual production quantity corresponding to the above confirmed production quantity among the information related to the above past actual production quantity when the difference between the above confirmed production quantity and the above recommended production quantity exceeds a set threshold; a step of searching for an actual supply date related to the above past actual production quantity among the information related to the above past actual production quantity; a step of extracting information related to sales volume for a certain period from the above actual supply date; and a step of calculating the daily inventory based on the extracted information related to sales volume and the above confirmed production quantity.

[0014] In the step of searching for actual supply dates related to the past actual production volume from the information related to the past actual production volume, if multiple actual supply dates are found, the step of extracting information related to the sales volume may assign the highest weight to the most recent actual supply date among the multiple actual supply dates and extract information related to the sales volume for a certain period from the actual supply date with the highest weight.

[0015] In the step of searching for actual supply dates related to the past actual production volume from the information related to the past actual production volume, if multiple actual supply dates are found, the step of extracting information related to the sales volume extracts information related to the sales volume for a certain period from each of the multiple actual supply dates, and the step of calculating the daily inventory can calculate the daily inventory based on the extracted information related to the sales volume and the confirmed production volume.

[0016] The above inventory management information further includes information related to past actual production quantities for the above goods, and the step of calculating the daily inventory may further include: a step of searching for a past actual production quantity corresponding to the above confirmed production quantity among the information related to the above past actual production quantity when the difference between the above confirmed production quantity and the above recommended production quantity exceeds a set threshold; a step of calculating an actual supply date based on the production start date and supply lead time associated with the above past actual production quantity; a step of extracting information related to sales volume for a certain period from the above actual supply date; and a step of calculating the daily inventory based on the extracted information related to sales volume and the above confirmed production quantity.

[0017] After the step of calculating the recommended production quantity, the method may further include: a step of receiving information regarding the confirmed production quantity from an administrator terminal; a step of receiving a confirmation signal regarding the confirmed production quantity from the administrator terminal; a step of calculating daily inventory based on information related to the confirmed production quantity and the sales quantity; and a step of generating screen data that visually displays the calculated daily inventory.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the method may further include a step of calculating a recommended production start date based on the calculated production start time inventory, information related to the current inventory, and information related to the sales volume.

[0019] The method may further include a step of determining whether the recommended production start date has arrived; a step of generating an order notification message when the recommended production start date arrives; and a step of transmitting the order notification message to an administrator terminal.

[0020] The step of transmitting the above order notification message to the administrator terminal may retransmit the order notification message depending on whether a confirmation signal for the above order notification message is received.

[0021] The information regarding the above sales volume may include the daily average sales volume.

[0022] The step of calculating the recommended production start date may include: a step of calculating a current value by subtracting the current inventory by the daily average sales volume and counting the number of times the subtraction is performed; a step of, if the calculated current value is greater than the inventory at the production start time, calculating a new current value by subtracting the current value again by the daily average sales volume and increasing the number of times the subtraction is performed by a certain amount; and a step of calculating the recommended production start date based on the number of times the subtraction occurs when the current value becomes less than or equal to the inventory at the production start time.

[0023] Meanwhile, an inventory management device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises: a storage unit configured to store inventory management information including information related to the sales volume of an item, information related to the lead time related to the time at which the item is supplied, and information related to the current inventory of the item; and a processor; wherein the processor is configured to calculate a safety stock based on the information related to the sales volume and the information related to the lead time, calculate an inventory at the time of production commencement based on the calculated safety stock and the information related to the sales volume, calculate a standard stock based on the calculated safety stock and the inventory at the time of production commencement, and calculate a recommended production quantity based on the calculated standard stock, the information related to the sales volume, the information related to the lead time, and the information related to the current inventory. Effects of the invention

[0024] According to the present invention with such a configuration, the appropriate inventory level can be controlled simply and effectively and a production plan can be established through decision logic regarding standard inventory (upper inventory limit), safety stock (lower inventory limit), production start time, recommended production quantity, etc.

[0025] Furthermore, inventory and production / order management can be performed easily and conveniently without relying on massive and complex mathematical and statistical logic, minimizing manual adjustments and enabling rapid decision-making and effective inventory and production management.

[0026] By simulating sales volume and inventory trends, it is possible to determine the optimal production volume that maintains inventory at an appropriate level. In other words, when deciding on production volume, inventory managers can easily identify the required output without separate calculations by referring to the recommended production volume generated by the device, taking into account current inventory levels and sales trends. Furthermore, by referring to the recommended production volume, future inventory (sales) levels can be predicted, and if production volume needs to be adjusted due to supply requirements, the system can forecast how inventory levels will change in the future, allowing for the easy determination of the optimal production volume. Brief explanation of the drawing

[0027] FIG. 1 is an example of an inventory management model employed in the description of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a system employing an inventory management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 is an example of a production plan and inventory display screen displayed on the manager terminal shown in Figure 1. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the inventory trend after the current date when the recommended production volume is calculated. Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the inventory trend after the current date when a confirmed production quantity is entered. Figure 6 is an internal configuration diagram of the inventory management device shown in Figure 2. Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of inventory management information stored in the storage unit illustrated in Figure 6. Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the operation to show the inventory trend after the current date when the confirmed production volume is significantly larger than the recommended production volume. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of an inventory trend that can be generated by the operation according to FIG. 8. FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of an inventory management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of notifying an order to an administrator terminal in an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 12 is a flowchart for more specifically explaining the safety stock calculation steps illustrated in FIG. 10. FIG. 13 is a flowchart for more specifically explaining the production start time inventory calculation step illustrated in FIG. 10. FIG. 14 is a flowchart for more specifically explaining the steps for calculating the recommended production start date illustrated in FIG. 10. FIG. 15 is a flowchart for more specifically explaining the standard inventory calculation step illustrated in FIG. 10. FIG. 16 is a flowchart for more specifically explaining the recommended production quantity calculation step illustrated in FIG. 10. Specific details for implementing the invention

[0028] The present invention is capable of various modifications and may have various embodiments, and specific embodiments are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail.

[0029] However, this is not intended to limit the invention to specific embodiments, and it should be understood that it includes all modifications, equivalents, and substitutions that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0030] The terms used in this application are used merely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention. The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. In this application, terms such as "comprising" or "having" are intended to specify the presence of the features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in the specification, and should be understood as not precluding the existence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, actions, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

[0031] Unless otherwise defined, all terms used herein, including technical or scientific terms, have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. Terms such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries should be interpreted as having a meaning consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant technology, and should not be interpreted in an ideal or overly formal sense unless explicitly defined in this application.

[0032] The drawings are intended solely to facilitate understanding of the concept of the present invention and should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention. Additionally, relative thicknesses, lengths, or sizes in the drawings may be exaggerated for convenience and clarity of explanation.

[0033] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings. In order to facilitate an overall understanding of the present invention, the same reference numerals are used for identical components in the drawings, and redundant descriptions of identical components are omitted.

[0034] FIG. 1 is an example of an inventory management model employed in the description of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] The inventory management model of Fig. 1 can display safety stock (F), standard stock (C), production start time, production start time stock, and the date of reaching safety stock on a graph.

[0036] Safety stock (Floor of Stock: F) refers to additional inventory prepared to handle situations where existing stock is depleted due to unforeseen circumstances in business operations, such as a sudden increase in demand. In other words, safety stock (F) refers to a quantity secured through a planned schedule to prevent unbalanced shortages caused by fluctuations in the demand (sales volume) of goods. For example, the more unstable the demand, the more safety stock (F) may be required. Additionally, the more unstable the lead time (e.g., the time from order to receipt), the more safety stock (F) is needed. Safety stock (F) can be considered the lower limit of inventory.

[0037] Safety stock (F) makes it easy to check the shortage quantity for each item.

[0038] Ceiling of stock (C) can be defined as an inventory ceiling established to maintain the appropriate level necessary for smooth production and sales activities. If the Ceiling of Stock (C) is exceeded, excess inventory must be reduced through measures such as adjusting production plans and controlling purchase orders. Managing Ceiling of Stock (C) plays a crucial role in a company's financial management and efficient logistics operations. Within the appropriate inventory range, "Ceiling of Stock - Safety Stock" can serve as the recommended production quantity (R).

[0039] The Re-Order Point (ROP) may refer to the time when the inventory (12) level falls below a certain level and the inventory is reordered to start production.

[0040] In other words, since the time of production start (ROP) can be viewed as the point in time when inventory items should be ordered (production start), the day that becomes the time of production start (ROP) in terms of time (i.e., the production start date (B)) can be referred to as the production start date (B) or the recommended production start date.

[0041] Supply Lead Time (LT) refers to the time it takes for goods to be delivered to a designated location after an order is placed. Typically, since replenishment inventory is received at a warehouse or similar facility on the day the supply lead time ends, the supply lead time can be referred to as the receiving lead time.

[0042] Start-of-production inventory can refer to the inventory held at the start of production (ROP).

[0043] The safety stock arrival date may refer to the day when the stock (12) is depleted and the level of the stock (12) reaches the safety stock (F). Typically, the day the supply lead time ends may be the safety stock arrival date.

[0044] The date of depletion of stock may mean the date when all stock (12) is depleted through the sale of goods, etc.

[0045] FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a system employing an inventory management device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an example of a production plan and inventory display screen displayed on a manager terminal shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is a diagram exemplarily showing an inventory trend after the current date when a recommended production quantity is calculated, FIG. 5 is a diagram exemplarily showing an inventory trend after the current date when a confirmed production quantity is entered, FIG. 6 is an internal configuration diagram of the inventory management device shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of inventory management information stored in a storage unit shown in FIG. 6.

[0046] The system of FIG. 2 may include a plurality of administrator terminals (10a to 10n), a network (20), and an inventory management device (30).

[0047] Each of the manager terminals (10a to 10n) may be a terminal of a different location and / or company's inventory manager. For example, the manager terminal (10a) may be a terminal of Company A located in region A, the manager terminal (10b) may be a terminal of Company B located in region B, and the manager terminal (10n) may be a terminal of Company N located in region N.

[0048] The administrator terminal (10a to 10n) displays a screen (40; see FIGS. 3 to 5) that can input a production plan and display future inventory trends. In the production plan screen area (40a) where a production plan can be input, information on various items is displayed, for example, information related to the sales volume of goods, information related to lead time related to the time when goods are supplied, information related to the current inventory of goods, recommended production quantity, confirmed production quantity, recommended production start date, safety stock, standard stock, and inventory at the time of production start. If necessary, the production plan screen area (40a) may additionally display the date of reaching safety stock, the date of depletion of inventory, etc. The inventory display screen area (40b) can display future inventory trends after the current date in the form of a graph based on the information displayed in the production plan screen area (40a). The confirmation area (40c) within the screen (40) is an area that is clicked after entering a production plan and checking future inventory trends, for example, when the confirmation area (40c) is clicked (selected), the screen (40) may disappear.

[0049] The administrator terminal (10a to 10n) can input information related to the sales volume of goods, information related to the lead time related to the time when goods are supplied, and information related to the current inventory of goods.

[0050] Here, information related to sales volume may include the daily average sales volume and the daily sales volume standard deviation. The daily average sales volume may be calculated based on sales performance during a certain period immediately preceding the current day. For example, the above certain period may be 1 to 3 months, but depending on the situation, it may be 1 year, etc. The daily average sales volume may be entered directly by the inventory manager, but it may also be calculated automatically by the inventory management device (30). When the daily average sales volume is automatically calculated by the inventory management device (30), the inventory management device (30) may provide the daily average sales volume to the corresponding manager terminal, thereby allowing the daily average sales volume to be displayed on the corresponding manager terminal. The daily sales volume standard deviation may be the square root of the sales volume variance (i.e., the average value of the sum of the squared differences between each daily sales volume and the daily average sales volume) during M months immediately preceding the current day (e.g., 3 months, etc.).

[0051] Information related to lead time may include the average supply lead time and the standard deviation of the supply lead time. The average supply lead time refers to the average time it takes to receive the goods at a designated location after an order is placed. The shorter the average supply lead time, the faster customer orders can be responded to, leading to higher customer satisfaction. However, if the average supply lead time is set too low, it may cause difficulties in inventory management, so it is desirable to maintain an appropriate level. The standard deviation of the supply lead time can be defined as the square root of the variance of the supply lead times (i.e., the average value of the sum of the squared differences between each supply lead time and the average supply lead time) over the M months immediately preceding the current day (e.g., 3 months).

[0052] Information related to current inventory may include current stock. Current stock may refer to the amount of inventory currently held. Typically, since the inventory manager identifies the daily inventory quantity for each item, the inventory manager can input the daily current inventory quantity for each item through the manager terminal. The input information related to the current inventory quantity is transmitted to the inventory management device (30) via the network (20).

[0053] The above-mentioned recommended production quantity, recommended production start date, and production start time inventory can be calculated by the inventory management device (30) and transmitted to the manager terminals (10a to 10n).

[0054] Safety stock and standard stock are calculated by the inventory management device (30) and transmitted to the manager terminals (10a to 10n), so that they can be displayed on the screen of the manager terminals (10a to 10n). If necessary, the safety stock and standard stock may also be entered directly by the inventory manager through the manager terminal.

[0055] According to the embodiment, the recommended production quantity may be displayed on the screen of the manager terminal (10a to 10n) as the default value of the confirmed production quantity, but the confirmed production quantity may be adjusted at the discretion of the inventory manager. For example, assuming the recommended production quantity is 400, the confirmed production quantity may be adjusted to be less or more than 400.

[0056] The administrator terminals (10a to 10n) can be implemented as electronic devices capable of connecting to the inventory management device (30) via the network (20).

[0057] The network (20) may refer to a connection structure capable of exchanging information between each node, such as a manager terminal (10a to 10n) and an inventory management device (30).

[0058] For example, the network (20) may be a wireless communication network or a wired communication network. A wireless communication network may include a Wireless LAN (WLAN), Wi-Fi, etc., but is not limited thereto. Meanwhile, a wired communication network (20) may include a wired LAN (Local Area Network), a wired WAN (Wide Area Network), Power Line Communication (PLC), USB communication, Ethernet, serial communication, optical / coaxial cable communication, etc., but is not limited thereto.

[0059] The inventory management device (30) may include a communication unit (31), a storage unit (32), and a processor (33) as shown in FIG. 6.

[0060] The communication unit (31) can communicate with administrator terminals (10a to 10n) through the network (20) under the control of the processor (33).

[0061] The storage unit (32) can store inventory management information on a daily basis, such as information related to the sales volume of goods (e.g., daily average sales volume, daily sales volume standard deviation), information related to lead time related to the time when goods are supplied (e.g., average supply lead time and supply lead time standard deviation), and information related to the inventory volume of goods (e.g., actual inventory volume, safety stock volume, standard stock volume), as shown in FIG. 7 (a). Here, the date may refer to the date on which the inventory management information is received, and the inventory management information may be received daily from the manager terminal. The daily average sales volume refers to the amount calculated based on sales performance during a certain period immediately preceding the date, the daily sales volume standard deviation refers to the square root of the variance of sales volume during a certain period immediately preceding the date, the average supply lead time refers to the average time taken to receive the goods to a designated location after ordering the goods, and the supply lead time standard deviation refers to the square root of the variance of supply lead time during a certain period immediately preceding the date. Actual stock refers to the actual stock quantity as of the relevant date (i.e., current stock), safety stock refers to the safety stock quantity calculated as of the relevant date, and standard stock refers to the standard stock quantity calculated as of the relevant date.

[0062] The information regarding sales volume by date, lead time, and inventory quantity in Figure 7 (a) described above becomes past information as time passes.

[0063] Additionally, the storage unit (32) may further include information related to past actual production volumes of the goods, as shown in (b) of FIG. 7. Information related to past actual production volumes may include the production start date, actual production volume, actual supply date, supply lead time, etc., by date. Here, the date may refer to the date on which the order form (order) for the goods was sent (order date: i.e., the recommended production start date). The production start date may refer to the date on which production for the goods was actually started. The date and the production start date may be the same. The actual production volume refers to the quantity of the goods actually produced, and may refer to the quantity of goods actually produced based on the recommended production volume or the confirmed production volume. The actual supply date may refer to the date on which the quantity of goods corresponding to the actual production volume was actually supplied (the date of delivery or the date of receipt). The supply lead time may refer to the actual supply lead time for the goods on the corresponding date.

[0064] Meanwhile, the storage unit (32) may separately store a formula capable of calculating safety stock, production start time stock, standard stock, and recommended production quantity.

[0065] These storage units (32) may collectively refer to non-volatile storage devices that continue to maintain stored information even when power is not supplied, and volatile storage devices that require power to maintain stored information.

[0066] The processor (33) can control the overall operation of the inventory management device (30).

[0067] The processor (33) can calculate safety stock based on information related to the sales volume of goods in the inventory management information received by date (e.g., daily average sales volume and daily sales volume standard deviation) and information related to lead time related to the time when goods are supplied (e.g., average supply lead time and supply lead time standard deviation).

[0068] For example, the processor (33) reads an expression stored in the storage unit (32), that is, an expression capable of calculating safety stock, and calculates safety stock through the read expression.

[0069] At this time, the safety stock is given by the following formula,

[0070] Safety stock (F) can be calculated as follows: "Safety stock (F) = [(Daily average sales volume + Standard deviation of daily sales volume) * (Average supply lead time + Standard deviation of supply lead time)] - (Daily average sales volume * Average supply lead time)"

[0071] Here, the daily average sales volume refers to the amount calculated based on sales performance during the preceding period from the date the inventory management information was received (i.e., the current day), the daily sales volume standard deviation refers to the square root of the sales volume variance during the preceding period from the date the inventory management information was received, the average supply lead time refers to the average time it takes to receive the goods from an order to a designated location, and the supply lead time standard deviation refers to the square root of the supply lead time variance during the preceding period from the date the inventory management information was received.

[0072] The processor (33) can calculate the inventory at the time of production start based on the calculated safety stock and information related to the sales volume of the item on the day the inventory management information was received (i.e., the current day) (e.g., daily average sales volume and daily sales volume standard deviation).

[0073] For example, the processor (33) reads an expression stored in the storage unit (32), that is, an expression capable of calculating the production start time inventory, and calculates the production start time inventory through the read expression.

[0074] At this time, the inventory at the start of production is as follows:

[0075] "Inventory at the start of production = Safety stock (F) + (Daily average sales volume * Average supply lead time)" can be calculated.

[0076] The processor (33) can calculate a recommended production start date based on the calculated production start time inventory, information related to the current inventory (e.g., current stock) of the item on the day the inventory management information was received (i.e., the current day), and information related to the sales volume of the item on the day the inventory management information was received (e.g., daily average sales volume).

[0077] For example, the processor (33) sets the initial number of reductions to "0 (zero)," calculates the current value by subtracting the current inventory by the daily average sales volume, and counts the number of reductions. Then, if the calculated current value is greater than the inventory at the time of production commencement, the current value is subtracted again by the daily average sales volume to calculate a new current value, and the number of reductions can be increased by a predetermined amount (e.g., +1). The processor (33) will continue to perform the above reduction operation until the calculated current value becomes less than or equal to the inventory at the time of production commencement.

[0078] The processor (33) can calculate a recommended production start date based on the number of reductions when the current value calculated through such reductions becomes less than or equal to the inventory at the time of production start. For example, if the date on which the inventory management information is received (i.e., the current date) is February 1, 2024 and the number of reductions is 1, then that day (i.e., February 1, 2024) can be calculated as the recommended production start date, and if the number of reductions is assumed to be 4, then February 4, 2024 can be calculated as the recommended production start date.

[0079] The processor (33) can calculate the standard stock based on the calculated safety stock and the stock at the start of production.

[0080] For example, the processor (33) reads an expression stored in the storage unit (32), that is, an expression capable of calculating the standard stock, and calculates the standard stock through the read expression.

[0081] At this time, the standard inventory is calculated using the following formula,

[0082] Standard inventory can be calculated as "Standard inventory = Inventory at start of production + Safety stock (F)".

[0083] The processor (33) can calculate a recommended production quantity based on the calculated standard inventory, information related to the sales volume of the item on the day the inventory management information was received (i.e., the current day) (e.g., daily average sales volume), information related to the lead time of the item on the day the inventory management information was received (e.g., average supply lead time), and information related to the current inventory of the item on the day the inventory management information was received (e.g., current stock).

[0084] For example, the processor (33) reads an expression stored in the storage unit (32), that is, an expression capable of calculating a recommended production amount, and calculates a recommended production amount through the read expression.

[0085] At this time, the recommended production quantity (R) is given by the following formula,

[0086] It can be calculated as "Recommended Production Quantity (R) = Standard Inventory (C) - Current Inventory + (Daily Average Sales Volume * Average Supply Lead Time)".

[0087] Here, the recommended production quantity (R) can be the order quantity that should be placed on the recommended production start date. Compared to the inventory manager determining the production quantity based on subjective judgment, calculating the recommended production quantity and transmitting it to the manager's terminal allows the inventory manager to maintain a very appropriate balance between service and cost.

[0088] The processor (33) can calculate the daily inventory after the current day based on information related to the sales volume of the item on the day (i.e., the current day) in which the calculated recommended production volume and the corresponding inventory management information are received (e.g., the current day). For example, the processor (33) can calculate the daily inventory after the current day by taking the form of subtracting the recommended production volume by the daily average sales volume and subtracting the result of the subtraction by the daily average sales volume one or more times.

[0089] The processor (33) can generate screen data that visually displays the calculated daily inventory.

[0090] The processor (33) sends the generated screen data to the corresponding manager terminal through the communication unit (31). Accordingly, the corresponding manager terminal can display the daily inventory after the current date (i.e., future inventory trend) in the form of a graph on the screen. For example, the daily inventory after the current date (i.e., future inventory trend) can be displayed in the form of a graph in the inventory display screen area (40b) as shown in FIG. 4.

[0091] In this way, by transmitting screen data that visually displays daily inventory after the current date to the manager terminal, the inventory manager can easily determine the required production quantity without separate calculation by referring to the recommended production quantity provided by the inventory management device (30) and taking into account the current inventory level and sales trends.

[0092] If only daily inventory is displayed in a graph format, only an inventory line indicating the inventory trend is displayed, which may be too simple. To compensate for this, the processor (33) may additionally include safety stock, standard stock, and recommended production start date in the screen data in addition to the daily inventory. In this case, the manager terminal may display the daily inventory, safety stock, standard stock, and recommended production start date after the current date together.

[0093] The processor (33) can receive information regarding the confirmed production quantity from the manager terminals (10a to 10n). Here, the confirmed production quantity may be determined at the discretion of the inventory manager. As previously explained, the recommended production quantity may be the default value of the confirmed production quantity, but if adjustment of the confirmed production quantity is necessary, it may be entered separately by the inventory manager. The confirmed production quantity entered separately by the inventory manager will be greater or smaller than the recommended production quantity.

[0094] If a confirmed production quantity different from the recommended production quantity (e.g., a production quantity greater than the recommended production quantity; see FIG. 5) is entered at the administrator terminal, the processor (33) can calculate the daily inventory after the current date based on the received confirmed production quantity and information related to the sales quantity of the item on the day the inventory management information was received (e.g., daily average sales quantity). For example, the processor (33) can sufficiently calculate the daily inventory after the current date by taking the form of subtracting the confirmed production quantity by the daily average sales quantity and subtracting the result of the subtraction by the daily average sales quantity one or more times. Then, the processor (33) can generate screen data that visually displays the calculated daily inventory and transmit it to the administrator terminal. For example, the daily inventory after the current date (i.e., future inventory trend) can be displayed in the form of a graph in the inventory display screen area (40b) as in FIG. 5.

[0095] In FIGS. 4 and 5, reference numeral F represents safety stock, reference numeral C represents standard stock, reference numeral 12 represents stock, reference numeral B represents the recommended production start date, and reference numeral S represents receiving.

[0096] In Fig. 5, the confirmed production quantity is shown as being greater than the recommended production quantity, but conversely, the confirmed production quantity may be smaller than the recommended production quantity. If the confirmed production quantity is smaller than the recommended production quantity, the line of inventory (3) may not reach the standard inventory (2).

[0097] Meanwhile, inventory management information may further include information related to the past actual production quantity of the goods. Here, information related to the past actual production quantity may include the date, production start date, actual production quantity, and actual supply date. The date may refer to the date on which the purchase order (order) for the goods was issued. The production start date may refer to the date on which production for the goods actually commenced. The date and the production start date may be the same. The actual production quantity refers to the quantity of the goods actually produced, and may refer to the quantity actually produced in the past based on the recommended production quantity or confirmed production quantity. The actual supply date may refer to the date on which the quantity of goods corresponding to the actual production quantity was actually supplied (the date of delivery or the date of receipt).

[0098] Meanwhile, the difference between the confirmed production quantity and the recommended production quantity may deviate from the set standard range. In this case, the processor (33) can calculate the daily inventory after the current date using information related to the past actual production quantity of the item. A detailed explanation of this will be provided later.

[0099] In the above, the processor (33) calculates the daily inventory after the current date when the recommended production quantity is calculated and generates corresponding screen data, and when a confirmed production quantity different from the recommended production quantity is entered, it calculates the daily inventory after the current date again and generates corresponding screen data. Of course, if there is no change in the confirmed production quantity, which is the default value for the recommended production quantity, the processor (33) will generate only screen data based on the recommended production quantity and the daily average sales quantity.

[0100] However, in a different way, after the recommended production quantity is calculated, the processor (33) receives information regarding the confirmed production quantity from the manager terminal, and upon receiving a confirmation signal regarding the confirmed production quantity from the manager terminal, it can calculate the daily inventory after the current day based on the confirmed production quantity and information related to the sales volume of the item on the day the inventory management information was received (i.e., the current day) (e.g., the daily average sales volume). Then, the processor (33) can generate screen data that visually displays the calculated daily inventory and transmit it to the manager terminal. Of course, even in this case, if the processor (33) receives a confirmation signal regarding the recommended production quantity from the manager terminal while there is no change in the confirmed production quantity, which is the default value for the recommended production quantity, the processor (33) will generate only screen data based on the recommended production quantity and the daily average sales volume.

[0101] Meanwhile, the processor (33) determines whether the recommended production start date has arrived, and if the recommended production start date has arrived, it can generate a predetermined order notification message. For example, the order notification message may include content such as "0000.00.00 The recommended production start date (order date) has arrived. Please send the order form." The processor (33) transmits the order notification message to the corresponding administrator terminal.

[0102] If the processor (33) does not receive a confirmation signal from the corresponding manager terminal regarding the order notification message, it may resend the order notification message. Here, the confirmation signal is a signal indicating that the contents of the order notification message have been confirmed or a signal indicating that the order form has been sent after confirming the order notification message, and can be generated when a separate button (not shown) such as an order notification message confirmation button is selected (clicked). On the recommended production start date, the order form must be sent to the producer so that the producer can start production normally. If the order form is not sent on the recommended production start date, the producer will not have any information and will be unable to produce the goods. On the other hand, if the order form is sent on a date later than the recommended production start date, the goods will not be received on the scheduled date but will be received on a later date. In that case, the current inventory level may fall below the safety stock level, leading to a situation where the demand for goods cannot be actively met. Therefore, if the processor (33) does not receive a confirmation signal from the corresponding manager terminal regarding the order notification message, it is desirable to resend the order notification message.

[0103] Sending order notification messages to the relevant administrator terminals in this manner is intended to enable timely ordering and to ensure that the goods are supplied on the normal delivery date.

[0104] Unless otherwise noted, the operation of the inventory management device (30) described in this specification may be understood as the operation of the processor (33).

[0105] The processor (33) described above may include any type of device capable of processing data. Here, the processor (33) may refer to a data processing device embedded in hardware, having a physically structured circuit to perform a function expressed by code or instructions included in a program, for example.

[0106] As such, the processor (33) may be implemented using one or more general-purpose computers or special-purpose computers, such as a controller, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic unit (PLU), a microprocessor, or other devices capable of responding to and executing instructions in a defined manner, but the scope of the invention is not limited thereto.

[0107] The processor (33) can operate an operating system (OS) and one or more software applications running on the operating system. Additionally, the processor (33) may access, store, manipulate, process, and generate data in response to the execution of the software. For the sake of brevity, the processor (33) may be described as a single unit, but those skilled in the art will know that the processor (33) may include multiple processing elements and / or multiple types of processing elements. Software may configure the processor (33) or command the processor (33) independently or collectively to operate as desired, including computer programs, code, instructions, or combinations thereof.

[0108] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an operation to show an inventory trend after the current date when the confirmed production quantity is significantly larger than the recommended production quantity, and FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of an inventory trend that can be generated by the operation according to FIG. 8.

[0109] For example, assume that the inventory manager entered a confirmed production quantity of item A as 750 units on the current date (e.g., March 8, 2024).

[0110] However, if the recommended production quantity calculated by the processor (33) is 424, the difference between the confirmed production quantity and the recommended production quantity exceeds a set threshold (e.g., can be any positive integer between 50 and 100). Here, the threshold range is adjustable.

[0111] In this way, when the difference between the confirmed production quantity and the recommended production quantity exceeds a set threshold, the processor (33) searches for a past actual production quantity corresponding to the current confirmed production quantity (i.e., 750 units) among the information related to past actual production quantities in the storage unit (32). The searched past actual production quantity may be the same as the current confirmed production quantity or may be approximate to the current confirmed production quantity. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, it is assumed that information regarding the actual production of 755 units of item A in the past is searched. Of course, there may be more than one piece of past actual production quantity information searched, but in FIG. 8, for the convenience of explanation, it is assumed that only one piece is searched.

[0112] Next, the processor (33) searches the storage unit (32) for the actual supply date on which item A of the searched past actual production quantity was actually supplied. If the actual supply date is not stored in the storage unit (32), the processor searches the storage unit (32) for the production start date of the searched past actual production quantity, and then calculates the actual supply date (i.e., the past actual supply date) by reflecting the supply lead time in the production start date.

[0113] Afterward, the processor (33) extracts information related to sales volume, such as the average daily sales volume over a certain period from the actual supply date in the past.

[0114] Then, the processor (33) calculates the daily inventory after the current date when the current confirmed production quantity is sold using information related to the extracted sales volume. The calculation of the daily inventory after the current date here may be the same as the method described above. Then, the processor (33) generates screen data that visually displays the calculated daily inventory and transmits the screen data to the corresponding administrator terminal.

[0115] As such, when the confirmed production quantity is significantly larger than the recommended production quantity, historical data is utilized because the inventory management information entered on the current date cannot accurately calculate the daily inventory from that date onward. In other words, by retrieving historical sales records showing actual production, supply, and sales of quantities identical or similar to the current confirmed quantity, the daily inventory from that date onward can be accurately estimated even if the confirmed production quantity is significantly larger than the recommended quantity.

[0116] Meanwhile, there may be multiple past actual supply dates that are searched or calculated. For example, there may be multiple dates such as 2021.06.01, 2022.04.01, 2023.05.01, etc.

[0117] In cases where there are multiple past actual supply dates that are searched or calculated in this manner, the processor (33) assigns the highest weight to the most recent actual supply date (e.g., May 1, 2023) among each actual supply date. The processor (33) can extract information related to sales volume (e.g., daily average sales volume) for a certain period from the past actual supply date with the highest weight from the storage unit (32). Here, information related to sales volume for a certain period from the past actual supply date helps to identify the inventory trend (sales trend) for that certain period. Then, the processor (33) can calculate the daily inventory after the current date based on the extracted information related to sales volume and the received confirmed production volume, and generate screen data that visually displays the calculated daily inventory and transmit it to the corresponding manager terminal. As a result, one inventory trend line (L1) will be displayed on the corresponding manager terminal as shown in (a) of FIG. 9.

[0118] Of course, unlike the above, if there are multiple past actual supply dates that are searched or calculated, the processor (33) can extract information related to the sales volume for a certain period for each past actual supply date. In this way, the processor (33) can extract from the storage unit (32) information related to the sales volume of item A whose past actual supply date is 2021.06.01, information related to the sales volume of item A whose past actual supply date is 2022.04.01, and information related to the sales volume of item A whose past actual supply date is 2023.05.01. Then, the processor (33) can calculate the daily inventory after the current date based on the information related to each sales volume and the confirmed production volume, and generate screen data that visually displays the calculated daily inventory and transmit it to the corresponding manager terminal. As a result, three inventory trend lines (L1, L2, L3) will be displayed on the corresponding manager terminal as shown in FIG. 9 (b).

[0119] If necessary, the processor (33) may additionally consider the time when the item A is sold when extracting past sales history information corresponding to the received confirmed production quantity. For example, if the time when the item A of the received confirmed production quantity is sold is estimated to be from May to July, the daily average sales volume included in the extracted past sales history information may be the daily average sales volume from May to July or the daily average sales volume during a period approximately from May to July.

[0120] FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation method of an inventory management device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of notifying an order to a manager terminal in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0121] The inventory manager can identify the inventory of goods, etc., on a daily basis and input it as inventory management information through their terminal (e.g., 10a). That is, the manager terminal (10a) can input information related to the sales volume of goods A as of the current date, information related to lead time, information related to current inventory, etc., into various items of the production planning screen area (40a) of FIG. 5.

[0122] And, when the inventory manager wants to check future inventory trends, he / she makes a key input to command the creation of future inventory trends through his / her terminal (e.g., 10a). Such key input to command the creation of future inventory trends can be made at any time at the discretion of the inventory manager, or can be made selectively by the inventory manager when the current inventory reaches a certain number.

[0123] The administrator terminal (e.g., 10a) generates a signal corresponding to a future inventory trend generation command and transmits the future inventory trend generation command signal and information related to the sales volume of item A as of the current date, information related to the lead time, information related to the current inventory, etc. to the inventory management device (30) through the network (20).

[0124] Accordingly, the inventory management device (30) receives information regarding the sales volume of item A as of the current date, information regarding the lead time, information regarding the current inventory, etc., and stores it in the storage unit (32) (S10). This information can be used as data for future inventory management.

[0125] Next, the inventory management device (30) calculates safety stock based on information related to the sales volume of item A as of the current date (e.g., daily average sales volume and daily sales volume standard deviation) and information related to the lead time related to the time when the item is supplied (e.g., average supply lead time and supply lead time standard deviation) (S20).

[0126] Afterwards, the inventory management device (30) calculates the inventory at the time of production start based on the calculated safety stock and information related to the sales volume of item A as of the current date (e.g., daily average sales volume and daily sales volume standard deviation) (S30).

[0127] Then, the inventory management device (30) calculates a recommended production start date based on the calculated production start time inventory, information related to the current inventory of item A (e.g., current stock), and information related to the sales volume of item A (e.g., daily average sales volume) (S40).

[0128] Afterwards, the inventory management device (30) calculates the standard inventory based on the calculated safety inventory and the inventory at the time of production start (S50).

[0129] Afterwards, the inventory management device (30) calculates a recommended production quantity based on the calculated standard inventory, information related to the sales volume of item A as of the current date (e.g., daily average sales volume), information related to the lead time (e.g., average supply lead time), and information related to the current inventory (e.g., current stock) (S60).

[0130] Afterwards, the inventory management device (30) transmits the calculated recommended production quantity to the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a), so the recommended production quantity is displayed on the screen in the production planning screen area (40a) of the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a), and the recommended production quantity can be the default value of the confirmed production quantity.

[0131] Next, the inventory management device (30) calculates the daily inventory after the current day based on information related to the calculated recommended production volume and sales volume (e.g., the daily average sales volume based on the current day), and generates screen data that visually displays the calculated daily inventory (S70).

[0132] Subsequently, the inventory management device (30) sends the generated screen data (e.g., daily inventory after the current date) to the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a) through the communication unit (31) (S80). Accordingly, the inventory trend after the current date is displayed in the inventory display screen area (40b) of the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a).

[0133] If the inventory manager changes the confirmed production quantity of the inventory display screen area (40b), the changed confirmed production quantity is transmitted from the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a) to the inventory management device (30) via the network (20).

[0134] Accordingly, the inventory management device (30) receives information regarding the confirmed production quantity from the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a) and recalculates the daily inventory after the current date based on the received confirmed production quantity and information related to the sales quantity of item A (e.g., the daily average sales quantity based on the current date). Then, the inventory management device (30) generates screen data that visually displays the calculated daily inventory and transmits it to the corresponding manager terminal (10a). Accordingly, the inventory trend after the current date is displayed again in the inventory display screen area (40b) of the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a). Since the inventory trend at this time differs from the recommended production quantity, it will differ somewhat from the inventory trend based on the recommended production quantity.

[0135] Meanwhile, the inventory management device (30) can provide an order notification after transmitting screen data. This will be explained with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 11.

[0136] First, the inventory management device (30) determines whether the recommended production start date has arrived (S90).

[0137] If the recommended production start date has arrived, the inventory management device (30) generates a predetermined order notification message (S100). For example, the order notification message may include content such as "0000.00.00 The recommended production start date (order date) has arrived. Please send the order form."

[0138] Next, the inventory management device (30) sends an order notification message to the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a) (S110).

[0139] If the inventory management device (30) does not receive a confirmation signal from the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a) regarding the order notification message ("No" in S120), it resends the order notification message (S130). Here, the number of times the order notification message is resent may be limited. That is, the inventory management device (30) may resend the order notification message at a predetermined time interval on the recommended production start date, for example, the resentnce of the order notification message may be limited to a maximum of 3 times. The above maximum of 3 times is merely an example and is not limited thereto.

[0140] FIG. 12 is a flowchart for more specifically explaining the safety stock calculation step (S20) illustrated in FIG. 10.

[0141] The inventory management device (30) reads information related to the sales volume of item A as of the current date (e.g., daily average sales volume and daily sales volume standard deviation as of the current date) and information related to the lead time related to the time when the item is supplied (e.g., average supply lead time and supply lead time standard deviation as of the current date), which is received from the manager terminal (e.g., 10a) and stored in the storage unit (32) (S21).

[0142] Next, the inventory management device (30) calculates the safety stock by combining the read information (S22). For example, the inventory management device (30) uses the following formula,

[0143] Safety stock (F) can be calculated using the formula: "Safety Stock (F) = [(Daily Average Sales + Standard Deviation of Daily Sales) * (Average Supply Lead Time + Standard Deviation of Supply Lead Time)] - (Daily Average Sales * Average Supply Lead Time)".

[0144] Afterward, the inventory management device (30) can store the calculated safety stock in the storage unit (32) (S23) and transmit it to the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a). Accordingly, the calculated safety stock is displayed in the production planning screen area (40a) of the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a).

[0145] FIG. 13 is a flowchart for more specifically explaining the production start time inventory calculation step (S30) illustrated in FIG. 10.

[0146] The inventory management device (30) reads information related to the sales volume of item A as of the current date (e.g., daily average sales volume as of the current date), information related to the lead time related to the time when item A is supplied (e.g., average supply lead time as of the current date), and the calculated and stored safety stock, which are received from the manager terminal (e.g., 10a) and stored in the storage unit (32) (S31).

[0147] Next, the inventory management device (30) calculates the inventory at the time of production start by combining the read information (S32). For example, the inventory management device (30) uses the following formula,

[0148] The inventory at the start of production can be calculated using the formula: "Inventory at the start of production = Safety stock (F) + (Daily average sales volume * Average supply lead time)".

[0149] Afterward, the inventory management device (30) stores the calculated production start time inventory in the storage unit (32) (S33) and can transmit it to the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a). Accordingly, the calculated production start time inventory is displayed in the production plan screen area (40a) of the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a).

[0150] FIG. 14 is a flowchart for more specifically explaining the production start recommendation date calculation step (S40) illustrated in FIG. 10.

[0151] The inventory management device (30) reads information related to the current inventory (e.g., current stock) of item A, which is received from the manager terminal (e.g., 10a) and stored in the storage unit (32), information related to the sales volume of item A (e.g., daily average sales volume based on the current date), and the calculated and stored inventory at the time of production start.

[0152] The inventory management device (30) calculates the current value (K) by subtracting the current inventory by the daily average sales volume (S41). For example, the inventory management device (30) calculates the current value of K based on the formula “K = current inventory - daily average sales volume”.

[0153] Next, the inventory management device (30) counts the number of reductions (S42). That is, the inventory management device (30) counts the number of times (P) the K value is generated.

[0154] If the calculated current value (K) is greater than the inventory at the time of production start ("No" in S43), the inventory management device (30) calculates a new current value (K) by subtracting the current value (K) again by the daily average sales volume (S44), and increases the number of subtractions (i.e., the number of times K value is generated (P)) by +1.

[0155] Through such reduction, the inventory management device (30) calculates a recommended production start date based on the number of reductions (i.e., the number of times K value is generated (P)) when the calculated current value (K) becomes less than or equal to the inventory at the time of production start (S45). For example, if the current date is March 2, 2024 and the number of reductions is 1, then that day (i.e., March 2, 2024) can be the recommended production start date, and if the number of reductions is assumed to be 4, then March 5, 2024 can be the recommended production start date.

[0156] Of course, when calculating the recommended production start date as described above, it is more desirable to apply pure working days and holiday work days. If the producer has agreed with the orderer not to perform production work on holidays (e.g., Saturdays and Sundays), and assuming that the above March 2, 2024 is a Saturday and the number of reductions is 1, the recommended production start date could be March 4, 2024 (i.e., Monday).

[0157] Alternatively, if it is agreed with the ordering party that production work will be carried out on holidays (e.g., Saturdays and Sundays), and the above date of March 2, 2024 is a Saturday and the number of reductions is 1, then that day (i.e., March 2, 2024) can be the recommended date for production start. Afterwards, the inventory management device (30) can store the calculated recommended date for production start in the storage unit (32) (S46) and transmit it to the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a). Accordingly, the calculated recommended date for production start is displayed in the production plan screen area (40a) of the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a).

[0158] FIG. 15 is a flowchart for more specifically explaining the standard inventory calculation step (S50) illustrated in FIG. 10.

[0159] The inventory management device (30) reads the production start time inventory and safety stock for item A based on the current date, which is calculated and stored (S51).

[0160] The inventory management device (30) calculates the standard inventory by combining the read safety inventory and the production start time inventory (S52). For example, the inventory management device (30) uses the following formula,

[0161] The standard inventory can be calculated using the formula "Standard Inventory = Inventory at Start of Production + Safety Stock (F)".

[0162] Afterward, the inventory management device (30) stores the calculated standard inventory in the storage unit (32) (S53) and can transmit it to the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a). Accordingly, the calculated standard inventory is displayed in the production planning screen area (40a) of the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a).

[0163] FIG. 16 is a flowchart for more specifically explaining the recommended production quantity calculation step (S60) illustrated in FIG. 10.

[0164] The inventory management device (30) reads information related to the sales volume of item A as of the current date (e.g., daily average sales volume), information related to the lead time (e.g., average supply lead time), information related to the current inventory (e.g., current inventory), and the calculated standard inventory, which are received from the manager terminal (e.g., 10a) and stored in the storage unit (32) (S61).

[0165] Next, the inventory management device (30) calculates a recommended production quantity by combining the read information (S62). For example, the inventory management device (30) uses the following formula,

[0166] The recommended production quantity can be calculated using the formula "Recommended Production Quantity (R) = Standard Inventory (C) - Current Inventory + (Daily Average Sales * Average Supply Lead Time)." Here, the recommended production quantity (R) can be the order quantity that should be placed on the recommended production start date.

[0167] Afterward, the inventory management device (30) stores the calculated recommended production quantity in the storage unit (32) (S63) and can transmit it to the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a). Accordingly, the calculated recommended production quantity is displayed in the production planning screen area (40a) of the corresponding manager terminal (e.g., 10a).

[0168] The foregoing description is merely an illustrative explanation of the technical concept of the present invention, and those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will be able to make various modifications and variations within the scope of the essential characteristics of the present invention. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed in the present invention are intended to explain, not limit, the technical concept of the present invention, and the scope of the technical concept of the present invention is not limited by these embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention shall be interpreted by the claims below, and all technical concepts within an equivalent scope shall be interpreted as being included within the scope of rights of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols

[0169] 10a ~ 10n : Administrator terminal 20 : Network 30: Inventory management device 31: Communication unit 32: Storage 33: Processor

Claims

Claim 1 As an inventory management method in an inventory management device, the method comprises: receiving inventory management information including information regarding the sales volume of an item, information regarding the lead time related to the time at which the item is supplied, information regarding the current inventory of the item, and information regarding the past actual production volume of the item; calculating a safety stock based on the information regarding the sales volume and the information regarding the lead time; calculating an inventory at the time of production commencement based on the calculated safety stock and the information regarding the sales volume; calculating a standard stock based on the calculated safety stock and the inventory at the time of production commencement; calculating a recommended production quantity of the item based on the calculated standard stock, the information regarding the sales volume, the information regarding the lead time, and the information regarding the current inventory; and, after the step of calculating the recommended production quantity, calculating a daily inventory based on the recommended production quantity and the information regarding the sales volume. The method comprises: a step of generating screen data that visually displays the calculated daily inventory; a step of generating screen data that visually displays the daily inventory calculated based on information related to the recommended production quantity and the sales quantity, after which, information regarding a confirmed production quantity different from the recommended production quantity is received from an administrator terminal; a step of calculating the daily inventory based on information related to the confirmed production quantity and the sales quantity; and a step of generating screen data that visually displays the daily inventory calculated based on information related to the confirmed production quantity and the sales quantity; wherein the step of calculating the daily inventory includes: a step of searching for a past actual production quantity corresponding to the confirmed production quantity among information related to the past actual production quantity when the difference between the confirmed production quantity and the recommended production quantity exceeds a set threshold; a step of calculating the actual supply date based on the production start date and supply lead time associated with the past actual production quantity; and a step of extracting information related to the sales quantity for a certain period from the actual supply date.A method for managing inventory, further comprising the step of calculating daily inventory based on the information related to the extracted sales volume and the confirmed production volume. Claim 2 delete Claim 3 In claim 1, the above screen data further visually displays the safety stock and the standard stock, an inventory management method. Claim 4 An inventory management method according to claim 1, wherein the step of generating screen data includes the step of transmitting the generated screen data to an administrator terminal. Claim 5 delete Claim 6 delete Claim 7 As an inventory management method in an inventory management device, the method comprises: receiving inventory management information including information regarding the sales volume of an item, information regarding the lead time related to the time at which the item is supplied, information regarding the current inventory of the item, and information regarding the past actual production volume of the item; calculating a safety stock based on the information regarding the sales volume and the information regarding the lead time; calculating an inventory at the time of production commencement based on the calculated safety stock and the information regarding the sales volume; calculating a standard stock based on the calculated safety stock and the inventory at the time of production commencement; calculating a recommended production quantity of the item based on the calculated standard stock, the information regarding the sales volume, the information regarding the lead time, and the information regarding the current inventory; and, after the step of calculating the recommended production quantity, calculating a daily inventory based on the recommended production quantity and the information regarding the sales volume. The method comprises: a step of generating screen data that visually displays the calculated daily inventory; a step of, after the step of generating screen data that visually displays the daily inventory calculated based on information related to the recommended production quantity and the sales quantity, receiving information regarding a confirmed production quantity different from the recommended production quantity from an administrator terminal; a step of calculating the daily inventory based on information related to the confirmed production quantity and the sales quantity; and a step of generating screen data that visually displays the daily inventory calculated based on information related to the confirmed production quantity and the sales quantity; wherein the step of calculating the daily inventory includes: a step of searching for a past actual production quantity corresponding to the confirmed production quantity among information related to the past actual production quantity when the difference between the confirmed production quantity and the recommended production quantity exceeds a set threshold; a step of searching for an actual supply date related to the past actual production quantity among information related to the past actual production quantity; and a step of extracting information related to the sales quantity for a certain period from the actual supply date.The inventory management method comprises: a step of calculating daily inventory based on the information related to the extracted sales volume and the confirmed production volume; wherein, in the step of searching for actual supply dates related to past actual production volumes from the information related to past actual production volumes, if multiple actual supply dates are found, the step of extracting information related to the sales volume assigns the highest weight to the most recent actual supply date among the multiple actual supply dates, and extracts information related to the sales volume for a certain period from the actual supply date with the highest weight. Claim 8 As an inventory management method in an inventory management device, the method comprises: receiving inventory management information including information regarding the sales volume of an item, information regarding the lead time related to the time at which the item is supplied, information regarding the current inventory of the item, and information regarding the past actual production volume of the item; calculating a safety stock based on the information regarding the sales volume and the information regarding the lead time; calculating an inventory at the time of production commencement based on the calculated safety stock and the information regarding the sales volume; calculating a standard stock based on the calculated safety stock and the inventory at the time of production commencement; calculating a recommended production quantity of the item based on the calculated standard stock, the information regarding the sales volume, the information regarding the lead time, and the information regarding the current inventory; and, after the step of calculating the recommended production quantity, calculating a daily inventory based on the recommended production quantity and the information regarding the sales volume. The method comprises: a step of generating screen data that visually displays the calculated daily inventory; a step of, after the step of generating screen data that visually displays the daily inventory calculated based on information related to the recommended production quantity and the sales quantity, receiving information regarding a confirmed production quantity different from the recommended production quantity from an administrator terminal; a step of calculating the daily inventory based on information related to the confirmed production quantity and the sales quantity; and a step of generating screen data that visually displays the daily inventory calculated based on information related to the confirmed production quantity and the sales quantity; wherein the step of calculating the daily inventory includes: a step of searching for a past actual production quantity corresponding to the confirmed production quantity among information related to the past actual production quantity when the difference between the confirmed production quantity and the recommended production quantity exceeds a set threshold; a step of searching for an actual supply date related to the past actual production quantity among information related to the past actual production quantity; and a step of extracting information related to the sales quantity for a certain period from the actual supply date.A method for managing inventory, comprising: a step of calculating daily inventory based on the extracted information related to sales volume and the confirmed production volume; wherein, in the step of searching for actual supply dates related to past actual production volume from the information related to past actual production volume, if multiple actual supply dates are found, the step of extracting information related to sales volume extracts information related to sales volume for a certain period from each of the multiple actual supply dates, and the step of calculating daily inventory calculates daily inventory based on the extracted information related to sales volume and the confirmed production volume. Claim 9 delete Claim 10 An inventory management method comprising, in any one of claims 1, 7, and 8, after the step of calculating the recommended production quantity, a step of receiving information regarding the confirmed production quantity from a manager terminal; a step of receiving a confirmation signal regarding the confirmed production quantity from the manager terminal; a step of calculating daily inventory based on information related to the confirmed production quantity and the sales quantity; and a step of generating screen data that visually displays the calculated daily inventory. Claim 11 As an inventory management method in an inventory management device, the method comprises: receiving inventory management information including information regarding the sales volume of an item, information regarding the lead time regarding the time at which the item is supplied, and information regarding the current inventory of the item; calculating a safety stock based on the information regarding the sales volume and the information regarding the lead time; calculating an inventory at the time of production commencement based on the calculated safety stock and the information regarding the sales volume; calculating a standard stock based on the calculated safety stock and the inventory at the time of production commencement; and calculating a recommended production quantity of the item based on the calculated standard stock, the information regarding the sales volume, the information regarding the lead time, and the information regarding the current inventory. A method for managing inventory, comprising: a step of calculating a recommended production start date based on the inventory at the production start time calculated above, information related to the current inventory, and information related to the sales volume; wherein the information related to the sales volume includes the daily average sales volume, and the step of calculating the recommended production start date comprises: a step of calculating a current value by subtracting the current inventory by the daily average sales volume and counting the number of subtractions; a step of, if the calculated current value is greater than the inventory at the production start time, calculating a new current value by subtracting the current value again by the daily average sales volume and increasing the number of subtractions by a certain amount; and a step of calculating the recommended production start date based on the number of subtractions when the current value becomes less than or equal to the inventory at the production start time. Claim 12 In claim 11, an inventory management method further comprising: a step of determining whether the recommended production start date has arrived; a step of generating an order notification message when the recommended production start date has arrived; and a step of transmitting the order notification message to an administrator terminal. Claim 13 In claim 12, the step of transmitting the order notification message to an administrator terminal involves retransmitting the order notification message depending on whether a confirmation signal for the order notification message is received, in an inventory management method. Claim 14 delete Claim 15 delete Claim 16 A storage unit configured to store inventory management information including information related to the sales volume of the goods, information related to the lead time related to the time when the goods are supplied, and information related to the current inventory of the goods; and processor; comprising, wherein the processor calculates a safety stock based on information related to sales volume and information related to lead time, calculates an inventory at the time of production start based on the calculated safety stock and information related to sales volume, calculates a standard stock based on the calculated safety stock and the inventory at the time of production start, calculates a recommended production quantity based on the calculated standard stock, information related to sales volume, information related to lead time, and information related to current inventory, wherein the information related to sales volume includes a daily average sales volume, and the processor calculates a recommended date for production start based on the calculated inventory at the time of production start, information related to current inventory, and information related to sales volume, wherein the current value is calculated by subtracting the daily average sales volume from the current inventory, counts the number of times the subtraction is performed, and if the calculated current value is greater than the inventory at the time of production start, the current value is subtracted again by the daily average sales volume to calculate a new current value, increases the number of times the subtraction is performed, and the current value is the An inventory management device configured to calculate the recommended production start date based on the number of production reductions when the inventory falls below the level at the time of production start.

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