Backorders

• Posted on 13 May 2021
• By Young
• 0

Backorders are a big concern

Don't you hate it when your station order arrives incomplete? Me too. Backorders are a pain in the back side, and resolving this problem is one of my highest priorities.

Logistics has materials and supplies coming in almost daily. Some days it's a pack of NPA's and other days it will be entire pallets of supplies. We're constantly working with our vendors to stay well-stocked, but we experience the same kind of shortages and delays that you encounter at your favorite big box store. We don't have an easy way to keep stations informed of what didn't ship on a given week, but I'm working to change that with my inventory software. In the mean time, here's a glimpse at what's happening with the supplies you're waiting on.

When a station order leaves Logistics for delivery, we mark the paperwork with a B/O (backorder) for any supplies that didn't get sent that week. We keep a copy for the next week to fill those items as soon as they come in. Because we keep and monitor B/O until they are filled, there's no need to repeat order these items while you wait. For example, if you were to order two vials of Haldol, and they were on backorder, you may be tempted to place another order for two vials the following week. This would be processed in Logistics as an order for four vials of Haldol, not just the two that you need.

The best way to avoid waiting on backorders is to check your station inventory every shift. Ordering supplies when they are low, before they are gone, gives us time to get your orders filled and complete.