FloPlanner · Guides

Weeks of cover, explained

Weeks of cover turns a stock count into time: how long until you run out if nothing else arrives.

The formula

Weeks of cover = stock on hand ÷ expected weekly sales.

For example, 600 units on hand selling about 50 a week is 12 weeks of cover.

Use the forecast, not a flat average

If a busy season is coming, a flat average overstates cover. Counting forward week by week against the forecast gives a truer answer: add up forecast sales week by week until they use up the stock on hand.

Compare it with your lead time

If weeks of cover is shorter than your supplier's lead time and no order is on the way, a gap is coming that a new order can't close in time. That's the signal to act now.

A healthy level

There's no single right number. It depends on lead time, how steady sales are, and the cash you're willing to tie up in stock. Many brands set a reserve of a few weeks on top of the lead time and review it as they learn.

FloPlanner shows weeks of cover for every product, every week, in the weekly stock forecast.