Field notes
Resetting lead times after a port disruption
Why planner calendars lag reality — and how to reset reorder points without guessing.
After a port backlog clears, systems often keep the stretched lead times that were typed in during the crisis. The opposite error is just as common: planners snap back to pre-disruption numbers before carriers have truly stabilised.
Use a four-week observation window. Compare promised versus actual receipt dates for the affected lane. Reset reorder points only when the variance narrows, and write down the date you will review again. Vendor planning is partly calendar hygiene.
Tell sales which SKUs still carry a buffer so promotions do not quietly empty the warehouse you just protected.