Draft reference — content review pending
Order Fill Rate
The percentage of eligible ordered units fulfilled from available inventory under the agreed order and availability rules.
Business question
What share of eligible ordered units can be supplied from available inventory?
Formula
Order fill rate = eligible ordered units fulfilled from available inventory ÷ eligible ordered units requested × 100.
Calculation notes
Choose and label the basis: units, order lines, or orders. For this definition the primary basis is units. Define order eligibility, the availability timestamp, cancellations, backorders, substitutions, split shipments, and whether partial fulfillment counts only the units supplied.
Edge-case guidance
Do not mix unit, line, and order results. Report backordered and substituted quantities separately, and do not treat a high fill rate as proof of efficient inventory when excess stock or slow-moving goods are being held.
Required data
| Input | Type | Status | Available source hints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible units fulfilled from available inventoryUnits supplied from available inventory under the agreed partial-fulfillment and substitution rules. | Number | Required | Excel · Google Sheets · Manual records |
| Eligible units requestedUnits requested in eligible orders after applying the agreed period, cancellation, and order-status rules. | Number | Required | Excel · Google Sheets · Manual records |
Interpretation
Use this measure to understand item availability at order entry or fulfillment. Interpret it with order-line and order-level service, backorders, substitutions, cancellations, and inventory policy.
Caution
The result depends on whether the basis is units, lines, or orders. A high fill rate achieved through excessive inventory can increase carrying cost and obsolescence.
Implementation recommendation
Agree on the primary unit basis and timestamp, then show partial fulfillment, backorders, substitutions, and cancellations as separate operational context.
Target guidance
Set the first target for order fill rate from comparable internal history, then adjust it for assortment, service commitments, seasonality, capacity, and data quality. Review the direction with the accountable owner and consider this trade-off: raising availability may require more working capital and can conceal slow-moving inventory.