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Trusted Advisor | Cross-Functional Collaboration | Driving Results Through Simplicity, Strategy & Teamwork | Dynamics 365 FSCM | Driving Supply Chain Success

replenishment

Replenishment is the unsung hero of warehouse operations. When it works, nobody notices. When it fails, everyone feels the pain. In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Supply Chain Management (D365 F&SCM), mastering replenishment strategies is essential to keeping pick faces stocked, waves running smooth, and trucks leaving on time.

In this post, we'll break down the main replenishment strategies---ranging from proactive planning to last-resort emergency fixes---and highlight best practices to get the most out of your setup.

Slotting Replenishment

Slotting is about **intelligent pre-planning of pick locations**. It consolidates demand from orders and creates a slotting plan based on item, unit of measure, dimensions, and fixed locations. Once the plan is set, replenishment work is generated to stock the right pick locations.

know the cousins are coming, better plan it before chaos erupts.

  • **Use Case**: Seasonal or high-velocity demand planning.\
  • **Analogy**: Like setting up the seating chart at Thanksgiving---you

Min/Max Replenishment

Min/Max uses **minimum and maximum stocking levels** to keep forward pick locations full. When stock drops below the minimum, the system creates replenishment work to refill up to the maximum.

retail items.\

empty, but you also don't refill every 10 miles.

  • **Use Case**: Fast-moving SKUs like bottled water or high-turnover
  • **Analogy**: Like topping off your gas tank---you don't wait until

Wave Demand Replenishment

Triggered at **wave release**, this method ensures pick locations can cover the orders in that wave. If stock is short, replenishment work is created immediately before pick work.

fridge---wave demand is the emergency grocery run before they start eating dry cereal.

  • **Use Case**: Fluctuating e-commerce demand.\
  • **Analogy**: Your friends show up unannounced and raid the

Load Demand Replenishment

Load Demand aligns replenishment with **transportation planning**. It ensures enough stock is staged to cover load requirements before confirming the truck.

complete.\

forget, everyone's hangry 20 minutes in.

  • **Use Case**: Coordinating outbound shipments that must leave
  • **Analogy**: Stuffing the cooler before the road trip---if you

Immediate Replenishment

The **last resort**. Triggered when a wave is already releasing and stock is short, Immediate Replenishment creates replenishment work on the fly.

fails.\

sprints to the gas station, but the party stalls until they return.

  • **Use Case**: Exception handling---saves the wave when all else
  • **Analogy**: Realizing the party started and you forgot ice. Someone

Key Configurations

To make replenishment strategies work, these D365 configurations must align:

priority.\

away.\

  • **Replenishment Templates**: Define the strategy, trigger, and
  • **Location Directives**: Tell the system where to pull from and put
  • **Work Templates**: Define the work steps for replenishment tasks.\
  • **Parameters**: Thresholds, triggers, and wave/load integration.

Real-World Scenarios

release.\

  • **Slotting**: Black Friday promo items → staged early.\
  • **Min/Max**: High-turnover SKUs → topped off steadily.\
  • **Wave Demand**: Unpredictable e-comm orders → handled at wave
  • **Load Demand**: Coordinated shipments → staged before trucks.\
  • **Immediate**: Emergency exceptions → saves failed waves.

Best Practices & Resources

**Best Practices** - Start simple---use Min/Max before layering advanced methods.\

  • Document thresholds to avoid tribal knowledge.\
  • Test in sandbox before scaling.\
  • Avoid relying too heavily on Immediate.\
  • Train pickers to trust the system.\
  • Monitor performance with BI reports.

**Resources** - [Microsoft Learn: Warehouse Replenishment](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/supply-chain/warehousing/replenishment)\

  • Dynamics 365 Tech Community & LinkedIn Groups\
  • Microsoft Tech Talks

Closing Thought

Replenishment is the quiet backbone of warehouse efficiency. Slotting and Min/Max keep you steady, Wave and Load keep you flexible, and Immediate keeps you alive when everything else breaks. Master them, and your warehouse runs invisible---but powerful.