How long should a chase list be?

Short enough to work properly in a day, often five to fifteen lines for one buyer. If it is longer, the reorder points or lead times behind it probably need review.

Who should own the chase list?

The buyer responsible for the supplier, with planners able to see it, because the same list tells them which parts may run short.

Can the chase list be automated?

The ranking can be calculated automatically from stock, usage and open orders. The call to the supplier and the decision about what to do stay with a person.

Glossary

What is a chase list? How buyers decide which orders to follow up

Chase list: A chase list is the short list of open purchase orders a buyer follows up today, ranked by the stock risk behind them.

By Roufaida Bouchamha, founder

The definition

A chase list (or expedite list) is the set of supplier orders a buyer will call or email about today. It is short on purpose: a buyer can only follow up a handful of orders properly in a day. Its value comes entirely from what goes to the top.

How to build one in 20 minutes

Start from late and undated open lines (see past-due purchase order).
Compute [days of cover](/resources/glossary/days-of-cover) for the part behind each line.
Keep the [shortage risks](/resources/glossary/shortage-risk): lines where cover runs out before the order or any other order arrives.
Sort by cover, shortest first. The part that runs out first comes first.
Write the evidence on each line: stock, usage, cover, promised date, days late. When you call the supplier, you discuss facts, not urgency.

What a good chase list is not

Not a list of every late order: that is the past-due report.
Not sorted by supplier or by days late: those orders are easy to read but hide the urgent lines.
Not a forecast of which suppliers will slip: it works from the dates you have today.

Illustrative example, not a customer result

Of 40 past-due lines on a Monday, 6 are for parts whose cover runs out before any delivery. Those 6, sorted by cover, are the chase list. The other 34 still matter for supplier reviews, but none of them stops production this week.

Keeping it honest

Refresh it daily: cover changes as stock is consumed.
Record what each supplier promised during the call, so tomorrow's list starts from the new date.
Watch parts that appear every week: their reorder point may be set on an old lead time (lead-time drift).

How WERISCO uses it

WERISCO automates the data work behind this list: it reads every open order line at once, from your ERP or your exports, computes days of cover for each part and ranks late or undated orders by severity, with the evidence for each line. A person on your team decides what to chase; nothing is written back to your ERP and nothing is sent to suppliers. Read the full method in which late purchase orders actually matter.

Questions people ask

How long should a chase list be?: Short enough to work properly in a day, often five to fifteen lines for one buyer. If it is longer, the reorder points or lead times behind it probably need review.
Who should own the chase list?: The buyer responsible for the supplier, with planners able to see it, because the same list tells them which parts may run short.
Can the chase list be automated?: The ranking can be calculated automatically from stock, usage and open orders. The call to the supplier and the decision about what to do stay with a person.