Kanban / Pull Board

What it is and when to use it

Most shops build to a forecast, then discover half of what they made is sitting in a corner while a different item runs out. A kanban board replaces that guess with a signal: nothing gets made or moved until the step downstream actually consumes it. It caps how much can pile up between any two steps and makes overproduction visible the moment it starts, instead of three weeks later when it's tying up cash on a shelf.

What goes on the sheet

1. Item/part number, and the two process steps it flows between (produced-by / consumed-by)
2. Average demand per period, and its source (order history window, forecast — dated)
3. Replenishment lead time for that item (measured, not assumed)
4. Container/lot quantity, and safety factor applied
5. Calculated card count: (avg. demand × lead time × safety factor) / container quantity
6. Trigger point: inventory level or empty-bin signal that releases a card
7. Review cadence: when card count gets recalculated as demand or lead time changes

In a business like yours

• Auto-parts counter: when the first bin empties, its card is the reorder — no counting, no guessing.
• Café: cups, lids and milk restocked by visual signals instead of the owner's memory.
• Contractor's shop: fittings and fasteners restocked by what jobs actually used, not bought just in case.

Illustrative examples, not client cases.