Days of Supply
Also written as: DOS — Days of Supply
A metric expressing how many days the current inventory level will last at the current rate of sales.
Full Definition
Days of Supply (DOS) is calculated by dividing current stock on hand by the average daily sales rate. It gives buyers and analysts an at-a-glance view of how long existing stock will last before replenishment is required. In retail analytics reports, DOS is typically presented at SKU, category, or store level. Editors should note it may also appear as 'days on hand' or 'weeks of supply' (when expressed in weeks); verify which unit of time the document intends and apply it consistently throughout.
Usage
Usage note: Lowercase as a noun phrase ('days of supply'); uppercase only for the abbreviation DOS. Not interchangeable with 'lead time', which refers to the order-to-delivery interval.
In Context
- "With only 4.2 days of supply remaining, the replenishment team triggered an emergency purchase order." — Inventory analytics dashboard annotation
- "Confirm whether the document uses 'days of supply' or 'weeks of supply' and standardise accordingly before publication." — Copyediting note