How to Forecast Materials for a Big Order
Saying yes to a big order is the easy part. Making sure you have the materials to fill it — on time — is where it's won or lost. Here's how to plan it.
A big order — a wholesale account, a corporate gift run, a bulk custom request — is a great problem to have. It's also where makers get caught: you say yes to the quantity without checking whether you have the materials to make it, and then you're scrambling to source supplies with a deadline bearing down. The fix is to turn the order into a materials plan before you commit.
Translate the order into materials
Every product has a recipe — the materials and amounts it uses. Multiply that by the order quantity and you have exactly what the order needs. A 200-unit order isn't "200 units" to plan; it's the wax, wicks, jars, and labels to make 200, each with its own supplier and lead time.
Check stock, then fill the gap
- 1Multiply each product's recipe by the order quantity.
- 2Compare that to what you have on hand.
- 3Order the shortfall early — with lead time to spare.
- 4Confirm the order's deadline is realistic given production and supply.
Don't promise a quantity you haven't checked the materials for — a big order you can't fill on time is worse than one you turned down.
Mind your cash and your other orders
A big material order is a big up-front spend, so mind your cash flow — a deposit on the order helps. And don't let one large job eat the materials your regular customers need; plan for both.
Plan big orders on real recipes
Forecasting materials by hand for a large order is exactly where mistakes hide. Hivara turns a planned production run into the materials it requires from your recipes, checks them against stock, and flags the shortfall — so you can say yes to a big order knowing you can actually fill it.
Put your numbers to work
Hivara tracks your materials, costs every product, and runs production by scan. Free to start — no credit card.
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