Bruttobedarf

Bruttobedarf, or gross demand, is a planning term used in production planning and materials management (MRP). It represents the total quantity of a material that is required within a planning horizon to satisfy production needs and external demand, as determined by the master production schedule and the bill of materials, before any deductions for existing inventory, reservations, or incoming receipts. It includes all units needed for the assembly of higher-level items and for independent demand from customers or forecasts, but is not yet adjusted for current stock.

Netto-Bedarf, in contrast, is derived from the Bruttobedarf by subtracting on-hand inventory and planned receipts (and any reservations) to yield the actual quantity that must be procured or produced in the period. This distinction helps planners determine what still has to be bought or manufactured.

In practice, gross requirements for a component can be obtained by exploding the BOM for the scheduled finished goods. Example: planning to produce 100 units of product B that uses 2 units of component A per unit results in a Bruttobedarf of 200 units of A for the period. If there are 50 units of A on hand and 20 units are expected to be received as open orders, the Netto-Bedarf for A is 130 units.

The concept is central to MRP systems in ERP environments like SAP, where gross requirements are the starting point for calculating procurement and production orders. It helps distinguish planned needs from actual purchasing activity, enabling better stock management and lead-time planning.