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Microlesson · 5-min read

ABC Analysis — Inventory Classification by Value

## ABC Analysis (Always Better Control)

ABC Analysis classifies inventory items into three tiers based on annual consumption value, so management attention is proportional to financial impact.

### Classification Logic

Category% of Total Items% of Total ValueControl Intensity
A~10%~70%Strict & regular
B~20%~20%Routine/moderate
C~70%~10%Minimal

> Rule of thumb: few items account for most of the money (A), most items account for little money (C).

### Control Applied per Category

A Items — High investment; tight continuous monitoring to prevent both overstocking and shortages.

B Items — Standard routine control; no special scrutiny needed beyond normal processes.

C Items — Orders placed every 6 months or once a year based on annual consumption estimates; no constant monitoring.

### Why ABC Works

1. Focuses management energy on high-value items

2. Avoids over-spending control effort on trivial items

3. Minimises total ordering and carrying costs

4. Sustains a high inventory turnover rate

Worked example

### Example 1

A company holds 1,000 inventory items worth ₹1,00,000 in total.

CategoryNo. of Items% of Total ItemsItem Value (₹)% of Total Value
A10010%70,00070%
B20020%20,00020%
C70070%10,00010%
Total1,000100%1,00,000100%

Reading the table: Category A has only 100 items (10% of SKUs) but holds 70% of total inventory value — it deserves the tightest controls. Category C has 700 items (70% of SKUs) but represents only 10% of value — loose control is acceptable.

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Reversing the value percentages — A items are FEW in number but HIGH in value, not the other way around.
  • Thinking ABC classifies by physical quantity consumed rather than annual consumption VALUE (price × quantity).
  • Applying the same control intensity to all three categories; the whole purpose is differential control.
  • Assuming C items are unimportant to production — they may still be operationally necessary, just low-cost.
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