Independent Demand Vs Dependent Demand: MRP is a Calculator!

The MRP system in SAP Business One takes in a number of parameters as inputs and performs some level of analysis and generates recommendations that can either be accepted or rejected by the planner. One of the inputs of MRP is the bill of material, which is a list of all components (and in what quantity) needed to produce finished good(s). For example, the bill of material needed to produce a dinning set is 6 chairs and 1 table (supposedly). The demand for the dinning set here is independent while that for the chairs and table are independent.

An independent demand is a demand that is not based on the demand for another item while a dependent demand is based on the demand for another item. Hence, it can be concluded that the demand for the 6 chairs and the table is based on the demand for the table. Thus, you can forecast an independent demand while dependent demands are calculated based on the independent demand item. The role of the MRP therefore is to perform this calculation. Hence, is it right to say that MRP is a calculator? May be yes...