Category Strategy Toolkit

A companion toolkit to the upcoming book Supply Chains Are Optimization Problems: nine interactive templates — from the Kraljic matrix, AHP and TCO to should-cost regression, learning curves, futures hedging and the EFOS spot-portfolio model — plus a full bonus chapter. Every template opens with a worked example, so you see the answer before you enter your own data.

What’s inside

• Kraljic matrix — up to 40 categories, weighted profit-impact and supply-risk criteria, automatic quadrant, recommended strategy, bubble chart and portfolio summary.
• Strategy playbook — for each quadrant: objective, relationship type, levers, contract type, KPIs and common mistakes.
• AHP supplier selection — pairwise comparisons on the Saaty scale, criteria weights, consistency check (CR), ranking of up to 8 suppliers.
• TCO calculator — price, freight, duties, payment terms, quality, inventory and one-time costs for up to 5 suppliers.
• Category plan — one-page strategy: requirements, market, levers, risks, KPIs and action plan.
• Should-cost regression (Chapter 8) — regress quoted prices on cost drivers, spot the supplier who sits above the market line, set a target price with a 95% prediction interval.
• Learning-curve price model (Chapter 10) — re-price a repeat order on learning-adjusted hours and build a step-down price schedule by lot.
• Futures hedge calculator (Chapter 14) — minimum-variance hedge ratio, number of contracts and the basis risk that remains.
• EFOS spot-portfolio simulator (Chapter 16) — Monte Carlo optimisation of forward, option and spot volumes when the spot market has defects and runs dry.
• Bonus: Chapter 16 of the upcoming book Supply Chains Are Optimization Problems — “EFOS: When the Spot Market Runs Dry”, designed for reading online and as a PDF.

Two formats, one purchase

• Web app — runs in any browser on desktop or mobile, nothing to install. Your data stays in your browser; save it to a file or print to PDF.
• Excel files — download them from the web app if you prefer spreadsheets (Excel 2010+, Google Sheets, LibreOffice).
• One key works on up to 3 devices.

Who it’s for

• Category managers and procurement leads preparing a category strategy or annual plan.
• Teams moving from price-only tenders to managing a category portfolio.
• Students and procurement course participants who want a working template with a worked example.

How it works

• Everything is formula-driven: change a score and the results update.
• A worked example (a restaurant chain) shows how to fill everything in.
• Yellow cells are your inputs; everything else is calculated.

About the author

Vladyslav Mandryka — Director of Global Supply Chains, author of mv-procurement.com. The toolkit is built from the tools I use in my own work.

Licence: for use within one organisation. Questions? Reply to your purchase email.