Abstract: A new mechanism is provided that allows for changing the status of product in a product ordering an shipment system from products that is allocated to a customer to product that becomes available to potentially another customer. A Capacity Allocation Supported Demand (CASD) file is maintained that contains customer data and therewith, on a per customer basis, product source, a balance of product allocated to the customer and product data. At the time that an order is placed, this file is interrogated to determine if enough product is available for shipment. For instances where this is not the case, a rule based search is performed to locate product that can be allocated. An Available To Promise (ATP) file is instrumental in this search, a successful search is concluded with allocating the product to the customer order and updating the CASD and ATP files.

Abstract: A new mechanism is provided that allows for changing the status of product in a product ordering an shipment system from products that is allocated to a customer to product that becomes available to potentially another customer. A Capacity Allocation Supported Demand (CASD) file is maintained that contains customer data and therewith, on a per customer basis, product source, a balance of product allocated to the customer and product data. At the time that an order is placed, this file is interrogated to determine if enough product is available for shipment. For instances where this is not the case, a rule based search is performed to locate product that can be allocated. An Available To Promise (ATP) file is instrumental in this search, a successful search is concluded with allocating the product to the customer order and updating the CASD and ATP files.