What is fill rate?
Fill rate is the percentage of customer demand you meet straight from the stock you have, without back-orders, substitutions or lost sales. It is the most direct measure of whether your inventory is doing its job for customers.
Formula
Fill rate = orders shipped in full ÷ total orders received × 100
Worked example
Out of 1,000 orders you shipped 940 in full. Your fill rate is 94%; 60 orders, or 6%, could not be filled from stock.
How to use the fill rate calculator
- Enter your figures: orders shipped in full and total orders received.
- Read the result. It updates as you type, so there is no button to press.
- Try other numbers to compare scenarios. Reset brings back the example values.
Getting it right
- You can count orders, order lines or units, as long as both numbers use the same measure. Counting whole orders is the strictest of the three.
- A fill rate that drops for one product points to a reorder point set too low or a supplier running late.
- Chasing 100% is expensive. Each extra point of fill rate needs more safety stock than the last.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate fill rate?
Divide the number of orders shipped complete by the total number of orders received, then multiply by 100. Shipping 940 of 1,000 orders in full is a 94% fill rate.
What is a good fill rate?
Most distributors and online stores aim for 95% or above. Business-critical supplies such as medical items target 98–99%.
What is the difference between fill rate and service level?
Fill rate measures how much demand was actually met. Service level is the planned probability of not running out during a replenishment cycle. One is a result, the other a target.