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Inventory Management Basics
Learn why businesses hold stock, what it costs, how to count it, and how to decide when and how much to order. Five short lessons and a quiz, with a certificate of completion.
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The short version
Free, no payment details
Sign up with your name and e-mail and confirm it with a 6-digit code. There is nothing to buy.
About 65 minutes
5 short lessons and one final quiz. Your progress is saved, so you can stop and come back on any device.
Certificate of completion
Finish every lesson and score 70% or more on the final quiz. Retakes are unlimited.
Not a program
This free short course is not part of a Ucademy diploma or certificate program and gives no program credit.
What you will learn
- Explain why businesses hold inventory and calculate its annual holding cost
- Keep stock records accurate with SKUs, cycle counts and clear adjustment rules
- Rank items with a simple ABC analysis and focus effort on the items that matter most
- Calculate reorder points, safety stock and economic order quantity by hand
- Forecast with a seasonal index and measure forecast error with MAD
- Calculate inventory turnover, days of supply, and COGS under FIFO and weighted average
Who it is for
Adults who work in or want to move into retail, warehousing, purchasing or operations, small business owners who hold stock, and anyone curious about how stock levels are managed. No experience is needed.
What you need
- A computer, tablet or phone with an internet connection
- A calculator or a spreadsheet program such as Excel or Google Sheets for the practice examples
- About 65 minutes in total, which you can split across several days
Lessons
- 1What inventory is and what it costs13 min
- 2Counting, records and ABC analysis13 min
- 3When and how much to order14 min
- 4Forecasting demand and measuring results13 min
- 5Systems, valuation and a weekly routine12 min
- ✓Inventory Management Basics: final quizfinal quiz
Where this course can lead
Business Administration Diploma – Supply Chain Management
This course is a short, practical introduction. The full program goes much further: business operations, purchasing, inventory and logistics for coordinator roles, studied online and at your own pace.
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See the course →Frequently asked questions
Yes. You sign up for a free Ucademy account and take all five lessons and the quiz at no cost.
Yes. When you finish the lessons and pass the quiz you receive a certificate of completion from Ucademy. The course is not part of a Ucademy diploma or certificate program.
About 65 minutes in total. It has five lessons of 10 to 15 minutes each and a ten-question quiz, and you can work at your own pace.
No. You need basic arithmetic and a calculator. Every formula is explained with a worked example.
Cycle stock is what you expect to use between orders. Safety stock is extra stock held in case demand is higher than forecast or a delivery is late.
No. It is a free short course, not part of a Ucademy diploma or certificate program, and it does not give program credit.
Start Inventory Management Basics today
Free, online and at your own pace, with a certificate of completion.