supplychainpy

supplychainpy is a free Python library for inventory analysis and demand planning. It is best suited to analysts who want to examine stock policies and forecasts in Python; the changing API makes it a poor choice for production workflows.

Overview

The library combines supply-chain analysis, modeling and simulation with a reporting suite. It is designed as decision support for commercial inventory and demand-planning analysts, rather than as a complete system for running inventory operations. Its BSD-3 license and free package make experimentation accessible, but teams must be comfortable working with an early-development project.

Key features

Inventory analysis includes ABC XYZ classification, safety-stock calculations, reorder levels and economic order quantity. Service-level targets and replenishment recommendations help analysts compare inventory policies and consider next actions. These capabilities support analysis; they do not make the library a production-ready replenishment platform.

Forecasting offers simple exponential smoothing and Holt’s trend-corrected exponential smoothing. ARIMA is under development, so users who require that method should not rely on supplychainpy for it.

Reports bring together charts, tables, KPIs, inventory summaries and a recommendations feed. A natural-language bot can query analysis, and configurable host and port settings allow the reporting suite to run locally. This gives analysts a way to inspect results without assembling every view themselves, though the maker’s production-readiness warning applies to the reporting component too.

Analysts can work with CSV or text files, Pandas DataFrames, or data passed through a database ETL process, data API or ORM such as SQLAlchemy. The project describes use with Pandas, Jupyter, Matplotlib, openpyxl and xlwings. Installation is through pip or by cloning the GitHub repository; documented reporting commands cover Linux, Mac and Windows.

Pricing

supplychainpy 0.0.5 costs nothing, with the source package available through PyPI. There is no trial to evaluate separately: the package itself is free. That makes it a low-cost fit for individual analysts exploring inventory methods, but price does not resolve the main trade-off—its API can change, and the maker says the library is not suitable for production.

Platforms

The platform listing covers API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted and Windows. The documented local reporting setup and configurable host and port are a practical fit for teams that want to run analysis on their own systems. Installation requirements include Python 3.5 and dependencies such as NumPy, Pandas, Flask and SciPy, so it is aimed at users able to manage a Python environment rather than buyers seeking a standalone desktop application.

Who it's for

Choose supplychainpy if you are an inventory or demand-planning analyst comfortable with Python and need a free way to explore stock classifications, safety stock, replenishment recommendations and forecasts. It is also suitable for exploratory work and decision support where API changes are manageable. Look elsewhere for production operations or a stable interface your workflows cannot afford to have change.

Pros and cons

Pros: Free access and a BSD-3 license make it easy to evaluate and adapt in Python-based analysis.

Pros: Inventory calculations, service-level targets and replenishment recommendations bring several decision-support needs into one library.

Pros: Multiple input routes, Pandas compatibility and local reporting give analysts flexibility over how they prepare and inspect data.

Cons: The maker warns that early development and a changeable API make it unsuitable for production use.

Cons: ARIMA remains under development, limiting the forecasting methods ready to use.

Cons: Python 3.5 and a set of scientific and web dependencies require users to handle their own development environment.

Alternatives

For a comparable open-source Python package, consider replenishment, which is free under the MIT license. Stockpyl is another free open-source Python package, with Linux and API platforms listed. If you want a paid service rather than a free Python library, Flowlity offers a Lite plan at €249 a month, with CSV upload, up to 5,000 SKUs and no ERP integration. The broader Inventory Optimization Software list is another place to compare tools.

Verdict

supplychainpy is a strong fit for Python-capable analysts who want free inventory and forecasting decision support, particularly for exploratory work. Its combination of stock analysis, recommendations and local reports is the reason to choose it. The early-development warning and changeable API are the reason to look elsewhere when a workflow must be production-ready and dependable over time.