When using ABC analysis to classify inventory, which factors must be considered? 1. Demand uncertainty of each item 2. Cumulative percentage of items 3. Cumulative percentage usage value of items 4. Overall inventory turnover

ABC analysis is an inventory categorization technique based on Pareto's Principle (the 80/20 rule) used to prioritize inventory control efforts. To perform a standard ABC analysis, items are ranked in descending order based on their total annual usage value (annual demand multiplied by unit cost). The process requires calculating two key metrics: the cumulative percentage of total inventory items (the physical count proportion) and the cumulative percentage usage value of items (the monetary value proportion). Category A items represent a small cumulative percentage of items but a high cumulative usage value, whereas Category C items represent a large percentage of items with low usage value. Demand uncertainty and overall inventory turnover are separate inventory management metrics.

A: Option 4 (overall inventory turnover) measures asset efficiency across all stock, whereas ABC analysis relies specifically on individual cumulative item percentages and cumulative usage values. B: Demand uncertainty (1) and inventory turnover (4) are non-Pareto metrics; ABC classification depends strictly on cumulative item counts and cumulative monetary usage values. D: Demand uncertainty (1) is used in safety stock calculations and buffer management, not in determining traditional Pareto-based ABC inventory categorizations.

- CIPS L4M7 Study Guide: Whole Life Asset Management, Chapter 2: Inventory Management, Section 2.3 (Inventory Classification Methods).

- Inventory Management and Production Planning and Scheduling (3rd Ed.), Edward A. Silver, David F. Pyke, Rein Peterson, John Wiley & Sons, 1998, pp. 45-48.

- Operations Management (9th Ed.), Nigel Slack, Alistair Brandon-Jones, Robert Johnston, Pearson, 2019, Chapter 12 (Inventory Planning and Control), pp. 378-381.