Days of cover.Make stock time visible.

What days of cover measures

Days of cover estimates how long usable stock can support expected demand. It is an operational planning measure: it helps a team ask whether there is enough time to replenish before a site runs short. It is not days sales of inventory, turnover or another financial measure.

• Use a clear unit of measure for stock and demand.
• Use usable stock rather than every unit physically recorded.
• Review the result alongside incoming deliveries and lead time.

The simple formula

For a stable, unit-based example: days of cover = usable units on hand ÷ average expected units used per day. If a site has 240 usable units and expects to use 30 a day, it has eight days of cover. That is a simple teaching calculation, not a representation of Hovera’s forecasting method.

What can change the answer

Quarantined, expired or otherwise unavailable stock should not make a site look safer than it is. Incoming stock can improve the picture only if it is expected to arrive before the need. Demand can also vary, so use a recent, meaningful period and review unusual events rather than treating one result as certain.

Turn a number into a decision

Compare cover with your safety threshold and realistic replenishment time. A low balance is not automatically critical; the question is whether usable supply and confirmed arrivals can last until the next practical action. Teams should retain judgement when local conditions change.