Building Your Parts Inventory: What Spares Should You Keep?

Stock spares based on criticality and lead time, then set clear reorder points to protect uptime and cash.

A smart criticality-based stocking plan keeps the right parts ready while avoiding dead stock.

Start With a Criticality Map (Not a Wish List)

Your inventory should mirror your risk profile. Use a simple ABC/VED-style matrix to rank parts by value and mission impact, then stock deeper where failure is catastrophic and lead times are long. ABC and criticality matrices help you decide which parts deserve premium shelf space.

Downtime hits hard during build, show, and strike; a single failed component can cascade into delays, overtime, and reputational damage. Treat high-impact parts as non-negotiable spares, because downtime costs spike fast.

Set Reorder Triggers With Quick Math

Don’t wait until the last minute. Define a reorder point based on typical usage during lead time plus a small buffer, then lock it in. A clean baseline makes your buying predictable and your warehouse calm.

Example: you burn about 8 DMX cables per month, and lead time is 2 weeks. That’s roughly 4 cables during lead time; add a 20% buffer and your reorder point becomes 5. When you hit 5, buy enough to cover a few shows. This aligns with standard reorder level and safety stock logic.

Nuance: no source provides event-specific failure rates, so review your thresholds every 90 days and tune by real usage, not assumptions.

Organize Like a Pit Crew, Track Like a Lab

Speed is the secret sauce. Put parts in labeled, color-coded bins, and store by type, not by event, so techs can grab and go. Visual organization like color-coded storage cuts search time and errors.

Then digitize. A lightweight app that logs location, quantity, and movement keeps inventory live and auditable. A real-time tracking app can turn chaotic shelves into a controlled system without enterprise overhead.

The Event-Ready Starter Kit

These are the high-velocity, high-impact spares that keep your atmosphere flawless when the unexpected hits. Use a simple sheet like this parts inventory tracker and scale up.

Start with DMX/XLR cables in your top three lengths, LED modules or pixel strips for your core fixtures, power strips and surge protectors rated for show loads, gaff tape with clamps and rigging hardware, and batteries with fuses matched to your most used gear. If your brand is immersive and your build is complex, keep one full spare of your most critical lighting controller and one backup power distro on standby so the audience never notices the save.