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IRP Information Requirements Planning

IRP? Never heard of it. MRP, but for information.

Not familiar with IRP yet? That makes sense: business software usually revolves around goods and money. Read on to learn what IRP is, why it exists and how it differs from ERP and MRP.

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IRP, still unfamiliar to you?

It is only natural if you have never come across the term IRP. Today, far more is invested in ERP and MRP software: software for administration, sales, purchasing and the flow of goods.

Yet in a digital workplace, information is at least as important as materials. A drawing, a customer's choice, a certificate or an agreement: without that information a step cannot start, even when the materials are ready.

That is why Lean-Interactions built IRP as part of Lean ERP: one place where the information of every file belongs to the right process step.

Lost time, mistakes, stress

Think for a moment about how much time your company loses creating, searching for and organising information.

SearchingInformation is scattered across Excel files, Word documents, mailboxes and folders. Gathering it all takes time.
Multiple versionsMany documents exist in several versions, inside and outside your company. Each version leads a life of its own.
Deciding on old informationWhoever works with an old version makes the wrong decision. The mistake only shows up later, on site or in production.
Endless emails and callsWho knows? Who has it? Where is it? When can I get it? Every question becomes an email or a phone call.
**Real screen from the demo environment**, with fictitious data. For each step you see which information has been received and which is still missing. Click to enlarge.
Real screen from the demo environment, with fictitious data. For each step you see which information has been received and which is still missing. Click to enlarge.

An everyday situation

Someone in your company needs information to move on. It is scattered across various Excel files, Word documents and other media. Pulling it all together costs valuable time and manpower.

We all know the questions: Who knows? Who has it? Where is it? When can I get it? What usually follows is a series of emails and phone calls. Have you ever worked out how much time and money that costs?

ERP and MRP software streamline the flow of goods and the administration. But what about all the knowledge and information in your company? That is where IRP comes in. Because the information sits with the step and not in someone's mailbox, less knowledge is lost when a colleague leaves, and a new colleague finds their way faster.

MRP: planning which materials are needed

MRP (Material Requirements Planning) is used to steer production planning and inventory management. It helps companies determine which materials are needed, in what quantities and when, so production can keep up with customer demand.

  1. 1
    What is needed?The bill of materials shows which materials an order requires.
  2. 2
    How much?MRP calculates the quantities, taking into account what is already in stock.
  3. 3
    When?The planning determines when the material must be there, so production does not come to a halt.

IRP: MRP for your information

IRP (Information Requirements Planning) applies the same idea to information. Which information does each process step need? Who supplies it? Is it already there, or still missing?

Just like a material in a bill of materials, a piece of information belongs to a step in the process: a drawing, a customer's choice, a check or a document. Because the steps are in the planning of the file, you also see when that information is needed.

The result: less searching, less duplicate work, better collaboration and a planning you can rely on. The central idea is the same as with MRP: managing what a step needs, but for information instead of materials.

**Real screen from the demo environment**, with fictitious data. A process model showing, for each step, the information that belongs to it. Click to enlarge.
Real screen from the demo environment, with fictitious data. A process model showing, for each step, the information that belongs to it. Click to enlarge.

Frequently asked questions about IRP

What does IRP stand for?

IRP stands for Information Requirements Planning: planning which information each process step needs, who supplies it and whether it is already there.

What is the difference between MRP and IRP?

MRP plans materials: what production needs, how much and when. IRP plans information: what a process step needs before it can start. In Lean, both are in the same file.

Is IRP a separate program alongside the ERP?

No. IRP is part of Lean ERP. The information is linked to the same files, steps and planning as the rest of your work.

More about IRP

Read on about how IRP works, or look at situations from practice.

How IRP works ›Practical cases ›IRP as process management software ›IRP in practice ›Lean ERP ›
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