• The due date determines the date when inventory is needed and an order should be complete. MRP uses order due dates to determine when quantities will be available to replenish inventory.
• The release date is the date when an order is scheduled for release to the shop floor. MRP uses the release date to determine when components are required. When an order is released, the scheduled release date is changed to the date actually released. For more details, see Releasing Work Orders.
• The release and due dates for an order are offset by the lead time for the item produced. For example, if it takes an average of five working days to manufacture an item, the release and due dates are separated by one week. This ensures that an order for that item will be completed on time provided that it is released on time.