The safety stock is the stock that is kept in reserve in case an item is unavailable from the supplier or a sudden increase occurs in demand. This may be determined at 3-6 months, or calculated as a % of the annual quantity required, depending on the country and system.

Shopping is (also) a procurement method.

A detailed examination of a given geographical context or situation in which a programme is set, so as to better understand the current status, the trends and the main problems affecting people, ecosystems and institutions.

Abbreviation for Stock Keeping Unit. A stock keeping unit is a number given to a product in retail or warehouse. This number gives easy access to the price, the attributes, and the manufacturer of the product

A stakeholder is a person, an organisation, or a group of persons and organisations, that has an interest or concern in a process, project or enterprise.

A standard operating procedure (SOP) is a set of written instructions established or prescribed to be followed routinely when carrying out a given operation in a given situation. SOPs guarantee that the practice is done in accordance with agreed upon specifications aimed at obtaining a desired outcome. The development and use of SOPs are an integral part of a successful quality system as it provides individuals with the information to perform a job properly.

Often abbreviated as SKU. A stock keeping unit is a number given to a product in retail or warehouse. This number gives easy access to the price, the attributes, and the manufacturer of the product.

Stock on hand are the quantities of usable stock of medicines available at any level, or at all levels of the health system at a point in time.

Stock on order are the quantities of stock in the pipeline or confirmed as ordered with the suppliers.

Stock-out is a situation in which the demand for an item cannot be fulfilled, i.e. the stock balance is nil. This situation has to be avoided at all costs in the supply chain management cycle of medicines and medical supplies, as it creates acute risks for the health of the population and jeopardizes their trust in the health system.