DSS to manage ATM cash under periodic review with emergency orders

The cash management of an automated teller machine (ATM) often combines a periodic review inventory policy with emergency orders, the latter according to a continuous review inventory policy. We present a simulation-based decision support system (DSS) that considers both regular (periodic) and emergency (continuous review) orders. This DSS was developed to assist an ATM´s manager in the selection of the appropriate (regular) order and period sizes as well as the (emergency) reorder point under a given service level. The DSS was developed using the software Arena and integrates a Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) front-end that allows the user to incorporate fixed and variable ordering costs as well as demand and arrival rates updates.