Cross-docking in distribution centers involves having multiple locations for the same item in the warehouse. having multiple docks to load items in and out of trucks. a new type of docking system where the docks lie at right angles to each other. moving product from incoming trucks directly to outgoing trucks. A bill-of-materials is a list of the production schedules for all products. the components, ingredients, and materials required to produce an item. the operations required to produce an item. the components, ingredients, materials, and assembly operations required to produce an item. Material requirements plans (MRP) specify the quantities of the product families that need to be produced. the capacity needed to provide the projected output rate. the quantity and timing of planned order releases. whether one should use vendor managed inventory or not