A discontinuance notice creates several deadlines, not one purchasing task. The team must determine which exact parts are affected, what existing demand remains, and when a replacement design can be ready. Buying extra stock without a transition plan can postpone rather than resolve the shortage.
Analog Devices’ product lifecycle guidance distinguishes lifecycle states and describes last-time-buy and last-time-ship information in discontinuance notices. Use the actual notice for the affected model and its current revision; general policy does not replace the dates and conditions stated for a specific event.
Establish the affected demand
Identify every board revision and service obligation that uses the discontinued orderable part. Reconcile usable inventory, committed stock, open purchase orders, and material already at an assembly partner. Keep quantities and assumptions dated because both demand and availability can change during the review. Exclude quarantined or already reserved material from quantities represented as freely available stock.
Separate firm build requirements from forecasts and contingency allowances. State the planning horizon and who owns each assumption. A single unexplained total makes it difficult to understand the consequences of a changed forecast or a delayed redesign.
Plan two coordinated paths
| Supply continuity | Engineering transition |
|---|---|
| Confirm order and delivery deadlines | Identify candidate replacements |
| Review storage and handling needs | Compare electrical, package, and software behavior |
| Track accepted orders and allocations | Schedule prototype and validation work |
| Define remaining-stock disposition | Release the replacement BOM and production documentation |
A suggested replacement is a starting point for engineering review. Even a similar pinout does not establish equivalent startup behavior, timing, thermal performance, or software compatibility. Record the tests required by the actual circuit and product use.
Review the transition at defined milestones
- Confirm the notice and affected orderable numbers.
- Approve the demand assumptions and supply plan.
- Complete replacement feasibility checks.
- Validate the changed board or BOM.
- Coordinate production cutover and service documentation.
Track uncertainty explicitly. If replacement qualification is delayed, update the demand horizon and remaining coverage rather than leaving the original plan unchanged. If stock is held for a long period, review the manufacturer’s storage guidance and the condition of its packaging before later use.
Do not treat an unconfirmed quotation as secured inventory. Preserve order acknowledgement and delivery changes through the responsible purchasing process. Close the transition with the released replacement, the final use or disposition of old stock, and the affected build identities. The date-code and storage guide explains why inventory age alone is insufficient to determine usability.
Move from reading to a build-ready project
Use the fabrication and assembly checklists to prepare drawings, production files and test requirements.
Open the DFM checklist