Benefit | Description |
Hierarchical, configurable market modeling | Generate dynamic demand plans using hierarchical
and multidimensional demand data structures. Define the products, markets and time periods for your business
- then create detailed hierarchies for each dimension so you can model demand curves, create simulation scenarios and forecast demand quantities at any aggregation level. |
Sales budgeting | Work collaboratively across functions to establish sales objectives and analyze performance through top-down, bottom-up and middle-out data models. Identify quantitative or qualitative targets for future sales. Define sales budgets at varying levels of detail, including region, channel, account, product line or industry. |
Sales forecasting | Trace expected sales to actual sales and use sophisticated, industry-specific algorithms to forecast future demand. Evaluate the impact of different forecasting strategies using simulation tools and measure the error and accuracy of your forecasts periodically. |
Promotion planning | Identify the best promotional events for multiple products across multiple channels by analyzing demand patterns. Coordinate promotional activities bi-directionally across the supply chain. Measure quantitatively the expected and actual effect of promotions on sales. Catalog your promotional initiatives and their effects. |
Assortment and category planning | Allocate the right mix of products to the distribution network and carry out intelligent allocations of stock keeping units (SKUs) to channels and stores. Define assortments according to seasonal targets, taking into account sales, margins, stock rotation and constraints such as display space and allocation rules. Control in-season SKUs by detecting bestsellers, low sellers and overall demand changes. |
Inventory planning and stock optimization | Analyze lead times, costs, service levels and demand for inventory to help ensure optimum product allocation across the supply chain. Reduce overall inventories while matching customer service levels and minimizing the risk of stock-out. |
Replenishment planning/sales and operations planning | Define replenishment plans for distribution centers while taking into account demand, logistics rules and the impact of different inventory policies on service levels. |
Analytics | Keep business process indicators such as scorecards and key performance indicators under control. Empower specialized analyses. Enable personalized reporting. |