Demand Planning - Collaborative Forecasting

  • 9 October 2020
  • 2 replies
  • 327 views

Userlevel 2
Badge +4

Hi All,

One of my client is requesting the IFS Demand Planning - Collaborative Forecasting functionality. Demand Planner is sharing collaborative forecast  requirement for one particular base flow related  forecast part with four different key account managers. 

 

Rather getting average of all four, he is more interested about weighting the each individual with a score as shown below.

  • Key Account Manager 1 - 40 %
  • Key Account Manager 2 - 30 %
  • Key Account Manager 3 - 15 %
  • Key Account Manager 4 - 15 %

Based on my knowledge it is not possible with current demand planning functionalities. Did anyone had such a customer request before  or  provided similar solutions to customers before? Appreciate your valuable inputs for this. 

 

Thanks a lot

 

Kind regards

Chanaka


2 replies

Userlevel 2
Badge +5

Hi Chanaka,
 

Yeah, forecast weighting is something i’ve encountered with other programs (INFOR Products and others).  Unless these collaborative forecasts are being tracked in some way though to see who’s the most accurate, it can just be busy work vs. something that actually reduces forecast error.  Something to keep in mind.

 

What one could do, depending on how the base flow is setup, is create a combined flow with base flows representing the split of each collaboration partner.  This might be messy and depending on how the data is structured (e.g. all the demand history for the flow is coming from one customer, for example) it may not work. 

So for example - let’s say it’s a sales channel...or sales area, or something like that.  

Combined Flow: Sales channel

Distribute adjustment to base flows > set split % based off of customer reqs
Key Acct mgrs are forecasting via complete or collab forecasting at the base flow level and their split wraps up to the top and can be adjusted from the top line to maintain splits.

Again, messy and may not be actionable but it may be worth trying.

Userlevel 2
Badge +4

 

Hello Neal,

 

Thanks a lot for the reply. In our business scenario same  base flow related information or combined flow related information needs to be share with multiple users. Hence,  It is not possible to create a combined flow with base flows representing the split of each collaboration partner using the Market segments, Sales channels, District, etc. It is the same information, that will be collaborate with partners. Hence, This alternative will not work for the client.  Highly appreciated your inputs on this.

 

Thanks a lot

 

Kind regards

Chanaka 

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