Overview
Kapoq's unit forecast wizard lets you build and edit SKU unit forecasts right in the app, with no workbook required. Kapoq auto-assigns a sales curve and run rate to every SKU from its sales history.
This article has the following sections:
Starting a Forecast
Step 1: Basics
Step 2: Sales Curves
Step 3: Workspace
Step 4: Review
Editing an Existing Forecast
FAQ
Starting a Forecast
Go to the Inventory module, open SKU Unit Forecasts under Unit Forecasts, and click Start a Unit Forecast. The wizard walks you through four steps: Basics, Sales Curves, Workspace and Review.
Step 1: Basics
Let's start with the forecast's settings:
Forecast Name: a name you'll recognize later.
Account: the account you'd like to forecast.
Forecast Start Date: the first month of the forecast. The start month can't be in the future.
Forecast Length: 12, 18 or 24 months (24 by default).
Product Scope: which SKUs to forecast. Active SKUs only (the default) covers SKUs currently active for the account, All catalog SKUs covers every SKU in the account's catalog, and Select SKUs lets you pick specific ones. The first two include only SKUs with orders in the last 12 months.
Use as demand once activated: turn this on if you'd like the forecast to drive demand across Kapoq, for example in inventory planning, once it's applied.
Click Continue, and Kapoq generates your forecast and assigns a sales curve and run rate to each SKU. You can set growth assumptions later, in the Workspace.
Step 2: Sales Curves
A sales curve is the share of a year's demand that falls in each month, which is useful for seasonal products or SKUs with little sales history. Built-in curves are derived from your sales history. You'll also find three custom curves you can name and edit. Each custom curve must total 100% before you can continue.
Step 3: Workspace
The Workspace is where you fine-tune the forecast. Each SKU shows its Sales Curve (with a chart), Run Rate and Growth, alongside details like Parent ASIN, Fulfillment Type and Pareto Class.
Run Rate estimates demand from a trailing window of sales: T1M, T3M, T6M or T12M Annual Run Rate. Pick one that matches the data available. For example, T1M Annual Run Rate suits a newer SKU with only a couple of months of sales.
Growth: click a SKU's growth value to open the growth editor. Choose an Annual Growth Rate, applied evenly across all forecast months, or Monthly Growth, where the rates repeat each forecast year and compound. Presets are available for common annual rates.
To change many SKUs at once, select them in the grid, choose an action (Change Sales Curve, Change Run Rate, Change Growth or Reset to Auto-Assigned) and click Apply. To select every SKU, tick the header checkbox and then click Select all … items in the banner that appears. Reset to Auto-Assigned restores the settings Kapoq originally assigned, discarding your edits.
Step 4: Review
Before applying, the Review step summarizes your forecast: SKUs in forecast, total demand, average units per month, and how many SKUs need attention. Model coverage shows how many SKUs have a sales curve and run rate assigned, and Flags lists any SKUs worth a second look, such as one with no sales in the past 12 months. Click Adjust → to jump back and fix it.
When everything looks right, click Apply. Note that if Use as demand is on, applying replaces the demand forecast for every SKU in this forecast, and you'll be asked to confirm first. If you don't want that, go back to Basics and turn off Use as demand once activated.
Editing an Existing Forecast
On the SKU Unit Forecasts page, click the edit button next to any forecast to reopen it in the wizard. The Created In App column shows which forecasts were built in the wizard and which were uploaded from a workbook, and Use As Demand is checked when a forecast still drives demand for at least one SKU.
Forecasts uploaded from a workbook can be edited in the wizard too. For these, the demand toggle reads Currently driving demand, the final button says Finish instead of Apply, and your changes take effect on your next workbook upload.
FAQ
Which accounts can I forecast?
Any account with sales history in Kapoq. Criteo accounts can't be forecast, because Kapoq only receives advertising data for them, not the sales history a forecast is built from.
Can I forecast at the ASIN level?
The wizard builds SKU-level forecasts. For ASIN-level forecasts, use the workbook (see our Unit Forecasting article).
Will applying a forecast change my restock recommendations?
Yes, if Use as demand is on. Applying replaces the demand forecast for every SKU in the forecast and recalculates restock. You'll be asked to confirm first.
We hope the wizard makes forecasting quicker and easier!