What is Forecast?
The Forecasts module is a key component of the Demand-Driven Strategy. It allows users to upload, manage, and apply forecast data to calculate replenishment needs.
To access the Forecasts page, navigate to
☰ > Replenishment > Forecasts
Note:
Items utilizing the Demand-Driven Replenishment Strategy must be uploaded to the Forecast module.
Preparing the Forecast CSV file
Forecast for Non-weighted items:
For any non-weighted items, the CSV file must follow the format below and have the following fields/columns.
SKU: Unique identifier for the item.
storeLocationId: ID of the warehouse or store location.
demandDate: The date for which the demand is forecasted.
systemDemand: Predicted demand automatically calculated by the system using forecasting models based on historical data and trends.
manualDemand: Demand values manually entered by users.
safetyStock: A pre-set quantity of additional stock to act as a buffer against unexpected demand.
⚠️ Note: Forecast uploaded with manualDemand values takes priority over systemDemand.
Here is an example of how your CSV file should be structured:
SKU | storeLocationId | demandDate | systemDemand | manualDemand | safetyStock |
543 | 1 | 2024-11-18 | 10 | 5 | 3 |
543 | 1 | 2024-11-19 | 10 | 20 | 5 |
543 | 1 | 2024-11-20 | 20 | 5 | 0 |
789 | 2 | 2024-11-19 | 15 | 5 | 0 |
789 | 2 | 2024-11-10 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
789 | 2 | 2024-11-11 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
Forecast for Material items with weighted UOMs:
For material items with weighted UOMs, the CSV file must have two additional fields/columns:
uom: Unit of measure for the SKU. e.g., lb, kg, etc.
isMaterial:
TRUE: the replenishment treats the first column as the Material item id
FALSE: the replenishment treats the first column as the SKU
Here is an example of how your CSV file should be structured:
SKU | storeLocationId | demandDate | systemDemand | manualDemand | safetyStock | uom | isMaterial |
456 | 001 | 2024-11-18 | 10 | 5 | 0 | lb | TRUE |
456 | 001 | 2024-11-19 | 15 | 5 | 0 | lb | TRUE |
456 | 001 | 2024-11-20 | 10 | 5 | 0 | lb | TRUE |
043 | 0002 | 2024-11-19 | 20 | 10 | 0 | kg | TRUE |
043 | 0002 | 2024-11-20 | 10 | 10 | 0 | kg | TRUE |
043 | 0002 | 2024-11-21 | 10 | 0 | 0 | kg | TRUE |
⚠️ Note: Ensure all date formats are in YYYY-MM-DD and fields are case-sensitive to avoid upload errors.
Downloadable CSV Templates
For ease of use, download the pre-formatted templates:
Using the Forecasts Module
The Forecasts module allows users to upload, activate, and apply forecast data to their warehouse for accurate demand planning. Follow the steps below to manage forecasts efficiently.
Upload a Forecast File:
On the Forecasts page, Click
Importand either drag and drop the CSV file or select it manually from your system.Click the
Importto upload the file.Once uploaded, the file will have a Not Activated status.
Activate the Forecast File:
Locate the uploaded file in the Forecast List.
Use the actions menu (⋮) and click
Activate.The file status will change from Activating to Activated once the process is complete.
Actualize the Current Warehouse:
After activating the forecast file, click Actualize Current Warehouse at the top of the Forecasts page.
This step ensures that the real-time forecast data is applied to the selected warehouse.
View and Filter Forecast Data:
Open an activated forecast file to view the data in weekly or monthly demand trends.
Use the search bar or category filters to focus on specific items.
⚠️ Note:
Users can only upload entries for items not currently in the min-max strategy.
If the forecast file contains the items that are currently in the min-max strategy you will get the below error during the forecast upload.
”The following items are currently min-maxed. Please delete them from the Strategies page prior to including them in a forecast file.”
Adjust Forecast Data
To adjust the forecast data, the forecast file needs to be deactivated on the forecast list.
To deactivate the file, use the actions menu (⋮) and click
Dectivate.
Click the deactivated forecast file to edit it, and then click the "Adjust Order Volume" option to make changes to forecasted quantities.
Save changes or click Save and Activate to apply updates for immediate system use.
Adjusting Forecast Data
If you need to modify forecasted quantities, you must first deactivate the forecast file before making adjustments. Follow the steps below to update and apply changes to the forecast data.
Deactivate the Forecast File
Navigate to the Forecast List.
Click the actions menu (⋮) next to the file and select Deactivate.
Adjust Forecasted Quantities
Click on the deactivated forecast file to open it.
Select the Adjust Order Volume option to modify forecasted quantities.
Save and Apply Changes
Click Save to store the changes without activating the file.
Click Save and Activate to apply the updates immediately for system use.
Please note that after any adjustment to the forecast, click the "Actualize current warehouse" button at the top of the Forecasts page to ensure the forecast data is applied to the current warehouse.