DemandCaster Suggested Order Groupings and Trend Indices

We have released a couple of new features today that we hope our user's will find helpful.

With the introduction of the order period logic a few weeks back that combines orders that are scheduled in weekly buckets into a combined order grouping based on how often you wish to order i.e. Once every 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, etcetera, the forecast graph and the suggested orders now match. Prior to this update, the suggested order would be the combined order quantity and the graph and forecast table would show the weekly orders. In addition, for those companies that utilize the capacity analysis functionality of DemandCaster this combined planned quantity is now tied to the capacity analysis to allow the user to see the impact of future planned shop orders.

We have also introduced new trend indices as part of the classification analysis. You will now see the A,B,C classification analysis code followed by two symbols. The first symbol designates an overall trend for the item comparing the items 13 week average to its 52 week average. The second symbol designates the direction of the trend since the last analysis was performed (minimum of a weekly period). The symbols are either two plus signs (++), two minus signs (--), two equal signs (==), or a combination of the three signs. Coupling this information with the significance of the change as defined in the Alert, Concern, and OK Demand Change Status alerts, the user can use this information to apply safety stock policies or adjust forecasting. The two new trend indices are as follows:

• The first +, -, or = sign means the 13 week average is either increasing, decreasing, or holding flat relative to the 52 week average.


• The second +, -, or = sign means the trend as compared to the last analysis (minimum of 1 week span) is either increasing, decreasing, or holding flat.

Thus, an A++ classification means a top 80% revenue or margin generating item is on a continual upward demand trend. Such an item should be monitored to assure the forecasts are accommodating such growth and there is sufficient safety stock to assure there are no stockout during the replenishment lead time.

We hope you will find these two enhancements helpful.