Forecast Simulation
Process to Calculate Forecast simulation
Help
The forecast simulation window, allows to define the required parameters to process a forecast calculation, these parameters are used for the forecast engine to extract the data from the sales historical, to execute the calculation algorithm based on the forecast rule and to save the forecast results.
Window Type
Maintain
The Sales Transaction checkbox indicates if this item is a Sales Transaction.
Tabs
Forecast Simulation
Description Create the forecast simulation based on the forecast definition Help *\ Forecast Definition:\ Establishes the forecast definition for this simulation.
\ **Forecast Rule: **\ Establishes the forecast rule to calculate this simulation.
\ **Operational Calendar: **\ Establishes the calendar to use, for the base periods definition and the target period definition.
\ Source Warehouse:\ Determines the warehouse for which the sales statistics information will be filtered, in this way it is possible to calculate a forecast for an specific warehouse.
\ **Base Period Definition: **\ Defines the basic periods to filter the sales history information.
\ **Target Periods Definition: **\ Defines the target periods, once the simulation process is executed the calculated values are organized in the order of the target periods definition.
\ **Periods Historical: **\ Determines the number of history periods, which must be used for the forecast calculation, the periods number are equivalent to the defined inputs at the operational calendar.
\ **Target Warehouse: **\ Determines the destiny warehouse with which the results are generated. In some enterprises the sales historical is generated for each point of sales, by this field is possible to change the source warehouse to a target warehouse with the goal of consolidate the demand in a target warehouse.
\ **Calculate Forecast: *\ This process allows to execute, by the forecast engine, the calculus algorithm established by the forecast rule, the forecast engine uses the established factors in the forecast definition. The calculated values for each period are saved as result of the simulation.
The Single Row Layout checkbox indicates if the default display type for this window is a single row as opposed to multi row.
If not selected, the user cannot create a new Record. This is automatically disabled, if the Tab is Read Only.
Fields
Client
Description Client/Tenant for this installation. Help A Client is a company or a legal entity. You cannot share data between Clients. Tenant is a synonym for Client.
Organization
Description Organizational entity within client Help An organization is a unit of your client or legal entity - examples are store, department. You can share data between organizations.
Document No
Description Document sequence number of the document Help *The document number is usually automatically generated by the system and determined by the document type of the document. If the document is not saved, the preliminary number is displayed in "<>".
If the document type of your document has no automatic document sequence defined, the field is empty if you create a new document. This is for documents which usually have an external number (like vendor invoice). If you leave the field empty, the system will generate a document number for you. The document sequence used for this fallback number is defined in the "Maintain Sequence" window with the name "DocumentNo_", where TableName is the actual name of the table (e.g. C_Order).*
Description
Description Optional short description of the record Help A description is limited to 255 characters.
Active
Description The record is active in the system Help There are two methods of making records unavailable in the system: One is to delete the record, the other is to de-activate the record. A de-activated record is not available for selection, but available for reports. There are two reasons for de-activating and not deleting records: (1) The system requires the record for audit purposes. (2) The record is referenced by other records. E.g., you cannot delete a Business Partner, if there are invoices for this partner record existing. You de-activate the Business Partner and prevent that this record is used for future entries.
Forecast Definition
Forecast Rule
Description Forecast Rules define the business logic according to a previously implemented algorithm.
Operational Calendar
Description Operational Period, allows to define the periods for the Operational Calendar
Source Warehouse
Description Optional Warehouse to replenish from Help If defined, the warehouse selected is used to replenish the product(s)
Base Period Definition
Description Period Definition, allows to define time cycles for the Operational Calendar
Periods of History
Description Number Period of History
Target Period Definition
Description Period Definition, allows to define time cycles for the Operational Calendar
Target Warehouse
Description Storage Warehouse and Service Point Help The Warehouse identifies a unique Warehouse where products are stored or Services are provided.
Calculate Forecast
Processed
Description The document has been processed Help The Processed checkbox indicates that a document has been processed.
Master of Forecast Simulation
Description The records of this tab are generated as result of applying the combinations set in the forecast definition, each master record is a unique combination of product, warehouse, and the forecast factors used for this calculus. Help *\ **Alpha Factor: **\ This factor is used for the forecast engine and determines the smoothing constant used for some forecast models of exponential smoothing. It hast to be a value in the range of 0.0-1.0
\ Gamma Factor:\ This factor is used for the forecast engine and determines the smoothing constant used in second place for some forecast models of exponential smoothing forecast, the Gamma Factor is used to smooth the tendency, it must be a value in the range of 0.0-1.0
\ **Multiplied Factor: **\ This factor is used by the forecast engine and determines the percentage in which the calculated quantity of the forecast is increased or decreased. A negative percentage indicates the quantity is reduced.
\ Scalar Factor:\ This factor is used for the forecast engine and determines the percentage to be multiplied or scale a calculated quantity of the forecast, this value must be absolute.
The Read Only indicates that this field may only be Read. It may not be updated.
Fields
Forecast Run
Description Create the forecast simulation based on the forecast definition
Forecast Definition Line
Product
Description Product, Service, Item Help Identifies an item which is either purchased or sold in this organization.
Warehouse
Description Storage Warehouse and Service Point Help The Warehouse identifies a unique Warehouse where products are stored or Services are provided.
Active
Description The record is active in the system Help There are two methods of making records unavailable in the system: One is to delete the record, the other is to de-activate the record. A de-activated record is not available for selection, but available for reports. There are two reasons for de-activating and not deleting records: (1) The system requires the record for audit purposes. (2) The record is referenced by other records. E.g., you cannot delete a Business Partner, if there are invoices for this partner record existing. You de-activate the Business Partner and prevent that this record is used for future entries.
Factor Alpha
Description Identifies an Factor Alpha Help The Factor Alpha is smoothing constant used in this exponential smoothing model.
Factor Gamma
Description Identifies a Factor Gamma Help Factor Gamma is the second smoothing constant (gamma) used in this exponential smoothing model This is used to smooth the trend.
Factor Beta
Description Identifies a Factor Beta Help *Factor Beta is the second smoothing constant (beta) used in this Triple exponential smoothing model.
betaTolerance the required precision/accuracy - or tolerance of error - required in the estimate of the beta smoothing constant*
User Factor
Description Identifies a User Factor Help The User Factor used in some forecast rules.
Factor Multiplier
Description Identifies a Factor Multiplier Help Factor Multiplier defines the increase or decrease in percentage for the forecast quantity, A negative percentage indicates that the amount is reduced.
Factor Scale
Description Identifies a Factor Scale Help Factor Scale defines the scale in percentage applied for the forecast quantity, this value cannot be negative.
Forecast Simulation Detail
Description Contains the forecasting calculation results based on forecast definition. Help The records of this tab are generated as result of applying the established combinations in the forecast definitions and the number of established periods in the definition of basic periods for each master of forecast simulation, a detail record is created for each period accumulating the invoiced quantities between the range of the start and the period end date.
The Read Only indicates that this field may only be Read. It may not be updated.
Fields
Forecast Run Master
Operational Period
Description Forecast Definition Periods.
Period No
Description Unique Period Number Help The Period No identifies a specific period for this year. Each period is defined by a start and end date. Date ranges for a calendar and year cannot overlap.
Calculated Quantity
Description Calculated Quantity
Active
Description The record is active in the system Help There are two methods of making records unavailable in the system: One is to delete the record, the other is to de-activate the record. A de-activated record is not available for selection, but available for reports. There are two reasons for de-activating and not deleting records: (1) The system requires the record for audit purposes. (2) The record is referenced by other records. E.g., you cannot delete a Business Partner, if there are invoices for this partner record existing. You de-activate the Business Partner and prevent that this record is used for future entries.
Forecast Run Detail
Description Contains the forecasting calculation results based on forecast definition.
Forecast Run Line
Description Shows the source of the sales historical for each detail.
The Read Only indicates that this field may only be Read. It may not be updated.
Fields
Sales History
Description Sales History for statistics and forecast
Quantity Invoiced
Description Invoiced Quantity Help The Invoiced Quantity indicates the quantity of a product that have been invoiced.
Results of the Forecast Simulation
Description The records on this tab are generated by the execution of the Forecast Engine, using the implemented algorithm in the Forecast Rule, a record is created for each established period in the target periods definition. Help The Forecast Engine uses the Forecast Simulation Detail, the Forecast Rule and the factors, to calculate a resultant forecast for each target period, this allows to use the sales historical of the previous year and to calculate the current year sales forecast
If not selected, the user cannot create a new Record. This is automatically disabled, if the Tab is Read Only.
Fields
Forecast Run Master
Forecast Rule
Description Forecast Rules define the business logic according to a previously implemented algorithm.
Operational Period
Description Forecast Definition Periods.
Period No
Description Unique Period Number Help The Period No identifies a specific period for this year. Each period is defined by a start and end date. Date ranges for a calendar and year cannot overlap.
Description
Description Optional short description of the record Help A description is limited to 255 characters.
Calculated Quantity
Description Calculated Quantity
Quantity Plan
Description Planned Quantity Help Planned Quantity
Abnormal Quantity
Description Abnormal Demand Quantity
Active
Description The record is active in the system Help There are two methods of making records unavailable in the system: One is to delete the record, the other is to de-activate the record. A de-activated record is not available for selection, but available for reports. There are two reasons for de-activating and not deleting records: (1) The system requires the record for audit purposes. (2) The record is referenced by other records. E.g., you cannot delete a Business Partner, if there are invoices for this partner record existing. You de-activate the Business Partner and prevent that this record is used for future entries.