National Forecast
The page provides an overview of the National Forecast tab
National Level Forecast involves establishing target values for each SKU included in the plan on a national scale for each month within the cycle, as well as for the entire cycle.
To allocate targets, the initial stage involves understanding the national-level targets. Determining the national target involves examining historical sales data for each specific SKU. This allows us to understand recent performance over the last three months. For instance, when establishing the target for Q1 2023, we can begin by referencing sales figures from Q4 2022.
Recognising the seasonal nature of certain products, the system presents both quarterly and yearly growth metrics. This comprehensive approach enables an understanding of performance trends, enabling stakeholders to make informed decisions regarding target allocation. By offering insights into whether a comparison with the previous quarter or the corresponding period of the previous year is more relevant, organizations can tailor their strategies accordingly.
Following a thorough analysis of the data, the user has the ability to establish the national target for the entire cycle. This pivotal step in the process ensures that targets are set based on comprehensive insights derived from historical data and market trends, setting the stage for effective sales planning and execution.
National targets are to be input on a monthly level for each SKU added to the plan, as well as for the associated relevant markets, if "Set Market Share Option" has been enabled.
Set National Target for SKUs
In the National Forecast tab, you can define national targets for each SKU added to the plan. The "Planned SKU Sales Forecast at National Level" table includes a Volumes section with editable cells for each month within the current cycle. When a user changes the target value for a month, the corresponding row in the table will be highlighted in blue, indicating that the changes have been made but not yet saved. Before saving, the button will also indicate the number of rows that have been updated. To save the changes, users must click the 'Save changes' button.
Set Monthly Forecasts for Relevant Markets
The Relevant Market Forecast table contains columns labelled as 'Monthly Forecast,' where users can establish targets for each month within the current cycle. When a user changes the target value for a month, the corresponding row in the table will be highlighted in blue, indicating that the changes have been made but not yet saved. To save the changes, users must click the 'Save changes' button.
Reload historical data
When new data becomes available during the planning process, the system will display a warning above the tables: "More recent sales data is available," along with a button labelled "Reload Historical Data." If the user wishes to bring these new data into the table, they must press this button, after which all values in the table will be recalculated based on the new data.
Update the National Forecast after adjustments
If you have made manual adjustments to the brick and/or rep level and for some reason afterwards you need to update the National Forecast, when doing so you will be informed by the system that this update affects the adjustments.
In this case, you will have 2 options:
You can choose to override all the adjustments. This will erase your manual changes and recalculate all the local-level targets.
You can choose to override only the unadjusted targets. This will keep your manual changes and only change the local level targets for the other bricks/reps.
Additional functionalities
Copy Mode
The "Copy Mode" functionality enables users to effectively handle table values, as the default display rounds values to two decimal places. Upon activation of the Copy Mode button (the one that looks like a clipboard), users can view or copy non-rounded (raw) values. To enable this functionality, click on the 'Copy Mode' button in the tables' upper right corner.
Simply hover your mouse over the column in the table you're interested in, and you'll notice the full value of the field displayed next to the mouse cursor. To copy the value, just click on the desired field.
To disable this functionality, just click the 'Copy Mode' button again.
Table Settings
Users can personalize their table view by using the Table Settings feature. Access this feature by clicking the gear icon located in the top-right corner of the tables.
When you click the gear icon, a pop-up window will appear, giving you the option to customize the table by hiding or displaying specific columns. Adjust your preferences using the toggles, then click the save button to apply your changes.
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