Technical name: 0CP_SLSC2_Q0001

"Pipeline" refers to the distribution of finished products from a consumer product manufacturer to the consumer. In a pipeline analysis, the manufacturer's shipments are compared to retail sales with the consumer on an equivalized unit basis. Shipments are taken from the invoice document, retail sales from the fact data provided by ACNielsen U.S.A.. The result is the inventory change in the ACNielsen Market, which gives some hints about the future shipment volume: When inventory in the market is increased, retailers will likely order less product in the future – and vice versa.

This query based on the pipeline model provides important information that can be used in long-term planning. For this purpose, the trend over eight quarters is displayed as an example. By making assumptions about the category growth and target market share, you can calculate the expected shipment volume, which in turn allows you to adjust production capacities on a long-term basis.

You can further refine this analysis by considering absolute market stock figures. These are collected by ACNielsen's field service and updated in the InfoCube, where you can add your own sales figures and subtract consumption (both in EQU).