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 Validate Forecasts with UDF Launchpad

 

The Unified Demand Forecast Launchpad is an optional visualization tool that supports statistical analysts and data analysts in validating the forecasts generated with UDF. The tool allows you to compare historical key performance indicators (KPIs), modeled KPIs, and forecasted KPIs.

The UDF Launchpad consists of two parts:

  • Overview Launchpad

    The Overview Launchpad is the central entry point. It provides a collection of buttons by default and can be enhanced with third party or other tools that also support forecast validation. From here, you can launch the View Time Series dashboard to validate the forecasts.

  • View Time Series dashboard

    The View Time Series dashboard allows you to visualize the actual units, modeled units, and forecasted units in comparison to each other and across other KPIs. You can aggregate and filter the data to any level of the product and location hierarchies.

Implementation Considerations

The use of the UDF Launchpad is optional. You can download it from the SAP Store at Start of the navigation path http://store.sap.com/Information published on SAP site End of the navigation path.

Caution Caution

The UDF Launchpad has been designed solely as a template. There is no product support and the user interface is only available in English.

End of the caution.

To install and configure the UDF Launchpad, read and implement SAP Note 1836357Information published on SAP site. Please note that there are additional hardware requirements for using the tool and that you must plan your system landscape accordingly. For more information about those requirements, see the UDF Launchpad Installation Guide, which you can find in this same note.

For additional installation and configuration information, see the Early Knowledge Transfer content for UDF on SAP Service Marketplace at Start of the navigation path http://service.sap.com/ektInformation published on non-SAP site End of the navigation path.

Features

Overview Launchpad

  • Central entry point

  • Customizable

  • Link to other dashboards, tools, and reports as needed

  • Launch the View Time Series dashboard

View Time Series Dashboard

  • Compare and contrast historical sales data for selected products and locations

  • Visualize the year-over-year effects for any time series

  • Analyze differences in sales history

  • Visualize demand modeling and forecasting results and compare them to historical sales

  • Filter the data to be displayed from a range of options (such as Logical System, Product Hierarchy, Location Hierarchy)

  • Aggregate to different levels of the product hierarchy and the location hierarchy (such as Department, Category, and Subcategory)

  • Customize the labels of the hierarchies

  • View time series as a graph or a table

  • Scale the time series graph vertically and horizontally

  • Save dashboard scenarios locally

Process

You can validate forecasts as follows:

You enter the View Time Series dashboard from the top left icon on the Overview Launchpad. You can then select the data that you want to display from the following options:

  • Logical System

    • Log on to the desired logical system. Note that initially you get all products and locations.

    • Default setting: First logical system on the hardware that the dashboard is configured to look at.

  • Product Hierarchy

    • Select from a merchandise hierarchy, multiple article hierarchies, or product groups.

    • Default setting: First product hierarchy listed.

  • Location Hierarchy

    • Select from a location hierarchy or location groups (for example, from SAP ERP).

    • Default setting: First location hierarchy listed.

  • Assign Level

    • Select the desired hierarchy levels to filter or aggregate from. Note that you can customize the level labels.

    • This configuration is available for both the product hierarchy and the location hierarchy.

    • Default setting – Product Hierarchy:

      • Level 1: Department

      • Level 2: Category

      • Level 3: Subcategory

    • Default setting – Location Hierarchy:

      • Level 1: Banner

      • Level 2: Region

      • Level 3: State

  • Product Hierarchy – level selections

    • For each of the three levels that have been configured with the Assign Level option, you can do the following: select a specific hierarchy node, display aggregated data, or drill down to a particular product within the selected node.

    • Example: You can display a time series for an entire category. If you find a category of concern, you can easily switch to a particular product within that category to review.

    • Default setting:

      • Level 1: ALL

      • Level 2: ALL

      • Level 3: ALL

  • Location Hierarchy – level selections

    • For each of the three levels that have been configured with the Assign Level option, you can do the following: select a specific hierarchy node, display aggregated data, or drill down to a particular location within the selected node.

    • Example: You can display a time series for an entire region. If you find a region of concern, you can easily switch to a particular location within that region to review.

    • Default setting:

      • Level 1: ALL

      • Level 2: ALL

      • Level 3: ALL

  • Begin Date / End Date

    • You can specify the period to be displayed on the x-axis of the time series graph.

    • A maximum of 120 points can be displayed. The date displayed is based on the begin date.

    • Default setting:

      • Begin Date: Today minus 365 days

      • End Date: Today plus 90 days

  • Granularity

    • You can select the time granularity for the time series display. Note that only daily granularity is supported at this time.

    • Default setting: Daily

  • Demand Data Type

    • You can select which demand data type you would like to view. The options available depend on the data types persisted in Demand Data Foundation (DDF).

    • Supported demand data types:

      • Point-of-sale (POS) data

    • Default setting: Point of Sale

  • KPI Selection for Time Series Graph

    • The x-axis is defaulted to time. You can display any values persisted over time.

    • The dashboard is flexible and allows you to visualize multiple key performance indicators (KPIs) on the two y-axes. You can select from the following:

      • Units

      • Price

      • Revenue

      • Margin

      • Offers

    • Example: You can compare units against offers. Or you can compare revenue against price.

    • Default setting:

      • Y1 Axis: Units

      • Y2 Axis: no preselection

  • Show Current and Previous Year

    • You can display the year-over-year effects for any time series.

    • This function considers your begin date and end date, then subtracts 365 days to determine the year-over-year range.

    • Example: You want to display the effects of the Christmas holiday year over year.

  • Table View

    • You can display the data from the time series graph as a grid. The table view can be particularly helpful to detect patterns within the data.

Note Note

To see your changes in the time series graph, choose the refresh button on the top right.

End of the note.

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