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 Forecast Multiple Product Types

 

This feature allows you to run demand modeling and forecasting on multiple product types in the same client at the same time. For example, your assortment might include never-out-of-stock (NOS) products and short life cycle products, both within the same category. Both product types have different characteristics (such as the length of their sales period or their replenishment type), which should be considered in forecasting.

Unified Demand Forecast (UDF) provides product-type-specific demand model definitions which include a seasonal component that is different for products with short life cycles. You can configure by product which model definition to use.

Features

  • Improve forecast accuracy by using product-type-specific model definitions.

  • Configure the model definition at the level of the individual product location.

  • Model and forecast different product types together (for the same time series source and diagnostic ID).

Integration

The model definition for a specific product location is determined based on the material requirements planning type (MRP type) that is assigned to it in the master data system.

The MRP type can come from the standard integration with your SAP ERP system or a third-party system. For more information about integration options, see the Master Data Replication from SAP ERP to Demand Data Foundation section in this Help as well as the Common Master Guide at Start of the navigation path http://help.sap.com/carInformation published on non-SAP site Next navigation step <your release> Next navigation step Installation and Upgrade Information Next navigation step Master Guide Next navigation step Introduction to SAP Customer Activity Repository Next navigation step Demand Data Foundation End of the navigation path.

Implementation Considerations

Customizing

You can configure the model definitions for your product types using the following Customizing activities under Start of the navigation path Cross-Application Components Next navigation step Demand Data Foundation Next navigation step Modeling and Forecasting End of the navigation path :

  • Define Model Categories

  • Assign Material Requirements Planning Types to Model Categories

  • Assign Demand Model Definitions

For more information, see the Customizing activity documentation (transaction SPRO) and the long text of message /DMF/UDF_BUSINESS021 (transaction SE91).

Recommendation Recommendation

Choosing a Demand Model Definition

  • The default model definition selected is for replenished goods (NOS products) and referred to in your system as the RTL model definition (see the Assign Demand Model Definitions activity). Note that if no action is taken, or no model definition is assigned to the MRP types in your data, this default definition is used.

  • If your assortment includes short life cycle products, see the Assign Demand Model Definitions activity for additional model definitions, in particular, the RTLSDP definition provided in the Customizing client.

End of the recommendation.
Upgrading

This feature is available as of SAP Customer Activity Repository 2.0 FP2 and enhances the ability to set separate model definitions for specific products. If you are upgrading from a lower release, carefully read the following and take appropriate action if required.

Caution Caution

If you have created custom model definitions in the Manage Demand Model Definitions function (choose transaction SM34 and open view cluster /DMF/VC_MOD_DEF), please be aware that action should be taken. Ensure that each model definition is mapped to the appropriate model category, or the RTL default definition will be used.

Follow these steps:

  1. Check if you have defined a production forecast (blank Diagnostic ID in the Assign Demand Model Definitions Customizing activity) that references your custom model definition (and not the RTL default definition).

  2. Check if you have made any specific entries for this production forecast.

  3. If either answer is yes and you want to keep your custom entries, you must transfer them from /DMF/UMD_TS_MOD (old table) to /DMF/UMD_MOD_MAP (new table provided as of SAP Customer Activity Repository 2.0 FP2 and mapping model definitions to model categories).

    If you don't do this, the system will use the RTL default model definition for production forecasts as well as the UMC (Unspecified Model Category) default model category in the above Customizing activities.

End of the caution.