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Function documentationTime Series Aggregation for Distribution Centers

 

You use this function to create a single aggregated time series out of several time series of the same type (for example key figure CONS_DATA). You can only use these time series for forecasting for distribution centers (DCs).

Features

The aggregated time series:

  • Form the basis of forecasts in DCs. Usually, the forecast basis for DCs is the goods issued to the stores or customers. However, the goods issues do not necessarily reflect the real store demands for certain reasons:

    • Goods issues can be affected by stockouts at the DC, so this data does not reflect the real store demands.

    • Different extraordinary demands (promotions, for example) can be mixed in with the goods issues, but only the regular replenishment quantities should be considered by forecasting.

    • Stockouts in the stores may lead to future under-procurement and thus to goods issues that are less than the real demands.

    For these reasons, you may want to use alternative historical data rather than the historical goods issues as the DC forecast basis that better reflects the future:

    • Use the aggregated historical orders of all the stores delivered by the DC.

    • Use the aggregated POS data of all the stores delivered by the DC

    • Use customer-specific alternative historical data as a DC forecast basis that you can provide via the time series interface

  • Serve as DIFS (Demand Influencing Factors) for forecasts in DCs. You can aggregate the following time series for stores to be used as DC DIFs:

    • Aggregated Store Forecast

    • Aggregated Order Forecast

Note the following when aggregating time series:

  • To work with up-to-date data, you must carry out aggregation for the DC at regular intervals.

  • If significant changes are made to the supply relationship, you must aggregate the time series again. This is necessary because the time series might be made up of a different combination of stores and otherwise SAP F&R would perform a delta handling (that is, it will transfer the changes and not the time series themselves).

  • When you re-aggregate the time series, calculations with a large volume of data are made. You start the re-aggregation using the Calculate Aggregated Time Series for DC Forecast transaction, by setting the Re-aggregation of Time Series indicator and entering a time in the past from which the calculation should start in the Start Date for Aggregation field.

    Note Note

    SAP F&R saves order proposals in order proposal management for a period of time that you define. Therefore, you cannot just set the start time for the aggregation of time series as any time in the past that you wish.

    End of the note.

Activities

To work with up-to-date data, you should aggregate time series and store them in the database just prior to the forecast.

To start aggregation of time series and to activate the Re-aggregation of Time Series, choose the following from the SAP Easy Access screen:

Start of the navigation path Forecasting and Replenishment Next navigation step Time Series Next navigation step Calculate Aggregated Time Series for DC Forecast End of the navigation path.

More Information

Order Proposal Management