1 Getting Started

Oracle Retail Assortment and Space Optimization (ASO) is used to determine the optimal selection and arrangement of products within stores by optimizing the product assortment and product placement on a virtual planogram. ASO uses information about available space, product dimensions, expected demand, replenishment schedules, merchandising rules, fixture space, and category goals in order to create a virtual planogram that optimizes total performance. The products and product assortments that are selected for the virtual planograms are the ones that ASO recommends for the finalized assortment. The recommended product level data is used inside Category Management, while the virtual planograms created in ASO are also then available to be used in space planning.

ASO supports real-time data integration with Category Management via the RPAS Hybrid Storage Architecture (HSA).

ASO supports the following fixture types:

Shelves
Pegboards
Freezer chests
Shelf/pegboard combinations

Optimizations are run at either the Store level or at the Space Cluster level. Space Clusters are ad hoc groups of stores used for optimization. Each space cluster includes stores that are in the same assortment, have the same product list, and have the same current planogram length (or same POG length, height, and depth, if selected). Space clusters are typically a level between assortment cluster and store. ASO creates these groups by splitting stores from an assortment cluster into smaller groups of stores that have the same product list and the same current planogram length.

At a high level, ASO starts with an assortment that is ready for optimization. The assortment is mapped to one or more planograms and one or more optimization runs occur. Approved runs are then available for assortment analysis and can then be finalized and exported.

Installing and Configuring ASO

For information about the installation, configuration, and implementation of ASO, see Oracle Retail Advanced Science Engine Installation Guide and Oracle Retail Advanced Science Engine Implementation Guide.

Users and Roles

The following four user login roles are available:

Micro Space Optimization Analyst – main business user responsible for day-to-day micro-space optimization activities
Category Manager – product-assortment-centric user who is interested in viewing ASO results and in the translation of data between Category Management, Retail Analytics, and ASO
Administrator – responsible for general system setup and configuration tasks related to the business
Analytical Super User – responsible for analytical configuration, testing, and model diagnosis

Table 1-1 User Roles and Permissions

Privilege	Data Access	Micro ASO Analyst	Category Manager	Administrator	Analytical Super User
Create new ASO run	All runs	X			X
Modify existing ASO run	Runs they created	X			X
Modify the name and description of an existing ASO run.	Runs they created
View existing ASO run	All runs	X	X	X	X
Submit or re-submit ASO run	Runs they created	X			X
	Runs they created with technical failures
	All runs with technical failures	X		X
Approve ASO runs	Runs they created
Delete saved ASO runs	Runs they created
Delete saved ASO runs	All runs
View list of saved ASO runs	All runs
View mapping of products to POG sets	All assortments
Modify mapping of products to POG sets	All assortments
Toggle assortment status between Ready for ASO and POG Mapping Needs Review	All assortments
View rules for mapping products in POG sets	All assortments
Modify rules for mapping products to POG sets	All assortments
Analyze space-optimized assortments	All assortments
Finalize and export space-optimized assortments	All assortments
Roll back finalized and exported space-optimized assortments	All assortments
View list of space-optimized assortments	All assortments

Table 1-2 User Constraints

Role		Privilege		Object	Status
Users	Cannot	Modify existing ASO run	When	Run is	Running, approved, or finalized
Users	Cannot	Submit or resubmit ASO runs	When	Run is	Running, approved, or finalized
Users	Cannot	Approve ASO runs	Unless	Run is	Complete
Users	Cannot	Delete saved ASO runs	When	Run is	Running, approved, or finalized
Administrator	Cannot	Delete saved ASO runs	When	Run is	Finalized
Users	Cannot	Modify mapping of products in POG sets	Unless	Assortment is	With status of POG Mapping Needs Review
Users	Cannot	Toggle assortment status between Ready for ASO and POG Mapping Needs Review	When	Assortment is	With status of POG Mapping Needs Review and also has mappings with errors (both conditions must be true)
Users	Cannot	Modify rules for mapping products to POG sets	When	Assortment is	Finalized or exported

Logging In

Once ASO is installed, you can access the application using the following URL:http://<SERVER>:<PORT>/so/faces/oracle/retail/rse/so/fe/view/page/SpaceOptimizationHome.jspx

To access the application standalone, use the following:

http://<SERVER>:<PORT>/so

Overview of the User Interface

The ASO user interface, at a high level, consists of

Task pane. Located on the left side of the application. Use this to navigate between the four main tabs.
The four tabs that you use to do the application work: Optimization List (described in Chapter 3, "Optimization List"), Assortment List (described in Chapter 2, "Assortment List"), Execute Space Optimization (described in Chapter 4, "Execute Space Optimization"), and Assortment Mapping (described in Chapter 5, "Assortment Mapping").
Contextual information. Located on the right side of the application. Use the various tabs to set up runs and to view graphical and tabular data that can help you as you interpret the optimization results. In addition, the tools can be used during the run setup to provide additional information about data involved in the run setup.

Figure 1-1 ASO User Interface

Figure 1-2 shows the command menu to access the four ASO tabs.

Figure 1-2 ASO Command Menu

Icons

The following icons are used in ASO. Certain icons have slightly different definitions, depending on the context.

Table 1-3 Icons

Icon	Icon Description
	Add. Add row.
	Compare to history.
	Copy a run. Add a planogram. On the Assortment Mappings screen, it is used to create a "like" planogram.
	Create. Create a run.
	Detach.
	Delete. Delete a run. Delete planogram.
	Edit. Change status.
	Embedded help.
	Export to Excel. Export all.
	Freeze.
	Go to top.
	Go up.
	Move all items to other list.
	Move selected items to other list.
	Progress indicator. The indicator changes mode when the application is processing data.
	Query by example.
	Re-map.
	Refresh.
	Remove all items from list.
	Remove selected items from list.
	Required.
	Select date.
	Show as top.
	View configuration. View results.
	Wrap.

Buttons

Buttons are used to perform certain actions and for navigation.

Table 1-4 Buttons

Button	Button Description
Action	Provides access to the following actions: Submit, Re-Submit, Validate, Save As, and Approve.
Add All Stores	Within the Add Stores dialog box, used to add all stores instead of a sub-group of stores.
Apply	In Optimization Objectives, used with the Edit Objectives drop-down list.
Back	Used to return to the previous train stop.
Cancel	Used to close a dialog box without making a selection.
Choose Stores	In Optimization Setup, when creating a new run, provides access to a dialog box for adding stores.
Clear Selection	In Assortment Analysis, clears the Selected Runs list.
Details	Radio button that toggles the display between a detailed view and a summary view.
Edit Constraints	In Optimization Objectives, provides access to the Edit Constraints dialog box, which you use to edit settings.
Export	In Assortment Analysis, makes the selected finalized run available for use by other applications.
Finalize	In Assortment Analysis, finalizes the selected run.
Next	Moves to the next train stop.
No Template	Clears the template section.
Save	Saves the existing settings.
Summary	Radio button that toggles the display between a detailed view and a summary view.
Table View	Radio button that toggles the display between a table view of the data and a tree view of the data.
Tree View	Radio button that toggles the display between a table view of the data and a tree view of the data.
View Results	In Assortment Analysis, displays results for runs in the Selected Runs list.

Pull-Down Menus

The ASO user interface has three pull-down menus that provide access to a variety of functionality.

The Format pull-down menu and the View pull-down menu can be used to adjust how the display is organized. For example, you can resize the columns or detach a table from the interface.

The Actions pull-down menu provide functionality that you use to manipulate the application data. Some of the following functionality is also provided by the icons described in Table 1-3.

Table 1-5 Actions Pull-Down Menu Functionality

Action Name	Description
Create Run	In Optimization List, takes user to Optimization Setup train stop.
Copy Run	In Optimization List, used to create a duplicate of an existing run.
Delete Run	In Optimization List, used to delete a run.
Export to Excel	Used to export to Excel.
Rollback	In Assortment List, used to revert the status of a run.
Re-Map	In Assortment Mapping, re-maps the planogram to product.
Add Planogram	In Assortment Mapping, provides access to the Select Planogram Nodes dialog box.
Delete Planogram	In Assortment Mapping, used to delete the selected planogram.
Add Row	Add a row to the display.
Mark for Optimization	In Fixture and Product Data, used to select a product for optimization (indicated with a check mark).
View Configuration	In Fixture and Product Data, displays an empty planogram for the selected product.
Compare to History	In Fixture and Product Data, and in Results and Analysis, displays historical planogram that is populated.
Add	In Objectives and Constraints - Product Groups, used to add data.
Edit	In Objectives and Constraints - Product Groups, used to edit data.
Delete	In Objectives and Constraints - Product Groups, used to delete data.
View Results	In Assortment Analysis, processes the selected run. Once the processing is complete, the results are displayed in the table.
Export All	In Results and Analysis, used to export all the results.
Create	In Fixture and Product Data,
Change Status	In Assortment Mapping, used to update the status.
Save As	Makes a copy of the run that currently open

Histograms

The stages have associated histograms available on the right-hand side of the display that can help you analyze the data presented in that stage. You can adjust the way the histogram presents the data by changing the number of bins that are used in the display. Once you change the number of bins, click the Refresh button to update the display.

Charts

Certain stage have associated charts available on the right-hand side of the display that list data in a tabular format.

Process Train

The process train displays the stages of Execute Space Optimization. The current stage is highlighted. You can also use the Back button and the Next button to move through the train.

Embedded Help

Embedded help, which you access by clicking the Question Mark icon, provides additional information about the type of details required by certain fields.

Process Indicator

At the top of the user interface, in the right-hand corner, is a process indicator that you can use to monitor the status of a user action such as clicking Next to go to the next stage.

Search

In certain cases, you can customize your search, using advanced search capabilities to specify the search criteria.

Workflow

ASO is used to optimize a category manager's assortment plan by creating optimal planograms. The category manager creates a preliminary assortment and wants to determine how well that list of products can fit in stores, given the available space, product sizes, and merchandising goals, constraints, and rules. The application creates virtual planograms that organize products onto fixtures in a way that best achieves the optimization objectives. Once the manager finalizes the optimization results, the product level data can be exported for use in planning applications.

Optimization

An optimization can be carried out at one of two location levels: Store or Space Cluster.

In a Store level optimization:

each store is optimized separately, based on the store's individual data
one planogram is produced for each store
store-specific results are produced

In a Space Cluster level optimization:

every space cluster is optimized separately, based on aggregate store data
one planogram is produced for each space cluster
space-cluster-specific results are produced

Space Cluster

A space cluster is an ad hoc group of stores used for optimization. Each space cluster includes stores that are in the same assortment, have the same product list, and have the same current planogram length. Space clusters are typically a level between assortment cluster and store. A fixture configuration can optionally be added to the clustering rules. ASO creates these groups by splitting stores from an assortment cluster into smaller groups of stores that have the same product list, the same current planogram length, and same fixture configuration if activated.

Run Templates

You can pick an existing run that was created for the same POG Set as a template. The system uses the settings for that run and applies them to a new run (which has a new group of products, locations, and data). This allows you to leverage the initial settings from the template run and use them across time, locations, planogram sets, and users.

Validation

Within each stage, you can perform a validation. This provides you with feedback concerning the settings you have configured. Validation can identify conflicts between settings. You see details in the validation report that can help you to resolve any issues. Note that the validation is the same, regardless of which stage you invoke it from.

The conflicts identified by validation include warnings and errors. Warnings occur when constraints can impact or limit the optimization process. Errors prevent the optimization process from producing a solution.

Planogram Mappings

ASO supports various planogram mappings, including the simple case in which a single product category is mapped to a single planogram as well as the case in which a product category's assortment is mapped to multiple planograms on many locations in a store.

Smart Start Process

If detailed shelving data is not available, a planogram cannot show the complete details about the shelving. In such cases, ASO creates fixtures details using a combination of default values and user selection in order to assign shelves to partial shelf fixture planograms. This process occurs automatically when optimization locations are generated. These fixture configurations are available in the Fixture and Product Data stage.

Fixture Types

ASO works with three types of fixtures: shelves, pegboards, and freezer chests. Freezer chests are not the containers in the frozen food section; rather, they are chests that shoppers reach down into in order to select a product. Planograms can support a mixture of shelves and pegboards.

Virtual Planogram

A virtual planogram (VPOG) is a planogram that is created by ASO and that does not contain images of products, only colored rectangles representing products, with supporting hover text for each product on the virtual planogram. A planogram in ASO is the layout of the product on shelves or pegboards with an underlying fixture assumption (for example, the number of shelves or the overall size).

A user can open multiple virtual planograms simultaneously in order to view images for different clusters or stores within the same run. However, only the first virtual planogram that a user opens can be edited, subject to the run status and the permission rules, until the open virtual planograms are closed. ASO only supports the opening of multiple simultaneous virtual planograms if the user is using the same browser session, browser tab, and ASO login session for the same optimization run. In other words, the user must open the multiple virtual planograms for a single run in a single run screen. All other combinations of browser sessions, browser tabs, and multiple ASO logins to open multiple simultaneous virtual planogram windows are not supported. Although some combinations may work in practice, consistent UI behavior is not guaranteed and data integrity issues may occur.

Planogram Set

Planogram set is an ASO concept that refers to a planogram node (which is the subcategory name) and concatenates it with the planogram season, with a hyphen between.

Assortment Finalization

The Assortment Finalization process handles the assortment summarization of the results at the assortment set level as well as the transformation of placeholder product names and IDs into final products. This process is initiated by the Assortment Planning and Optimization (APO) module of Category Management. ASO and APO use the RPAS Hybrid Storage Architecture (HSA) to exchange data. ASO loads and integrates the Assortment Finalization file with database objects. This triggers the following:

ASO generates aggregated results for all the exported assortments that have the same assortment set ID.
The only assortments that are aggregated are the ones that have been exported to APO.
All other assortments that have the same assortment set ID but that have a status other than exported are disabled so they can no longer be used in optimization or analysis.