13 Loading and Maintaining Data

To generate either an SRP or a WRP, key data must be must first be loaded into AIP. This chapter describes:

Data Required for SRP
Adding a New Store Using a Sister Store
Adding a New SKU Using a Like SKU
Data Required for WRP
Adding a New Warehouse Using a Sister Warehouse

Data Required for SRP

To generate a store replenishment plan, key data must be must first be loaded into AIP from various sources, including external sources and Data Management (DM).

The following data is required for SRP:

Basic Hierarchies and Attributes
Demand Forecast
Demand Forecast Error
Current Store and Warehouse Inventories
On Order and In Transit Information
Customer Orders
E-commerce orders
Key item information (pack-size, cases per pallet, and promotions)
Delivery schedules and lead-times

Replenishment Parameters

Within SRP, several key replenishment parameters are required to generate a store replenishment plan. You can maintain these parameters at various levels in the hierarchy as described in Table 13-1.

Table 13-1 SRP Replenishment Parameters

Parameter Type	Entered at:	Description
Global	Department level	This is the highest default level used in determining the effective value of the measure. In other words, the parameter values at the department level is only used if no lower level (Sub-class/Store Format or SKU/Store) parameters exist.
Default	Sub-class/Store Format level	This is the second and middle default level used in determining the effective value of the measure. In other words, the parameter values at the Sub-class/Store Format level is only used if no lower level (SKU/Store) parameters exist. Parameter values at the Sub-class/Store Format level is used over department defaults. The default parameters allow the user to enter parameters that affects many SKUs. Defaults can be used to set up basic replenishment parameters to meet the objectives of the business. These defaults can then be tweaked at the lower levels, to meet specific needs of a SKU/Store.
Exception	SKU/Store level	This is the lowest level used in determining the effective value of the measure. In other words, exception parameters are used over department and Sub-class/Store Format defaults. Many of the exception level parameters are also time-phased by day or week, allowing the user to change parameters prior to the actual date the change is effective.

Parameter Type

Entered at:

Description

Global

Department level

This is the highest default level used in determining the effective value of the measure. In other words, the parameter values at the department level is only used if no lower level (Sub-class/Store Format or SKU/Store) parameters exist.

Default

Sub-class/Store Format level

This is the second and middle default level used in determining the effective value of the measure. In other words, the parameter values at the Sub-class/Store Format level is only used if no lower level (SKU/Store) parameters exist. Parameter values at the Sub-class/Store Format level is used over department defaults.

The default parameters allow the user to enter parameters that affects many SKUs. Defaults can be used to set up basic replenishment parameters to meet the objectives of the business. These defaults can then be tweaked at the lower levels, to meet specific needs of a SKU/Store.

Exception

SKU/Store level

This is the lowest level used in determining the effective value of the measure. In other words, exception parameters are used over department and Sub-class/Store Format defaults.

Many of the exception level parameters are also time-phased by day or week, allowing the user to change parameters prior to the actual date the change is effective.

Adding a New Store Using a Sister Store

Before opening a new store, the new store may be added to the system and replenishment planning can begin. A new store can be modeled after a store with similar characteristics and anticipated similar sales. To do this, a Sister Store relationship is set up in RMS or a legacy system. Once this relationship is established, SRP performs a one-time copy of all required replenishment settings and parameters from the sister store. SRP performs a weekly copy of sales history from the sister store to a new store that is scheduled to open. It continues to copy the sales history weekly up until the Store Opening Date.

Adding a New SKU Using a Like SKU

Some of the SRP Replenishment methods use sales history to calculate the inventory targets and allocation boundaries. Since a new SKU has little or no sales history, the user has the ability to link the new SKU to an existing or Like SKU. A Use Like SKU flag indicates whether or not to use the Like SKU. An effective end date for the Like SKU allows the user to set a date when the new SKU's sales history is deemed stable enough to use.

The Like SKU functionality can also be used for existing products when the sales history does not reflect current trends.

A Like SKU is set up in the SRP Interactive Evaluation Workbook, SRP Replenishment Plan (SKU/Store) View for the target SKU to which the history is to be copied. On this view, the user may enter the Like SKU and its parameters. The Like SKU must be in the same domain as the target SKU.

Data Required for WRP

The loading of data is a business process that is performed during the nightly batch. The maintaining of replenishment parameters can be performed at any time, but the effect of these changes is not seen until the next batch run.

The data listed in Table 13-2 must be loaded in order to generate a WRP.

Table 13-2 Required Data for WRP

Data	Description
Basic hierarchy and attribute information	This data must be loaded through an interface with RMS or through a flat file from another source.
Inventory information	This data includes on hand, in transits, transfers in the well, and allocations in the well.
Replenishment parameters	These parameters are maintained in WRP administration and maintenance workbooks. They include measures, such as minimum and maximum stock in cases, and maximum time supply days.
Supply chain definitions	This data includes lead-times, network definition and order multiple information.

Adding a New Warehouse Using a Sister Warehouse

Prior to opening a new warehouse, the new warehouse may be added to the system and replenishment planning can begin. A new warehouse can be modeled after a warehouse with similar characteristics and anticipated similar demand. To do this, a Sister Warehouse relationship is set up in RMS. Once this relationship is established, WRP performs a one-time copy of all required replenishment settings and parameters from the sister warehouse. WRP performs a weekly copy of sales history from the sister warehouse to a new warehouse that is scheduled to open. It continues to copy the sales history weekly up until the Warehouse Opening Date. On the Warehouse Opening Date, any remaining balance of sales history is copied.

If the warehouse opening date is greater than today's date, WRP copies all of the appropriate replenishment parameters that were manually set in WRP workbooks or that were loaded from external systems. These replenishment parameters are copied from the sister warehouse items to the new warehouse items for the length of time necessary to cover the period from the copy date to the new Warehouse Opening Date. The Sister Warehouse Parameters Flag indicates to users that the parameter copying script for Sister Warehouse has run and has copied the appropriate parameters.