How You Generate Forecasts from a Product Launch Date

This topic explains how you can generate a forecast for a new product starting from its launch date.

How to Set Up This Feature

Do the following to set up this feature:

• Load a launch date into the predefined Launch Date measure using the file-based data import (FBDI) template for Supply Chain Planning measures.

  Alternatively, you can manually enter a launch date into the predefined Adjusted Launch Date measure. You can also use this measure to override the imported value in the Launch Date measure.

• Add the LaunchDateMeasure forecasting parameter to your user-defined forecasting profile that's based on Bayesian machine learning.

  This forecasting parameter is in the General Settings category in the Add Parameter to Viewable List dialog box.

  Note: You can't use this forecasting parameter in a forecasting profile that uses feature-based machine learning. You also can't add this forecasting parameter to a predefined forecasting profile.

• Select the predefined Final Launch Date measure or a user-defined measure for the forecasting parameter.

  This measure returns the value of the Adjusted Launch Date measure if it has a value. Otherwise, the Final Launch Date measure returns the value of the Launch Date measure.

• Optionally, add the Final Launch Date, Adjusted Launch Date, and Launch Date measures to a table so that you can view and adjust the data.

  The forecasting process uses the value of the measure selected for the LaunchDateMeasure forecasting parameter even if the measure isn't present in a table.

Points to Consider

Note these points while using this feature:

• Ensure the following if you create a measure to use instead of the Final Launch Date measure:

  • The measure has the same dimensions as those of the output measure of the forecasting profile except for the Time dimension.

  • You enable the measure for the work areas for which the forecasting profile is enabled.

  • The measure is in the measure catalog for the plan.

• The forecast is generated from the start of the forecasting horizon if these conditions are met:

  • The selected measure for the LaunchDateMeasure forecasting parameter doesn't contain a date.

  • The launch date is before the forecast start date.

• If the launch date falls within a time bucket, the beginning of the time bucket is taken as the launch date.

• The launch date is respected at the lowest level of the forecasting tree of your forecasting profile. For example, if the lowest level is a combination of the Item and Organization levels, the forecast starts on the same launch date for all customers and demand classes within the same item-organization combination. If the launch date varies by customer or demand class within the item-organization combination, the earliest launch date is used.

  To respect varying launch dates by customers for the same item, configure your forecast tree with the Product and Customer dimensions so that the lowest level is a combination of the Item and Customer Site levels.