Scanmar

PlanCaster

Plancaster

Managing your entire sales forecasting and sales budgeting process!

 
PlanCaster supports and integrates both sales forecasting and sales budgeting. Every period, sales planners and forecasters can generate thousands of forecasts based on already stored forecasting scenarios and account managers can prepare detailed account forecasts and plans including the planning of promotions. PlanCaster combines an extremely user-friendly and intuitive interface with a powerful forecasting engine.

PlanCaster Forecasting methods

Diary products, desserts, candy bars, pet food, trucks, chemicals, railroad tickets... they all have their own specific forecasting methods. Even within a category, different forecasting methods may be needed. Compared to other forecasting software PlanCaster knows more tricks.

Statistical Forecasting methods most suitable in "classic" mass markets like diary, tobacco, chemicals, beverages, pharmaceuticals and Sales Planning methods, which are more effective in "promotion driven" markets, using smart calculation models commonly referred as "planning to target and spreading/allocating methods".

 

Statistical Forecasting Methods

Statistical forecasting methods used by PlanCaster are easy to use for non-statisticians:

• Single/double exponential smoothing,
• Holt-Winters,
• Linear and non-linear trends,
• Various seasonal adjustment methods,
• Automatic data-correction methods,
• Supports effects of calendar variables,
• Supports regression with exogenous variables.

Sales Planning Methods

The sales planning module supports a bundle of  commonly used sales planning and budgeting methods. These methods are formalized in easy to use predefined models and routines like:

• Target driven year planning based on previous year sales, budget, latest estimates, etc., combined with percent to change options.
• Period allocation (spreading) from year targets using seasonality or any other periodicity.
• Top down forecasting and planning based on Product/Account mix.
• Bottom Up forecasting and planning along Product/Account hierarchy.
• Lock outs and manual overrides.
• Supports effects of calendar variables like sales-days and holidays. 

Event and Trade Promotion Planning

 
Models can only predict the future based on trends available in the historical data. Forecasting the volume of events at SKU by Account level, is rather academic. With PlanCaster we worked out a more business oriented solution. The Event and Promotion Planning modules deals with a number of essential topics in the field of promotion planning in the CPC/FMCG industry like:

• Baseline calculation (based on algorithms as used by Nielsen/IRI),
• Stealing/Cannibalization effects,
• Individual product promotions,
• Multi-products promotions (e.g. 1 promotion existing of multiple products),
• Planning of Displays, Multi packs and/or Shrinks,
• Promotions can be copied and moved over a weekly calendar,
• Events can be annotated.

Sales revenue budgeting

Based on the volume forecasts, prices, discount rates, cost rates, etc., a forecast of sales revenues and profits is automatically calculated. PlanCaster also supports "what if" budgeting. Results of extra discounts or promotional deals at product-item level for an individual account are reflected immediately in the profitability from the lowest SKU level up to the aggregated levels in the product- and account hierarchy.

Multidimensional OLAP technology

PlanCaster is based on Oracle multidimensional OLAP database technology. This proven technology guarantees a flexible and robust data management and unbeaten numerical calculation power. These properties are indispensable in a professional forecasting and planning system. PlanCaster has many valuable features and benefits:

• Hierarchical product and account structure that supports both top-down and bottom-up forecasting,
• Time dimension can be customized to any periodicity,
• Easy consolidating and disaggregating of forecasts,
• All the forecasting reports including various accuracy reports and measures are available in the OLAP database.

General Product features

• Multiple forecast/plan versions,
• Multiple forecaster read/write facilities,
• User authorization,
• Runs also on top of  Oracle Express, Oracle 10g OLAP, OSA (Oracle Sales Analyzer)  OFA (Oracle Financial Analyzer),
• Stand-alone, LAN and Server based.

Companies using Plancaster

Among companies using PlanCaster are well known FMCG manufacturers, like:

• British American Tobacco (Netherlands)
• DAF Trucks (Netherlands)
• Hero
• Koninklijke Theodorus Niemeyer
• Masterfoods (Mars) Netherlands
• Red Band Venco Leaf
• Bolletje
• Perfetti van Melle Benelux
• Perfetti van Melle USA/UK

 

 

 

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