Item Forecasting Overview

You can use Item Forecasting in the Assembly module to perform basic demand forecasts for products manufactured on an assembly line. Forecasts can be performed in several dimensions from product families to individual product models. Forecasting is performed based on plan items.

Prerequisites

The Job Shop by Site must be implemented in theImplemented Software Components (tccom0100s000) session, with the Planning Cluster Mandatory parameter and Sites parameter selected.

Note: You can only forecast for items of the type Product.

Activating Item Forecasting in Assembly

You can activate and configure Item Forecasting by following these steps:

  1. Activate the Item Forecasting functionality in the Assembly Planning Parameters (tiapl0100s000) session. You can enable Item Forecasting by selecting the Forecasting check box.

    The check box activates the Item Forecasting functionality. Additionally, you can select the Families and Channels options to use in the forecast.

    Note: 

    The forecast time bucket is always 1 week.

    If the Channels check box is selected, you need to define channels by forecast item. Channels are defined in the Channels (tcmcs0166m000) session. The channels by forecast item can be a subset of the global channel list.

    If the Families check box is selected, item families are used to aggregate forecasts of plan items.

  2. You can select the Base Models check box in the Product Configuration Parameters (tipcf0100m000) session.

    You can subdivide a configurable product into Base Models in order to group configurations. The products are then subdivided by product feature. For example, a product such as a RACING BIKE is subdivided into models ALU and CARBON. The item has a feature FRAME, and all configurations have that the option ALUMINIUM selected belong to the ALU model.

    If the Base Models check box is selected in the Product Configuration Parameters (tipcf0100m000) session, you can specify the production for which you want to define base models in the Items - Configuration (tipcf0130m000) session by specifying the product in the Product field and selecting the Use Base Models check box.

    Note: Only items with the type Product with the order system FAS can be specified.

Product Configuration Models

If the Base Models check box is selected in the Product Configuration Parameters (tipcf0100m000) session, you must have at least one base model defined for the product with Forecast.

Based models are defined by Item and Model code. Each model has a list of features that identify the model grouped by configurable item.

Features are related either to the end product or to the product subassemblies.

You can define the features for the product models in the Product Model Features (tipcf0132m000) session. Selecting the Model Feature check box identifies the selected feature as a base model.

Note: 

If the Product Configurator (PCF)in the Implemented Software Components (tccom0100s000) session is implemented, features mus be defined by level, as input for the configurator.

If the Infor Configurator (CPQ) in the Implemented Software Components (tccom0100s000) session is implemented, you cannot define features. You must manually copy features from a configured product variant.

In the Product Model Options (tipcf0133m000) session, you must specify the options for each model feature. The model options are required to link related configurations for forecast consumption.

Planning Bill of Material

A planning bill of material is required when using Item Forecasting to specify the estimated need for assembly parts. All parts necessary for the production of the Forecast Item must be added to the bill of material, along with the estimated probability of being required. A forecast item and model combination can only have one planning bill of material per cluster. Assembly items linked to one assembly line without a planned distribution defined, can only have one planning bill of material per company.

You can define and manage planning bills of materials using the Planning Bill of Material (tiapl5626m000) session.

Note: If the Base Models check box is selected in the Product Configuration Parameters (tipcf0100m000)session, the planning bill of material is defined by plan item and model. If the Base Models check box is cleared in the Product Configuration Parameters (tipcf0100m000) session, the planning bill of material is defined by plan item.
You must use the planning bill of material to specify these types of parts:
  • Engineering Modules
  • Subassemblies (only configurable items of the type Product and order system FAS
  • Configurable purchase parts (only configurable items of the type Product and order system Planned
  • Standard parts

Forecast Input

Use the Forecast Input (tiapl5631m000) session to specify the Item and optional based model and channel for which you want to generate a forecast. You can also use this session to maintain existing forecasts. The forecast can only be maintained on the model level of the forecast item.

Forecasts are version controlled. Only forecasts with the status New can be maintained.

Forecasts with the status Approved are used for planning.

Note: Once a forecast version receives the status Approved all previous versions automatically receive the status Expired.

Forecast Consumption

The variant on the sales order line consumes the forecast.

The forecast is consumed on product level, unless Base Models are enabled then the forecast is consumed at model level.

If the backward and forward consumption periods are both set to zero:

  • All sales order lines consume the forecast in the applicable period.
  • Surplus sales orders overconsume in the applicable period.
If the backward and forward consumption periods are both set to not equal zero:
  • All sales order lines consume the forecast in the applicable period.
  • When the forecast in the applicable period is consumed, surplus sales orders consume the designated periods, oldest first.
  • When all periods are consumed, surplus sales orders overconsume the applicable period.

Forecast Based Planning

The Generate Planned Orders (Assembly) (tiapl5236m000) session is an additional planning engine in assembly for generating planned supply for the non-consumed forecast. You can use this session to generate dependent demand for important components using planned assembly orders.

The planned assembly orders are generated based on the forecast and the applicable planned inventory movement of the components based on the planning bill of material.
Note: Planned assembly orders cannot be managed and always have the status Planned.