Demand Planner for Configurable Products
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional demand planning systems struggle with aggregating and disaggregating percentage representations for configurable products, requiring manual and time-consuming processes, especially when dealing with multiple products, as the calculation logic is the same for both percentage and absolute value representations, leading to errors and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for planning demand that allows for percentage representation calculations on a product level, enabling the copying of percentage values from an aggregate level to individual product levels, performing percentage calculations to obtain absolute values, and maintaining consistency across products, using a demand planner associated with a data storage system and user interface for inputting percentage values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional demand planning systems use the same calculation logic for both percentage and absolute value representations, then the system structure remains simple, but it becomes impossible to work with aggregates of multiple products efficiently and leads to manual copying work
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the demand planning process into distinct calculation logic paths: one for percentage representations and another for absolute value representations. This segmentation allows each path to have optimized calculation logic tailored to its specific requirements, enabling efficient handling of multiple product aggregates without manual intervention while maintaining manageable system complexity through structured separation of concerns
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects and applies different calculation logic based on the representation type (percentage or absolute value) and the aggregation level. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to automatically adjust its processing approach depending on whether it's working with single products or aggregates of multiple products, eliminating the need for manual copying while keeping the overall system architecture flexible and manageable
2Reliability
If manual copying of data to each product is performed, then individual product data can be maintained, but the process becomes very time consuming and error-prone
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service functionality where the demand planning system automatically performs the disaggregation and data distribution to individual products without requiring manual copying. The system serves itself by automatically maintaining data consistency across product aggregates and individual products, eliminating time-consuming manual operations and reducing human error while ensuring data accuracy through automated validation processes
3Adaptability or versatility
If aggregation and disaggregation functions are implemented with percentage representation, then consistent planning approach is achieved, but it becomes impossible to work with aggregates of more than one product
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by implementing representation-specific calculation logic tailored to the particular requirements of percentage representations. This localized approach allows the system to handle aggregates of multiple products effectively by applying appropriate calculation methods at each level of the hierarchy, maintaining operational simplicity through automated processes while enhancing adaptability to work with complex product configurations and aggregates
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for planning demand of a product, such as a configurable product. In one embodiment, a method is provided for planning demand for a configurable product in a managed supply chain. In another embodiment, a demand planner is provided for planning demand for a configurable product in a managed supply chain. The method may comprise the steps of: providing a data storage system to store data relating to a plurality of configurable products in terms of their respective product dependent characteristics; inputting a selection to be represented for a plurality of products in terms of percentage values for a particular product dependent characteristic, wherein the percentage values relate to respective components or qualities of the particular product dependent characteristic; in response to the inputting step, loading data for the plurality of products from the data storage system on at least the product level; copying the percentage values for the respective components or qualities to the product level; and performing the percentage calculation on the loaded data at the product level to obtain absolute values on the product level.