Page 15 - September 2020 Inform

to perform this new, important function. Essentially, they will plan a base demand for products using forecasting methods provided by the new tools.
A significant amount of work has been completed by Sean and the team, gathering extra data on each SKU to input into the new system. Thank-you for ensuring that all the information was collated within the designated timeframes.
GOING FORWARD
The next stage of our journey will be Customer Business Planning (CBP). This will affect a large number of people and the journey will start with theory training in October, followed by training on the new planning system. When the training phase is complete, 2021 plans will be loaded onto the new system. Whilst some planning for 2021 will commence before Gazelle tools are fully live, in the first month of using the tools the focus will be on preparing a detailed, bottom-up plan for 2021.
The Supply Planning tools have been tested and training has taken place over the summer. However, due to the need for a demand figure to be in the system before it can be used, the team will go live with refresher training at the end of the year.
The Supply Planning user acceptance testing and training will now take at the start of 2021 – this is the execution phase using the signed off demand volume number to secure the stock from our Brand Owners.
The whole programme will be live at the start of 2021. We will be account planning and forecasting on the new tool and moving into a monthly routine / cycle which reviews our forecast v actual. Also at the start of 2021 we will roll out and avail of the new promotional effectiveness review and scenario planning tools to assist our future planning decisions.
Please note
End Customer Pricing will not change but how we tell the system what to use will be informed by CBP for all deliveries from 02/01/21, our first day of the new fiscal year. This is when our on-going integrated business planning cycle begins.
We will keep you briefed on progress through regular email and video updates, super user interaction and in the not too distant future, a virtual update section on the Larder.
Watch this space!
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