Who should forecast

All corporations need forecasting. It is the only forward-looking component of the entire management infrastructure and is a required information source for all of the other management planning systems.

Marketing Users can:

• Understand Product Trends
• Understand the Impact of a New Product Launch
• Forecast Markets and Market Share

Sales Users can:

• Create Customer-Based Forecasts
• Develop Budget Forecasts and Quotas
• Forecast over the Internet

Logistics / Operations Users can:

• Link Forecast Output into ERP/DRP Supply Chain Systems
• Calculate Safety Stocks
• Reduce Inventory

Finance Users can:

• Use TimeTrends output to Feed P&L Statements and Financial Reporting Tools

Purchasing / Procurement Users can:

• Determine Replenishment Order Quantities

What can you forecast?

Good forecasting software allows for the building of a complete forecasting process that is fully tailored to the corporation's precise business practices. We at ALT-C Systems, through our acquired experience, can guide your corporation with suggestions that we know will bear fruit.

Where does the data come from?

Accurate forecasting requires a two-pronged attack. Pure statistical forecasting (a black-box approach) can only produce a quantitative baseline forecast that cannot foresee events that have the potential to render the forecast dangerous. To counter this problem, we have designed a process that can intelligently combine qualitative event information from local and field personnel with these quantitative baseline statistical forecasts.
 
A TimeTrends implementation is designed to automatically acquire all of the necesary numerical information from any number of disparate corporate data sources. Once processed the results can be automatically fed to any downstream systems that you desire after whatever validation and controls (that your business model requires) have been applied.

When should you be forecasting?

The sooner, the better. A good forecasting process has the capacity to yield greater profits through improved customer service levels and also decrease ongoing costs through optimized inventory control and human resource efficiency. See our Support page to get a better idea of the effort involved.

Why should you forecast?

Forecasting is likely the least expensive component of the entire management planning system but, properly implemented, it has the potential to deliver the greatest dollar-value return on investment in the shortest amount of time. Simply put, you should forecast in order to increase your bottom line.