Demand Management, Forecasting and S&OP

What this page covers

The page is mostly mind maps. Many follow the same textbook theme: demand management and customer service, with several versions from different contributors. Seeing the same chapter drawn in different ways can help you spot what matters most.

• Balancing supply and demand, with external and internal balancing methods.
• Traditional forecasting, independent and dependent demand, and moving averages.
• Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment (CPFR).
• Sales and operations planning, in maps, meeting notes and two flowcharts titled S&OP.
• Material planning, including maps on MRP and consumption based planning.

Where to start

Begin with the mind map called Demand management and customer service. It sets out inbound and outbound logistics systems and gives you the vocabulary. Then open the Demand Management maps that cover balancing supply and demand and traditional forecasting.

Next, move to the Creating Demand-Responsive Supply Chains map. It looks at the challenge of future demand, contingency plans and forecasting a range of outcomes.

Using flashcards and quizzes with maps

The flashcard deck Ch. 3 Forecasting asks what forecasting is for, what the components of demand are, and what trends are. Read a map first, then test yourself with the deck. Supply Chain Forecasting Quiz #5 is a good follow-up for the same theme. Supply Chain Quiz #7 MPS/MRP suits the planning maps. The RDF Quiz is there for a further check.

If a card or question stumps you, go back to the matching map and look for the branch that explains it.

Where it sits

This unit belongs to the strand Supply Chain Strategy and Planning, within Logistics and supply chain. It links the forecasting side of planning with the sales and operations planning process.

Pick one map, take a quiz on it, then build a short set of your own flashcards for the terms you missed.