solutions forecasting & planning tools by eyeon solutions january 2015
contents introduction 4 about eyeon 5 services eyeon solutions 6 key to success 7 software partner: anaplan 8 software partner: board 10 software partner: exceedra 12 software partner: steelwedge 14 software partner: tagetik 16 eyeon solutions 3
introduction It is EyeOn s mission to improve its customer s Forecasting and Planning performance. EyeOn realizes demonstrable contributions to the bottom-line results of companies by increasing the forecasting accuracy and planning effectiveness. EyeOn hereby focuses on Processes, as well as on Tools and People. The on-going technological developments in ICT give rise to a continuous stream of new applications that can be used to forecast and plan. EyeOn follows this offering closely, continuously looking for new promising products that could help in specific situations where the more established tools are not fulfilling the demand. This brochure describes the software vendors that fit our mission of innovative, fast development & implementation. We have selected these vendors on their positioning, credibility and ability to deliver. We invest in setting up business partnerships with the vendors to have direct access to their sources and facilities. Moreover, we have invested in training and education: for all tools we have in-house specialists, where possible licensed by the vendor. The findings as described are based on actual experience in practical implementations. Feel free to contact us for learning more from actual implementations. 4 forecasting & planning tools
about eyeon The performance of forecasting and planning processes are key to the success of any company. EyeOn has expertise on following processes: Forecasting and demand planning Sales drives your business and good demand planning will make sure you are prepared for sales. A solid demand planning process leads to good decisions and is a joint effort of sales, finance and supply chain management. EyeOn helps customers develop, implement and improve their demand planning processes, so that demand planning becomes a smart, value adding process. S&OP Companies need robust processes and tools to manage the business towards optimization of top-line revenue and integral profit while addressing uncertainty and risk. This requires a very tight integration between strategy, planning and execution. Financial forecasting and budgeting Financial forecasting and budgeting is key in bringing a company s strategy into action. These processes have to support the management Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. Supply planning In supply planning, actions are taken so that the supplying organization (manufacturing and distribution) is geared to meet the forecasted demand. A large variety of decisions are asked from the supply planning function: longer-term capacity requirements, optimum stock levels, proper mid term planning and an efficient execution schedule. With knowledge about supply chain design, supply chain analysis and proven line experience, EyeOn experts help streamline the supply planning function. Trade Promotion Management Promotions and related trade spend are increasingly getting management attention. Promotion pressure in the FMCG industry is high, often 30% of volume or above and trade spend involves serious amounts of money. This has consequences throughout the organization, some parts focus on the more volume related effects, others more on the value aspects and some on both volume and value. With immature processes and unfit tooling support, planning promotions is complex and time consuming while the effects and profitability of the promotions remain unclear and are not under control. EyeOn has implemented trade promotion management solutions resulting in close collaboration between finance & control, sales and marketing and supply chain and faster and better insights in trade spend and promotion profitability. Collaborative planning / end-to-end planning Each of the links in the supply chain operates in reaction to actual or anticipated demand from the consumer at the end of the chain. The involvement of suppliers and customers in the forecasting and planning process is relatively high in upstream companies and especially during the introduction and phase-in of new products. New product introductions The demand uncertainty of new product introductions brings in new challenging aspects in managing time-to-market and timeto-volume, but is at the same time critical for the bottom line result of a new product introduction. This puts a lot of pressure on the ability of manufacturers to align their processes towards the launch of these products. Profitability management To steer on profitability companies must be capable to identify the most valuable customers and products, while understanding the impact that changes in pricing and process improvements have on costs and profitability. Business management needs trust and confidence to take the right decisions about the productand/or customer portfolio. Statistical forecasting Statistical forecasting concentrates on identifying patterns and trends within the historic data, and develops a forecast by using mathematical formulas to identify the patterns and trends. EventCasting All data, from retailer to producer, as well as every step in the chain in between, is identified integrally. Together with the category know how of retailer and manufacturer and specialist models the best possible forecast for the whole chain is created weekly. This allows the supply chain to respond more responsive and adequately. EyeOn has implemented several EventCasting solutions that have proven to be very efficient in practice. eyeon solutions 5
services eyeon solutions EyeOn Solutions is specialized in selecting, implementing and maintaining forecasting and planning tools for our customers. Our mission, Innovative, fast development & implementation supports the current way of working that business users demand. Users demand solutions that support agility, less dependence on IT and with a lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). EyeOn Solutions has expertise in the following processes: Selection We help with the selection of the right forecasting and planning tool based on the functional and technical requirements. Based on our 10-step approach we have a clear defined process to make sure the selection procedure is complete and the solution with the best fit is selected. Implementation Our experienced consultants make sure that the implementation time needed is reduced to an absolute minimum. Where possible we make sure that during the implementation, knowledge transfer to the business is incorporated. Short implementation cycles to deliver fast results. Maintenance The maintenance of the forecasting and planning tools can be outsourced to EyeOn Solutions if needed. With our experience we make sure the time needed for maintenance is reduced to an absolute minimum to support a flawless forecasting and planning process. We offer different types of support, tailored to the needs of our customers. 6 forecasting & planning tools
key to success When implementing planning & forecast tools, connection with source systems is required to load (meta) data. In most of our projects we experience that connecting to data sources, collecting & combining the data and make sure that this data is of good quality to be able to generate a planning, is very crucial to the success of the project. Data management is the key to success and involves the whole set of activities intended to improve corporate data quality (both reactive and preventive) and is tool independent. With data management, the quality of the data and metadata is improved in order to improve the quality of the decision-making processes within the organization. When the quality of the (meta) data does not comply with minimal standards, extra time is needed to sort these quality issues. To set up a good data management framework, different elements need to be addressed: ETL, MDM, DWH and Analytics. Extract Transform Load (ETL) Data to be used in the forecasting and planning tools is stored in different (operational) systems. The data needs to be extracted from the sources, transformed in such a way it can be loaded. Once available, the forecasting and planning tool can be used to support the business processes. Master Data Management (MDM) MDM comprises the processes, governance, policies, standards and tools that consistently define and manage the critical data of an organization to provide a single point of reference. The quality of this single point of reference defines the quality of the planning and forecast process, the data needs to be consistent, accurate and always up-to-date. Data Warehousing (DWH) DWH is the integration of data from one or more disparate sources to create a central repository of data. Business logics are applied in this DWH to collect, clean, store and combine the data from several source in order to be used as source for different processes like reporting, planning & forecasting and analytics. Analytics Analytics is the discovery and communication of meaningful patterns in data. Analytics relies on the simultaneous application of statistics, computer programming and operations research. Analytics is becoming much more important due to the increased number of sources of data (internal and external), the increased speed in which data is generated and the advantages that can be gained when using analytics to support business processes. This picture shows the relationship between the different services. The planning & forecasting wheel below provides an overview of existing suppliers of forecasting and planning tools. It is not intended to be complete; but the tools in the outer circle are currently setting, or will be setting the future main Forecasting and Planning tool offering. EyeOn has in-house knowledge of all tools listed. The highlighted tools are the newcomers that to our opinion will take a position in the years to come. These are described in more details on the next pages. We have selected these applications on their positioning, credibility and ability to deliver. We invest in setting up business partnerships with the suppliers to have direct access to their sources and facilities. Moreover, we have invested in education and certification: for all tools we have in-house specialists, where possible licensed by the supplier. The findings as described are based on actual experience in practical implementations. Feel free to contact us for learning more from actual implementations. Quintiq SAS SPSS SC Collaboration APS Demand Tagetik Finance CPM Supply Anaplan BI Board Cognos BI Cognos Planning Delphi Exceedra Oracle PBCS One Network OMP Applied modeling Matlab JDA / I2 Hyperion Planning Excel eyeon solutions 7
software partner: anaplan Functional mapping Platform 8 forecasting & planning tools
software partner: anaplan Pro s Large customer base, all verticals present. Anaplan App HUB: accelerators (example models) to be downloaded for free. Sales offices Europe in UK, France, Sweden and the Benelux Open platform to create any planning module desired (not limited in planning functionality). Can handle very large amounts of data in the model. Very fast response times when updating the data (in memory technology). Planning and reporting in one module, tightly integrated. Workflow support. Automation of import and export possible (Anaplan Connect). Direct connectors build in for Salesforce.com, Workday. Excel add-in for end users. Cons No statistical engine to generate a forecasting. Size of the model can become large if modelled incorrectly. Due to pricing, long term commitments become expansive. Unique Selling Points (USP) Proven track record in all verticals. Open platform: any desired planning wish can be modelled (to a certain extend). Fast development and deployment, deployment by a power user (not IT). Use Cases Are you able to (quickly) create your own reports and dashboards without asking your IT department? Are you as a business user able to adjust the planning model quickly to the changing environment and maintain the data without asking IT? Are you able to easily generate different functional planning models in one environment and link these models to create relationships and interdependencies? Can you create several different scenarios and compare these scenarios to see the impact? eyeon solutions 9
software partner: board Functional mapping Platform 10 forecasting & planning tools
software partner: board Pro s Started in 1994 and so a well-established company and provider. Sales offices around the world including UK, Benelux (Amsterdam). Very large customer base (+2,500), all verticals present. Board recognised as leader in Garner Magic quadrant. Open platform to create any Planning module desired. Can handle large amounts of data in the model. Planning and reporting in one module, so tightly integrated. Very powerful reporting and graphical analysis tool. Easy to build. Automation of imports available. Available on multi devices. Pricing cheaper than other products (for example Anaplan). Many case studies available and accessible via website. Cons No specific forecasting options or statistical engine. Generally traditional architecture (but Cloud option becoming available). Whilst promoted as rapid deployment, it s actually lower to build compared to other products (for example Anaplan). Unique Selling Points (USP) One of the best integrated Planning & Analytical tools. Very strong reporting and dashboards. Open platform: any desired planning wish can be modelled (to a certain extent). Large client base and reference sites. Use Cases Are you able to (quickly) create your own reports and dashboards without asking your IT department? As a business user are you able to adjust the planning model quickly to the changing environment and maintain the data without asking IT? Are you able to easily generate different functional Planning models in one environment and link these models to create relationships and interdependencies? Can you integrate your planning, analytics, strategy management and statutory reporting in one place providing one version of the truth? Are you able to model your business by providing a user friendly interface that encourages collaboration and knowledge sharing to produce more accurate forecasts? eyeon solutions 11
software partner: exceedra Functional mapping Platform 12 forecasting & planning tools
software partner: exceedra Pro s One of the best platforms for integrating promotion planning in an S&OP process. Sales Office and development in UK, US, sales and support in Benelux. Build around sales processes in FMCG industry: very fast data entry and immediate reporting. Immediate Insight in account P&L per product and promotion P&L and retail P&L. Complete integration and customization possible. Can handle large amounts of data in the model. Can handle complex pricing and discount structures and models. Cannibalization, phasing supported. Planning and reporting in one module, so tightly integrated. Extensive set of reporting to directly support sales. Extensive set of reporting for analysing the effect of promotions. Workflow and approval flow. Open interfacing, integration with all kind of ERP s and data warehouses possible. All reports exportable to Excel. Cons Development in SQL server, lot of SQL knowledge needed for maintenance and changes. Niche product. No real cloud solution. Unique Selling Points (USP) Best platform to support promotion planning and analyses by sales/account managers. Immediately insight in the effect of promotions on the Account-, Promotion and Retail P&L. Robust and customizable workflow and approval flow. Use Cases Are you aware of the financial impact of all your promotions? Do you have sales on board in your planning cycle? Can you provide your customers insight in their profitability for a promotion? eyeon solutions 13
software partner: steelwedge Functional mapping Platform 14 forecasting & planning tools
software partner: steelwedge Pro s S&OP Master Data Management support. Excel front-end for end users (or any web browser). Standard database with prebuilt reporting (only need to connect operational data to the Steelwedge database). True Integrated Business Planning (IBP) solution. Support of analytics, big data, what-if scenarios and collaboration. Statistical forecast engine. Sales Office in the Netherlands. Direct connectors build in for Salesforce.com. Large implementation cycles and tuning to customer needs. Cons Not well known in Europe, Benelux. Large implementation cycles and tuning to customer needs. Annual fee for use of software higher. Unique Selling Points (USP) True Integrated Business Planning (IBP) solution. Complete S&OP platform (statistical forecast, life cycle management, allocations, inventory management, Rough Cut Capacity planning, strategic Planning, Financial planning). Use of Excel as front-end. Use Cases Are you able to answer demand / supply allocation questions based on financial parameters? Can you quickly calculate different scenarios by adjusting parameters due to a changing environment? Are you able to answer management questions within a day based on the changing demand? eyeon solutions 15
software partner: tagetik Functional mapping Platform Tagetik delivers a finance specific solution in one place covering all financial processes from financial planning and forecasting to S&OP to reporting and disclosure. It uses a modular approach to building to allow the client to develop and expand their solution a step at a time. The product can be split into the following main areas: Planning, Budgeting & Forecasting Tagetik allows the users to combine top down and bottom up planning in one place using the same drivers and assumptions. The whole process is managed by Finance with no dependency on IT. In addition to creating customised models, templates are available to support standard modelling requirements such as Balance sheet and Cash Flow. Consolidation Developed to handle clients with a multi-currency, multi legal entity and multi ERP environment. Meets GAAP, IFRS plus other legal reporting requirements providing visibility and transparency. Disclosure Management All documentation and reporting is managed centrally within Tagetik allowing Tax & Legal, Finance and Corporate Communications to work together on the same documents and so improving transparency, accountability, auditability and simplified submission of disclosure documents across the business. Sales & Operations Planning Besides the financial focused planning engine, Tagetik recently (2014) released an S&OP engine. This engine is a mature product that supports the Demand planning and forecasting as well as planning of new product introductions, breakdown of the finished good demand to a lower level in the bill of material, calculating net requirements and many more functions. 16 forecasting & planning tools
software partner: tagetik Pro s An established business and product (started in 1986) It has offices in over 20 locations worldwide (including UK and Netherlands). 700+ clients and is rated as one of the fastest growing software companies in Performance Management. Case studies across multiple industries with well-known brand names. Strong integration with Microsoft suite (including Office and SharePoint). End users maintain their familiarity with Excel (used for input and analysis). Can handle large amounts of data in the model. Workflow. Direct connectors to SAP & available in SAP HANA. Available in the Cloud. Planning and reporting in one module, so tightly integrated. Separate Financial Consolidation, S&OP and Promotion Planning modules. Cons Strong focus on financial processes, recently added an S&OP engine. Very Microsoft based (Pro & Con). Dependency on consultants for the implementation and maintenance. Unique Selling Points (USP) Integrated planning and analytics available using traditional architecture or Cloud. Comprehensive integration with Microsoft and SAP. Specialist tool for modelling financial processes. Use Cases Is all of your financial processes integration into one seamless system from planning and forecasting to reporting, disclosure and governance? Are you able to integrate your strategic and operational planning including multiple what if scenarios? Do you need to improve the speed of your financial close and reporting? Is your business able to encourage collaboration across financial planning processes with minimal dependency on IT? Do you have control and understand the workflow of financial activities across the enterprise? Can you manage external compliance, disclosure and financial reporting from one source system? eyeon solutions 17
eyeon 2015 About EyeOn Solutions EyeOn Solutions implements forecasting, planning, budgeting and control systems. Our specialized consultants have in-depth knowledge of planning and control processes. From many years of experience in a variety of companies we know how to make planning systems work for your organization. EyeOn Solutions Croylaan 14 5735 PC Aarle-Rixtel Tel.: +31 492 38 88 28 www.solutions.eyeon.nl