i2 Launches i2 POS Demand Sensing

Originally developed by Blue Agave Software, which i2 recently acquired, i2 POS Demand Sensing can help consumer goods organizations improve their performance through the real-time identification and resolution of potential problems and developing issues before they adversely impact the business. It does this by helping users apply business rules to the access and evaluation of retailer-provided point-of-sale (POS) data, including Wal-Marts Retail Link. The solution proactively identifies revenue-impacting issues, determines root causes, recommends response options, and guides resolutions through a workflow based on the organizations best practices. All of this occurs within an intuitive visual environment that gives consumer goods suppliers real-time insight into all aspects of their retail performance down to the store/SKU level on a daily basis.Improving Performance in Real TimeToo often, manufacturing companies and their retail partners are unable to analyze shelf-level POS and inventory information to determine current and potential stock-outs, delayed shipments, lost sales and excess inventories. These issues go unnoticed until a customer complains, sales are lost, or shipments go missing. Serving as a 24x7 POScast, i2 POS Demand Sensing provides a continuous shelf-level business outlook and helps dramatically improve performance. This is done through the following:Real-time analysis of many terabytes of daily/hourly demand signal data at the most granular levels, using an organizations business rules to anticipate and identify retail execution issues at the store/SKU level with detailed root cause analysis.Resolution capabilities, going beyond notifications, that recommend the best course of action based on the organizations business practices and current business conditions. These capabilities also include suggesting parameter adjustments for planning store SKUs in the retailers i2 INFOREM forecasting and replenishment system.Detailed analytics and contextual information that helps users quickly make the best decisions about issues as they arise while offering valuable insight into patterns and root causes of process breakdowns that drive continuous improvement.Workflows and tracking that guide users step-by-step through the actions necessary to efficiently respond to issues and tools that to effectively collaborate with team members as well as communicate with retailers. Enhanced Root Cause Capabilitiesi2 POS Demand Sensing offers enhanced root cause capabilities that provide users with immediate insight into why retail execution issues occur. Following retailers and suppliers rules, the software first determines whether an issue has an internal supply chain cause such as a missed must arrive by date (MABD) or low fill rate. If no internal cause is found, the software will then look for store-related demand causes such as incorrect replenishment settings, forecast variances, or on-hand adjustments. With a click of the mouse, the root cause evidence uncovered by i2 POS Demand Sensing is easily attached to communications to the retailer with requests for replenishment adjustments.i2 POS Demand Sensing will be available in the i2 Business Content Library, a repository of process and technology solutions based on i2s more than 20 years of supply chain domain expertise. These solutions can be utilized without modification or can help accelerate the customization and deployment of composite solutions.