Katana provides helpful tools for planning and forecasting to help businesses optimize inventory and production processes. The system allows you to forecast demand, plan production schedules, and manage stock levels efficiently. With features like automated calculations and real-time data updates, Katana helps businesses anticipate market trends and ensure they have the right products available at the right time.
Planning and Forecasting offers a comprehensive suite of tools designed to further your capabilities into inventory planning, replenishment, and forecasting.
Note: Katana's Planning and Forecasting is an add-on available for everyone on Standard, Professional & Professional Plus.
Accessing Planning & Forecasting
Planning and Forecasting is accessible from the Plan screen found in the top navigation menu. In the Plan screen you'll find two tabs (Planning and Replenishment) that help with inventory control.
Planning and anticipated inventory levels
The Planning tab allows you to forecast your future inventory needs and visualize expected inventory levels across different locations based on forecasts from sales, purchase, manufacturing, and outsourced purchase orders. This lets you anticipate inventory requirements and ensure you have adequate stock levels to meet demand.
Replenishment and order suggestions
The Replenishment tab helps you simplify the inventory restocking process by providing automated suggestions on when and how much to reorder. Suggestions are based on current stock levels, forecasted demand, and supply terms (such as variant lead time, and minimum order quantity).
Supply details for replenishment
Katana's replenishment uses the minimum order quantity (MOQ) to improve replenishment suggestions. When you need to reorder, Katana recommends quantities that align with the MOQ to ensure orders are efficient and supplier-compliant.
With SKU-specific lead times in place, Katana's replenishment can more accurately suggest the date when you'll need to make an order, keeping inventory levels optimized.
The Suggested order qty column is based on the MOQ or weekly demand, while the Suggested order by column is based on SKU lead time.
You can find an item's supply details by opening up the item card and clicking on the Supply details tab.
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