Seeking Insights on seasonal forecasting within Anaplan: Share Your Experiences and Best Practices!

Hansalbin

Hello Anaplan Community,

I hope this message finds you well! As we approach the holiday season, I am eager to learn more about how companies in our community are leveraging Anaplan for holiday forecasting. This is a crucial aspect of planning for many businesses, and I believe there's a wealth of knowledge and diverse experiences within our community.

My company is currently discussing how we can improve our methods for forecasting trends, seasons, and holidays, and I believe this to be a common issue among companies with large assortments of articles, such as ours.

If your organization utilizes Anaplan for holiday forecasting, I would love to hear about your approach. What specific challenges do you face during the holiday season, and how does Anaplan help you overcome them? Are there any unique features or models that you've found particularly effective?

Furthermore, I'm interested in uncovering any best practices that our community members have identified for holiday forecasting with Anaplan. Whether it's related to data integration, collaboration among teams, or refining forecasting models, your insights could be incredibly valuable to others facing similar challenges.

Looking forward to hearing your experiences and best practices!

Dikshant

@Hansalbin,

Navigating holiday forecasting is indeed a critical aspect of planning, and multiple organizations utilize Anaplan for this purpose. Here's a glimpse into our approach:

Challenges:

1. Demand Volatility: Managing fluctuations in demand during the holiday season can be challenging.
2. Product Assortment: With a large assortment, predicting which products will be in high demand adds complexity.
3. Collaboration: Ensuring alignment among teams, especially across departments, is crucial for accurate forecasting.

How Anaplan Helps:

1. Scenario Modeling: Anaplan's scenario modeling enables us to simulate various demand scenarios, helping us anticipate and prepare for different outcomes.
2. Predictive Analytics: Leveraging Anaplan's predictive analytics features provides insights into historical trends, aiding in more accurate forecasting.
3. Collaboration Hub: Anaplan serves as a centralized platform for cross-functional teams to collaborate in real-time, fostering better communication and alignment.

Unique Features:

1. Dynamic Forecasting Models: Anaplan's flexibility allows us to create dynamic forecasting models that adapt to changing market conditions and product trends.
2. Integrated Data: Seamless data integration allows us to incorporate real-time sales data, market trends, and customer behavior into our forecasts.

Best Practices:

1. Cross-Functional Teams: Engaging teams from various departments in the forecasting process ensures diverse perspectives and accurate insights.
2. Historical Data Analysis: Thorough analysis of historical data within Anaplan helps us identify patterns and make informed decisions.
3. Continuous Refinement: Implementing a continuous refinement process ensures our forecasting models evolve and improve over time.

These practices, coupled with Anaplan's capabilities, have significantly enhanced our holiday forecasting accuracy. Best of luck with your discussions, and feel free to reach out if you have specific questions!

Warm regards.

Hansalbin

Thank you for the thorough response, Dikshant.

I will definitely keep this in mind and communicate your recommendations to the rest of my team and organization!

Best regards