Forecast plans (form)

  • Article

Applies To: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R3, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

Click Master planning > Setup > Plans > Forecast plans.

Use this form to create a forecast plan and define the settings for that plan.

The forecast plan is used in the following ways:

  • Forecast scheduling

    Microsoft Dynamics AX uses the setup parameters and the data that are defined in the selected forecast plan to calculate gross requirements and generate planned orders. You can use this information for long-term planning of materials and capacity. You can use several forecast plans and compare and evaluate the results of different parameter setups.

  • Master scheduling

    Microsoft Dynamics AX uses the setup parameters and the data that are defined in the selected forecast plan to calculate forecast requirements. This, in turn, becomes input for calculating net requirements.

The following tables provide descriptions for the controls in this form.

Tabs

Tab

Description

General tab

Set up parameters for the selected forecast.

Time fences

Enter values for the various time fences that are used when Microsoft Dynamics AX calculates forecast scheduling.

Safety margin

Enter values for the various safety margins that are used when Microsoft Dynamics AX calculates forecast scheduling. If you specify safety margins here, they do not override item-specific safety margins but are added to them instead.

Fields

Field

Description

Plan

Unique identification of the forecast plan.

Name

Forecast name.

Inventory forecast model

Select the forecast model to use in the current forecast plan.

Include supply forecast

After you select a forecast model, select this check box to include the supply forecast in the current forecast plan.

Include demand forecast

After you select a forecast model, select this check box to include the demand forecast in the current forecast plan.

Reduction principle

Select the method that is used to reduce forecast requirements during master scheduling. The options are as follows:

  • None – Forecast requirements are not reduced during master scheduling.

  • Percent - reduction key – Forecast requirements are reduced according to the percentages and time periods that are defined by the reduction key.

  • Transactions - reduction key – Forecast requirements are reduced by the transactions that occur during the time periods that are defined by the reduction key.

  • Transactions - dynamic period – Forecast requirements are reduced by the actual order transactions that occur during the dynamic period. The dynamic period covers the current forecast dates and ends with the start of the next forecast. This method does not use or require a reduction key. When using this option:

    • If the forecast is reduced completely, the forecast requirements for the current forecast become 0.

    • If there is no future forecast, forecast requirements from the last forecast that was entered are reduced.

    • Time fences are included in the forecast reduction calculation.

    • Positive days are included in the forecast reduction calculation.

    • If actual order transactions are greater than the forecasted requirements, the remaining transactions are not forwarded to the next forecast period.

Planned order number sequence

Enter the number sequence that you want to use for picking planned-order numbers. Every time that a planned order is created, it is assigned a sequential number from this number sequence. It helps if the planned orders each have their own number sequences so that you can differentiate them from other requirements.

Session number sequence

Number sequence that is used for job numbers. Every time that you run forecast scheduling, the results are assigned a sequential number from this number sequence.

Skip coverage calculations

When this check box is selected, forecast scheduling is faster because planned orders that cover demand forecasts are not created. However, planned purchase orders are created if a supply forecast exists. You can apply this option when you execute forecast scheduling only in order to create a master schedule.

Coverage time fence

Enter the coverage time fence in days. The coverage time fence determines the period in which forecast scheduling transfers and covers the purchase and sales forecast. The coverage time fence is calculated from the day's date.

Note

The Coverage time fence that you set up with the Coverage groups form is not used in the Forecast scheduling class form.

Explosion time fence

The explosion time fence, expressed in days, is the period in which BOMs are exploded for requirements for component items. The time fence is calculated from the day's date.

Note

The Explosion time fence that you set up with the Coverage groups form is not used in the Forecast scheduling class form.

Capacity time fence

The capacity time fence, expressed in days, is the period in which planned BOMs are capacity scheduled. Forecast scheduling uses the item's active production route and schedules backward from the requirement date. If the requirement date for a planned BOM falls outside the capacity time fence, the lead time is determined by the item's delivery time. The time fence is calculated from the day's date.

Receipt margin

A safety margin, expressed in days, that is added to the receipt's requirement date during forecast scheduling. Note that safety margins for the coverage group and safety margins for the forecast plan are totaled during forecast scheduling.

For example, if the receipt margin is set to 4 days, and a purchase forecast line is scheduled for receipt on the fifteenth of the month, forecast scheduling calculates the adjusted receipt date as the nineteenth of the month.

Issue margin

A safety margin, expressed in days, that is deducted from the issue's requirement date during forecast scheduling. Note that safety margins for the coverage group and safety margins for the forecast plan are summed during forecast scheduling.

For example, if the safety margin is set to 4 days, and a forecast line is scheduled for delivery on the fifteenth of the month, forecast scheduling calculates the adjusted delivery date as the eleventh of the month.

Reorder margin

A safety margin, expressed in days, that is added to an item's lead time. The safety margin could, for example, express internal administrative processing time. Note that safety margins for the coverage group and safety margins for the forecast plan are summed during forecast scheduling.

The safety margin is not used directly in forecast scheduling. It is used to calculate net requirement order dates.

Buttons

Button

Description

Session log

Open the Log form, which provides an overview of the forecast and master schedule statistics that have been executed in the past.

See also

Run master scheduling

Example: Use reduction keys

Announcements: To see known issues and recent fixes, use Issue search in Microsoft Dynamics Lifecycle Services (LCS).