Forecaster & Workload Planning

This module provides the management of forecasts and workload plans for each week, for each outlet.

The customer determines the key sales drivers for the business; these sales drivers can be sales value, sales volume, customer numbers, etc. From the customer’s sales drivers and task business rules, a series of workload plans are determined, to suit the various outlet profiles. The workload plans specify the ideal number of employees to be allocated to the various jobs or tasks to meet the required forecasted sales activity from a ‘base week’ through to the highest activity level.

The threshold levels for each sales driver are determined so that the module can automatically select the appropriate workload plan for each week based on the forecasts. Alternatively, a manager with the appropriate authority level can select the workload plan manually.

Forecasts can be revised centrally for part or whole of the estate or local managers can propose and authorise forecast changes for specific outlets. A full audit trail monitors the forecast changes, which can be made on a weekly, daily or hourly basis. Authorised forecast changes immediately change the workload plan for the outlet.

The selected workload plan is overlaid onto the scheduling grid so that any scheduling ‘gaps’ are immediately obvious and the local manager can take the appropriate action.

The local manager receives immediate warning of any forecast changes.