The Demand Planning module is where you build, analyze, and refine your demand forecasts. It provides a comprehensive view of expected demand across products, customers, and time periods.
What you’ll see
Demand chart
A line chart showing demand trends over time. Each scenario is plotted as a separate line with its own color. The total for the displayed period is shown on the left-hand side per scenario.
Toggle specific scenario lines on or off by clicking their legend labels.
Demand tracker table
A hierarchical tree table that breaks down demand by:
Each row shows demand values across time periods. Use the > button to expand segment details and view deeper breakdowns.
Exploring actual data
Select Actual from the dataset selector to explore historical sales data:
- Grey lines on the chart represent actual historical performance
- Purple lines represent previously committed plans
- Use actual data to spot trends, assess planning accuracy, and build stronger forecasts
Adding datasets
Click Add Dataset to display multiple data series simultaneously. You can show Actuals, Forecast Base, and custom scenarios together to compare different perspectives. Set a custom color per dataset for easy visual distinction.
Page controls
| Control | Options | What it does |
|---|
| Period | Monthly / Fiscal Year | Switch the time granularity |
| UOM | Gross Value, Units, Net Value, etc. | Change the unit of measure |
| Numeric scale | D / B / M / k / U | Format large numbers |
| Decimal places | 0-4 | Adjust displayed precision |
Numeric scale options
| Scale | Format | Example |
|---|
| D (Dynamic) | Auto-format to first thousand | 10B / 1M |
| B (Billion) | Format to billions | 0.001B |
| M (Million) | Format to millions | 1M |
| k (Thousand) | Format to thousands | 1,000k |
| U (Unit) | Original figure | 1,000,000 |
Segment hierarchy
Click the settings icon to define your segment hierarchy for the demand breakdown. Navigate to the Select Segments tab to configure which dimensions (Brand, Category, Channel, Product ID, etc.) appear in the tree view.
Analytics columns
The demand table includes powerful analytics columns you can toggle on or off via the settings icon:
| Column | Formula |
|---|
| Q1 - Q4 | Sum of values within each quarter |
| Q1 Avg - Q4 Avg | Average monthly value within each quarter |
| H1 / H2 | Sum for first or second half of the year |
| H1 Avg / H2 Avg | Average monthly value for each half-year |
| Y (FY Total) | Sum of all values in the fiscal year |
| Y Avg | Average monthly value across the fiscal year |
| YTD | Sum from FY start to plan start month - 1 |
| Avg YTD | Average of YTD months |
| YTG | Sum from plan start month to FY end |
| Avg YTG | Average of YTG months |
| Diff YTD-YTG | YTD Total - YTG Total |
| % Diff YTD-YTG | Percentage difference between YTD and YTG |
| Diff Avg YTD-YTG | YTD Average - YTG Average |
| % Diff Avg YTD-YTG | Percentage difference between YTD and YTG averages |
Full year, full quarter, or full half-year must be selected in the date range for the corresponding analytics columns to appear.
Comparison modes
Change how values are displayed:
| Mode | What it shows |
|---|
| Contribution | Each item as a percentage of the dataset total |
| Growth % | Value compared to last year as a percentage (Year-To-Year mode only) |
| Growth Abs | Value compared to last year in absolute terms (Year-To-Year mode only) |
| Comparison % | Difference versus the highlighted scenario as a percentage |
| Comparison Abs | Difference versus the highlighted scenario in absolute terms |
Run rates
SIMCEL calculates run rates based on the most recent actual sales data within the chosen period:
| Period | Description |
|---|
| P3M | Average monthly demand over the past 3 months |
| P6M | Average monthly demand over the past 6 months |
| P9M | Average monthly demand over the past 9 months |
| P12M | Average monthly demand over the past 12 months |
Run rates reflect monthly average actual sales performance. If there is no actual data within the selected period, run rates display “N/A”.
Saved segments
Save a combination of filters (customer, product, location) as a Saved Segment for easy retrieval:
- Apply your desired filters
- Click Save as a Segment and set a name (e.g., “Non Tender Pharmacy Chain”)
- Retrieve via the saved segments dropdown
Saved segments can also be used when creating events, automatically applying the predefined filters.
Key demand KPIs
| KPI | Formula |
|---|
| Primary Demand Value | Sum of Demand Value where Facility Type = Distributor |
| Primary Demand Volume | Sum of Order Quantity where Facility Type = Distributor |
| Primary Gross Sales Value | Sum of Constrained Sales In GSV where Facility Type = Distributor |
| Primary Net Sales Value | Primary Gross Sales - Primary Trade Expenses |
| Primary Sales Volume | Sum of Dispatch Quantity where Facility Type = Distributor |
| Primary Case Fill Rate | Primary Sales Volume / Primary Demand Volume |
| Secondary Demand Value | Secondary Demand Volume x Listed Price |
| Secondary Demand Volume | Sum of Unconstrained Sales Out where Facility Type = Customer |
| Secondary Gross Sales | Sum of Constrained Sales Out GSV where Facility Type = Customer |
| Secondary Net Sales | Secondary Gross Sales - Secondary Trade Expenses |
| Secondary Sales Volume | Sum of Constrained Sales Out where Facility Type = Customer |
| Secondary Case Fill Rate | Secondary Sales Volume / Secondary Demand Volume |
Navigating to Forecast Accuracy
From the Demand page, click the Forecast Accuracy button to see how your forecasts compare against actual outcomes. See Forecast Accuracy for details. 
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