The tool merges data from multiple sources to help manufacturers and consumer goods companies sense and shape demand. They can measure market signals such as point-of-sale, inventory and marketing data, then combine the information with shipment data. The application creates an information bank from which cross-functional manufacturing teams can draw, to improve production and supply-chain decisions. The software contains two elements: SAS Demand-Driven Planning and Optimization, to help turn point-of-sale and other sales-channel information into more accurate forecasts, and SAS Visual Analytics, an in-memory tool for exploring big data and improving access to market insights.
