According to the vendor, the Flowcasting tool proactively addresses the root causes of out-of-stocks. In addition, JDA has added new algorithms and analytics that enable retailers to forecast even the most challenging SKUs, including new products and slow-moving items. JDA Flowcasting draws on multiple inputs, including point of sale, inventory and promotions, to provide a common set of plans for demand, replenishment, transportation, capacity and financial projections. The three main enhancements to the application are predictive analytics for out-of-stocks, more accurate stock levels for new products and more accurate forecasting and replenishment for slow movers. Forecasts are represented as an appropriate set of integers for use in planning replenishment. Orders for slow-moving items are evaluated based on whether it makes sense to ship the order to a store in anticipation of a sale, or hold the order.
