Forecasts and assistants

Forecasts are requirements suggested by Bold before you create operational documents. They help you determine what to purchase or manufacture, when to do it and in what quantity. Assistants show these suggestions so you can review them before converting them into purchase orders or manufacturing requests.

Do not confuse a forecast with a commitment. The forecast proposes coverage; a confirmed document represents expected supply.

Forecast types

Type	Expected result
Purchase forecast	Can be converted into a purchase order.
Manufacturing forecast	Can be converted into a manufacturing request.

A forecast does not change stock or count as supply of the forecast item. In a manufacturing forecast, Bold calculates the recipe’s inputs and can generate component demand immediately. When you convert the forecast into a request or order, the manufactured product becomes part of expected supply.

Relationship model

What data Bold uses

Bold compares stock, demand, supply and the item’s procurement policy.

Data	Effect
Current stock	Physical starting point.
Outgoing stock	Sales or consumption commitments that reduce availability.
Incoming stock	Confirmed purchases and manufacturing that increase future availability.
Reorder point	Threshold that triggers a recommendation to stock.
Minimum order	Minimum suggested quantity when replenishing.
Lot size	Multiple used to round quantities.
Preferred supplier	Proposed source for purchasing.
Delivery or manufacturing lead time	Date from which procurement should be released.

Read Demand and supply to understand how projected stock is calculated.

Assistant comparison

Aspect	Purchasing assistant	Manufacturing assistant
Included items	Configured for procurement through purchasing.	Configured for procurement through manufacturing.
Main organization	Requirements grouped by supplier.	Requirements grouped by period.
Context shown	Quantities worth purchasing and proposed supplier.	Urgent or future demand worth manufacturing.
Resulting document	Purchase order.	Manufacturing request.
Effect before conversion	Does not generate supply.	Does not generate product supply; can generate component demand.

A confirmed purchase order line generates expected supply. In manufacturing, the forecast can become a request and then lead to one or more manufacturing orders.

Conceptual example

Two items each have an uncovered requirement of 20 units. The first is procured through purchasing and the second through manufacturing. In this example, no minimum order or lot size changes the suggested quantity.

Item	Configured source	Forecast	Immediate effect on supply
Raw material A	Buy	Purchase forecast of 20 units.	None.
Product B	Make	Manufacturing forecast of 20 units.	Does not generate product supply; its inputs can generate demand.

The same uncovered quantity produces different suggestions depending on the procurement source. In both cases, the forecast remains a recommendation and does not cover demand on its own.

Relationship with the procurement policy

Read Procurement policy to configure the source, mode, quantities, lead times and primary supplier.

Item setting	What it determines
Procurement source	Whether Bold recommends purchasing, manufacturing or ignoring the item.
Procurement mode	Whether it covers requirements to order or to stock.
Reorder point	When a recommendation to stock appears.
Minimum order	Minimum suggested quantity.
Lot size	Rounding of the suggested quantity.

Concept map

Work mode

Forecasts and assistants

Forecast types

Relationship model

What data Bold uses

Assistant comparison

Conceptual example

Relationship with the procurement policy

​Forecast types

​Relationship model

​What data Bold uses

​Assistant comparison

​Conceptual example

​Relationship with the procurement policy

​Related

Forecast types

Relationship model

What data Bold uses

Assistant comparison

Conceptual example

Relationship with the procurement policy

Related