FAQ

RastPro is based on a pillar principle: everyone needs a good demand forecast. Using an accurate demand forecast for decision support in (1) inventory replenishment orders and (2) production planning, yields the following improvements:

• Low inventory levels
• Fewer lost-sales due to stock-out

As a result, the fill-rate, service level, and revenues go up, and since we have less inventory, the cost of working capital drops. This brings down the total cost of the supply-chain and drives up the return on working investment.

After one year of using RastPro, customers reported the following improvements:

• Inventory levels are down by 20%.
• Service level are up by 5%.

At Ideum Group, we recognize the large number of products in a typical customer’s portfolio, which makes it almost impossible to examine each product on its own. Instead, RastPro takes a unique approach by grouping/clustering the different products based on their demand variability (e.g. stable, complementary, intermittent, etc.). As a result, you can now decide where you allocate your time revising forecast for maximum marginal benefits. For example, basic products have predictable, stable patterns, perfect for model-driven forecasts. On the other hand, non-basic products (e.g. complementary where demand can shift from one product to another) and high value products may demand that you spend more time, apply intuition and combine views from different sources to reach agreeable forecast values

Excellent. Contact your sales representative and he or she will help you through the process.

Absolutely. We can move your data for you to your production (i.e. customers) environment for free.

Absolutely. First, we’ll send you all the necessary information for preparing your data in a format that our system can read. From there, we will work with you to format the data you already have.

We also offer consulting services to help get your systems’ data into RastPro.

RastPro is a hosted solution, so we do all the data backups at least once-a-day, and make every effort for uninterrupted operation. We also provide the option to allocate your time and effort. For example, products in the stable products group have a relatively steady pattern over time. Since RastPro forecast algorithms are very good, your time will have a much higher marginal benefit when used in the high variability products group (e.g. intermittent demand group).

RastPro takes a unique approach to demand forecasting. First, it groups/clusters the different products by their historical demand patterns (e.g. stable, seasonal, intermittent, etc.) and, if available, other factors such as the distribution channel.

Next, RastPro uses a proprietary approach to examine numerous models and select the one that best fits demand and explains each product’s variations. Using a selected model, RastPro projects a robust forecast and presents it as one source in the forecast collaborative process.

Forecasts are calculated on a daily basis.

Using the demand forecast, current inventory in-stock and in-transit levels, RastPro generates recommendations for safety-stock levels and when to place those orders, taking into consideration the supplier’s constraints, such as minimum order quantity and probabilistic order lead time.

RastPro is build by and for the practitioner, so we made every effort to make all elements of the program interface very simple and relevant to answering the key questions about your data.

Still not sure? What our short, two-minute video tutorial

How about one hour to install, and a few more hours to help you get your data into the program.

None. RastPro is a hosted solution, so you don’t need anything aside from a computer and an internet connection.

Sure. Contact us at (954)866-3487.