transcosmos adds demand forecasting and replenishment planning to trans-scManager

From visualization to forecasting and execution

Until now, trans-scManager has offered inventory visualization, inbound and outbound analysis, inventory assessment and inventory replenishment support. These functions are based on PSI information held by companies. PSI stands for Production/Purchase, Sales/Shipment, and Inventory.

With the new capabilities, transcosmos says the service goes beyond visualization and analysis. It now combines AI-powered demand forecasting and supply-demand planning with the BPO expertise the company has built through operations such as order processing, inventory allocation and shipping. The result, according to transcosmos, is one-stop support for the whole process, from demand forecasting and supply-demand planning to shipping instructions.

How AI and BPO share the work

The company describes a clear split of roles. AI handles data collection and assessment, forecasting, and the creation of adjustment proposals. BPO staff support decision-making and approvals, exception handling, stakeholder coordination, progress management and effectiveness evaluation.

transcosmos says it helps clients set up supply-demand operations tailored to their business needs and provides ongoing support for continuous improvement.

The service overview lists five areas:

• Data preparation and visualization: digitizes and cleanses PSI data to show inventory status and supply-demand balances.
• Analysis and assessment: supports the identification and improvement of issues such as excess inventory and stockout risks.
• Demand forecasting: uses sales and shipment performance data, promotional information and external factors such as weather, and selects the most appropriate model for each product from multiple forecasting models. When product renewals fragment historical sales data, measures such as record matching maintain data continuity.
• Supply-demand and inventory planning: calculates order quantities and replenishment volumes from demand forecasts, current inventory levels, safety stock and lead times.
• Operational support: creates shipping data from finalized plans and handles coordination with shipping locations and transportation providers, along with approvals, exception handling, progress management and effectiveness evaluation.

The problem it targets

transcosmos points to a changing environment for supply-demand operations. It cites the growth of the e-commerce market, more diverse consumer needs, shorter product life cycles, weather events and natural disasters, fluctuating procurement lead times, rising logistics costs and labor shortages. Forecasting and inventory planning have also become more complex as product assortments grow, production and shipment volumes shrink, and promotions increase.

In many companies, sales performance, inventory, promotion and campaign information, event information and weather data sit across several departments and systems. Staff must use multiple tools to consolidate that information and make plans. According to the company, such operations often depend heavily on the experience and judgment of individual employees. That can lead to lost sales from stockouts, excess inventory, and a heavier logistics workload caused by more frequent emergency shipments.

What it means for clients

For companies that manage inventory across many products and channels, the update brings forecasting, planning and shipping instructions into a single service instead of separate tools and manual steps. transcosmos says the aim is to help clients maximize sales opportunities, optimize inventory and logistics costs, and operate sustainable supply chains.

The announcement does not give pricing, availability dates or performance figures for the new features.