Oracle Demand Planning (ODP) is a advanced forecasting module available as part of Advanced Planning & Scheduling (APS) suite. Oracle Demand Planning pulls the data from source ERP instance and does the forecasting. The final forecast output can be either be used as input to Advanced Supply Chain Planning (ASCP) or published back to source ERP instnace.

Demand Planning Cycle:

• Data Collection: All the data needed for forecasting (items, boms, shipments, sales orders, safet stocks etc) can be imported from source ERP instance using standarad data collections programs supported by Oracle or can be imported from legacy systems through flat files.
• Define demand plan: Demand Plan definition is the starting plan where scope of demand plan and expected outputs are defined.
• Download demand planning data: In this step data relevant to the demand plan is downloaded into a shared database and systematic forecast is generated by system for further anaysis and updates.
• Distribute to Planners: The generated forecast is distributed to multiple planners as for forecats review and further manual changes.
• Creating and mofiying forecasts: Planners can view system generated forecast or they can generate their own versions of forecast, they can compare different variations of forecast.
• Submit the forecast: Finally planner submits one of the forecasts he generated as final forecast.
• Review forecast: Demand plan manager collects the individual forecasts submitted by planners and consolidates into one final forecast. Deman plan manager have the authority to make any final changes to forecast.
• Upload and publish: Demand plan manager uploads the final forecast into demand planning server and later either this will be consumed by oracle ASCP or published to source instance.