Pre-Demand Review Readiness Checklist (Free)

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9 critical items still open - these are the highest-risk gaps.

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Data and baseline

Previous month actuals are loaded and reconciled to the sales reportCRITICALMaster data changes since last cycle are reviewed (new items, supersessions)Outliers in last month's actuals are reviewed and markedThe statistical baseline forecast has been regeneratedCRITICALModel changes or parameter overrides are logged with a reasonLast cycle's forecast version is frozen and stored for accuracy measurementCRITICAL

Performance review

Forecast accuracy is calculated at the agreed lag and levelCRITICALBias is reported with the same definition as last cycleCRITICALTracking signal alerts are listed for A and B itemsTop forecast exceptions are identified with a root cause codeForecast value add of manual overrides is calculatedAccuracy trend over the last six cycles is plotted

Commercial inputs

Sales has submitted its adjustments by the agreed deadlineCRITICALPromotions and price changes are loaded with dates and expected upliftNew product launches and phase-outs are confirmed with datesLarge customer orders, contracts and tenders are listed with probabilityMarketing and key account plans are reflected or explicitly excludedMarket or economic assumptions are written down

Supply awareness

Capacity and material constraints known for the horizon are listedLong lead-time items needing early decisions are flaggedCRITICALInventory position and projected stock-outs or excess are summarizedSupplier or logistics disruptions that change demand fulfillment are noted

Meeting pack

Unconstrained consensus proposal is prepared at family levelCRITICALRisks and opportunities are quantified in units or valueDecisions needed from the meeting are listed explicitlyCRITICALThe pack is circulated before the meeting with time to reviewOwners are assigned to follow up on last meeting's actionsMinutes and an updated forecast version will be saved after the meeting

Aim to complete every critical item before the meeting. If more than two critical items are open, consider moving the meeting rather than debating unreliable numbers.

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How to use the checklist

Start it about a week before the demand review and work through the groups in order. Data and baseline come first, because accuracy and exceptions depend on them. Commercial inputs have deadlines for sales, so chase them early. Tick items as done, note owners for gaps and keep the critical items visible. Export the completed list to show the S&OP lead that the cycle is ready.

Why this order

Actuals must be right before you measure accuracy, and accuracy must be known before you decide where to focus review time. Only then does it make sense to collect commercial adjustments, because you can show sales where the forecast has been wrong or biased. Supply awareness comes last in preparation so you can bring constraints into the conversation without letting them reshape demand.

Freeze last cycle's forecast first
Measure at the supply lag
Review exceptions, not everything
Separate demand from supply constraints

What the meeting pack should hold

A good pack is short. It shows the statistical baseline, the proposed consensus forecast and the gap between them, accuracy and bias at family level, the top exceptions with causes, and a list of risks and opportunities in units. Finish with the decisions needed. Everything else belongs in an appendix, because long packs hide the decisions.

Common mistakes

Planners often update the forecast before freezing the old version, which makes accuracy unmeasurable. Sales adjustments arrive late and are loaded without review. Constrained supply numbers leak into the demand plan so the company never sees true demand. Keep the demand plan unconstrained, version every change and log the reason for each override.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should demand review preparation start?

Most teams begin once month-end actuals are available, typically several working days before the meeting. Allow time to chase sales inputs, because late submissions are the most common cause of a weak review.

What is the difference between demand review and S&OP?

The demand review agrees an unconstrained consensus demand plan. It is one step in the S&OP cycle, which continues with supply review, a pre-S&OP reconciliation and an executive meeting. Preparation checklists differ by step.

Why freeze the previous forecast version?

Accuracy is measured by comparing actuals with what was forecast at a given lag. If you overwrite the old forecast you cannot measure it. Store a frozen copy of every cycle's forecast.

Should the demand plan include supply constraints?

No. Keep the demand plan unconstrained so the business sees real demand, then compare it with supply capability in the supply review. Mixing the two hides shortages and misleads sales.

If preparing this pack takes several days each cycle, Netray can assemble the accuracy, exceptions and baseline views from your ERP data for a planner to review.

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Pre-Demand Review Readiness Checklist for Demand Planners