The Replenishment Calculation Competition

Executive Summary

• This is the page of the RCC or Replenishment Calculation Competition, and it explains the design of the competition.

Introduction

The majority of supply chain planning vendors make claims about the benefits of their software. However, what is nearly unheard of is to have an objective way to compare the output of supply planning systems. This competition changes that by having different software vendors process a data file to compute a future replenishment plan.

#1: The Input: The Data Set the Vendors Process

Here is important information about the data set.

Where Does the Input Data Come From?

• The data that will be used is from an anonymous customer whose material numbers have changed.

Why Are Certain Line Items Included in the Data Set?

• The data reflects different patterns commonly found with real products to test vendor replenishment for different dimensions. It is not necessary to measure different product location combinations that are similar to one another.

How Large is the Data Set?

• The data set will not exceed a few hundred line items that need to be processed.

What Fields Are in the Data Set?

• Transactional data will include the beginning stock level and average sales per day.
• The data set will not exceed a few hundred line items that need to be processed.

#2: The Output: What is Measured?

• Each vendor will use the same data set to provide their output, which will be their replenishment plan. This will include a file showing the planned daily stock level for two months.
• The data is from the past, and the actual sales of each production location combination are known by us but not shared with the vendors. The vendors provide their output which is then compared against known future sales to develop their replenishment error.

#3: Measurement & Scoring: How Will The Results to Calculated?

• As with a forecast error – this competition will measure the vendor’s planning stocking level versus the optimal one.
• The measurement will be in total error units per line item and finally in total.
• Most vendors will produce a forecast first and then the replenishment plan second — however, the forecast error is not calculated or part of the competition.
• The only item that is calculated is the replenishment error.

#4: Qualifying: Who Gets to Compete?

• Any vendor with a supply planning offering or anyone who models replenishment planning.
• ERP vendors are not invited to the competition as they cannot provide a competitive replenishment plan.

#5: Publication: How Will The Results Be Communicated?

The results for each vendor or modeler are published on this website. And we will send the results to the participating vendor as soon as they have been published.

Not all vendors or modelers will provide their output files simultaneously. Therefore, we will publish the results of each as they become available.

Conclusion

The design of this competition is still being developed. We will be adding more information to this page.