System and method for assortment planning

• US 20050216371A1
• Filed: 12/09/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Fotteler, Christine, Kopecz, Klaus, Collet, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,639,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system, method and program product are provided for performing assortment planning. The comprises receiving data representing a plurality of articles, an assortment, and a display area. The method further comprises assigning a first subset of the plurality of articles to the assortment for a first validity period to define a first assortment version. The method also comprises linking the display area to the assortment, wherein a first display area version is automatically created corresponding to the first assortment version.

Claims

1. A method for planning an assortment of articles within a computerized system, comprising:

receiving data representing a plurality of articles, an assortment, and a display area;

assigning a first subset of the plurality of articles to the assortment for a first validity period to define a first assortment version; and

linking the display area to the assortment, wherein a first display area version is automatically created corresponding to the first assortment version.

2. The method of claim 1, further including assigning a first fixture to the first display area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first fixture represents one or more shelves, one or more display racks, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 2, further including assigning at least one article in the first subset of articles to the first fixture.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the display area is a layout module and the display area version is a layout module version.

6. The method of claim 1, further including assigning a second subset of the plurality of articles to the assortment for a second validity period to define a second assortment version, wherein a second display area version is automatically created corresponding to the second assortment version.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the first display area version represents a first physical layout for the first subset of articles, and the second display area version represents a second physical layout for the second subset of articles.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first physical layout is valid for the first validity period, and the second physical layout is valid for the second validity period.

9. A computerized system for planning an assortment of articles, comprising:

means for receiving data representing a plurality of articles, an assortment, and a display area;

means for assigning a first subset of the plurality of articles to the assortment for a first validity period to define a first assortment version; and

means for linking the display area to the assortment, wherein a first display area version is automatically created corresponding to the first assortment version.

10. The system of claim 9, further including means for assigning a first fixture to the display area.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first fixture represents one or more shelves, one or more display racks, and combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 10, further including means for assigning at least one article in the first subset of articles to the first fixture.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the display area is a layout module and the first display area version is a layout module version.

14. The system of claim 9, further including means for assigning a second subset of the plurality of articles to the assortment for a second validity period to define a second assortment version, and means for creating a second display area version corresponding to the second assortment version.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first display area version represents a first physical layout for the first subset of articles, and the second display area version represents a second physical layout for the second subset of articles.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first physical layout is valid for the first validity period, and the second physical layout is valid for the second validity period.

17. A program product for planning an assortment of articles, the program product comprising machine-readable program code for causing, when executed, one or more machines to perform the following method steps:

receiving data representing a plurality of articles, an assortment, and a display area;

assigning a first subset of the plurality of articles to the assortment for a first validity period to define a first assortment version; and

linking the display area to the assortment, wherein a first display area version is automatically created corresponding to the first assortment version.

18. The program product of claim 17, further including assigning a first fixture to the display area.

19. The program product of claim 18, wherein the first fixture represents one or more shelves, one or more display racks, and combinations thereof.

20. The program product of claim 18, further including assigning at least one article in the first subset of articles to the first fixture.

21. The program product of claim 17, wherein the display area is a layout module and the first display area version is a layout module version.

22. The program product of claim 17, further including assigning a second subset of the plurality of articles to the assortment for a second validity period to define a second assortment version, wherein a second display area version is automatically created corresponding to the second assortment version.

23. The program product of claim 22, wherein the first display area version represents a first physical layout for the first subset of articles, and the second display area version represents a second physical layout for the second subset of articles.

24. The program product of claim 23, wherein the first physical layout is valid for the first validity period, and the second physical layout is valid for the second validity period.