Allocation table generation from assortment planning

• US 8,655,697 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Issued: 02/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Gabelmann, Thomas, Simon, Berthold
• Primary Examiner(s): LOFTIS, JOHNNA RONEE
• Application Number:
  US11/048,124
• Publication Number:
  US 20050235020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,305 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.12
• US Class Current: 705/7.12
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A method, apparatus and program product are provided for generating an allocation table in a computerized procurement system. The method comprises receiving first data from a purchase order regarding a plurality of articles to be allocated, and receiving second data from an assortment regarding the plurality of articles and a plurality of stores identified for receiving the articles at specified times. The method further comprises determining a fixed quantity of each article to be allocated to each store based on at least one of the first and second data, wherein the fixed quantity of each article is the same for all stores. The method also comprises determining a variable quantity of each article to be allocated to each store, wherein the variable quantity of each article is individually set for each store, and wherein the variable quantity of each article is determined based on analysis of historical data.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to implement a method for generating an allocation table in a computerized procurement system, comprising the steps of:

receiving first data from a purchase order regarding a plurality of articles to be allocated;

receiving second data from an assortment regarding the plurality of articles and a plurality of stores identified for receiving the articles at specified times;

determining a fixed quantity of each article to be allocated to each store based on at least one of the first and second data, wherein the fixed quantity of each article is the same for all stores;

determining a variable quantity of each article to be allocated to each store based on the fixed quantity of each article allocated to each store and a store type, wherein the variable quantity of each article is individually set for each store, and wherein the variable quantity of each article is determined based on analysis of historical data;

determining a delivery route on an individual article basis from among a plurality of delivery routes, wherein the delivery route for a first set of one or more of the plurality of articles is a first delivery route in which the articles will be delivered direct from a vendor to each store, the delivery route for a second set of one or more of the plurality of articles is a second delivery route in which the articles will be delivered to a distribution center and then to each store, and the delivery route for a third set of one or more of the plurality of articles is a third delivery route in which the articles will be delivered to each store from the distribution center; and

generating for each store purchase orders and delivery schedules based on the fixed quantity determination, the variable quantity determination and the delivery route determination.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the fixed quantity is determined based on the first data.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the fixed quantity is determined from the second data.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the first data and the second data further comprise information chosen from the group consisting of generic article information, variant article information, store delivery date, prepack article quantities, and combinations thereof.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving third data which is manually input, and wherein the manual input provides an adjustment to at least one of the fixed quantity and the variable quantity of at least one article.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the purchase order is a released purchase order and the assortment is a released assortment.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising populating the allocation table with purchase order data.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the analysis of the historical data is performed by applying predefined rules to the historical data.

9. An apparatus for generating an allocation table in a computerized procurement system, comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU); and

a storage device coupled to the CPU and having information stored therein for configuring the CPU to

receive first data from a purchase order regarding a plurality of articles to be allocated;

receive second data from an assortment regarding the plurality of articles and a plurality of stores identified for receiving the articles at specified times;

determine a fixed quantity of each article to be allocated to each store based on at least one of the first and second data, wherein the fixed quantity of each article is the same for all stores;

determine a variable quantity of each article to be allocated to each store based on the fixed quantity of each article allocated to each store and a store type, wherein the variable quantity of each article is individually set for each store, and wherein the variable quantity of each article is determined based on analysis of historical data;

determine a delivery route on an individual article basis from among a plurality of delivery routes, wherein the delivery route for a first set of one or more of the plurality of articles is a first delivery route in which the articles will be delivered direct from a vendor to each store, the delivery route for a second set of one or more of the plurality of articles is a second delivery route in which the articles will be delivered to a distribution center and then to each store, and the delivery route for a third set of one or more of the plurality of articles is a third delivery route in which the articles will be delivered to each store from the distribution center; and

generate for each store purchase orders and delivery schedules based on the fixed quantity determination, the variable quantity determination and the delivery route determination.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the fixed quantity is determined based on the first data.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the fixed quantity is determined from the second data.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first data and the second data further comprise information chosen from the group consisting of generic article information, variant article information, store delivery date, prepack article quantities, and combinations thereof.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the storage device includes information for further configuring the CPU to receive third data which is manually input, and wherein the manual input provides an adjustment to at least one of the fixed quantity and the variable quantity of at least one article.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the purchase order is a released purchase order and the assortment is a released assortment.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the storage device includes information for further configuring the CPU to populate the allocation table with purchase order data.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the analysis of the historical data is performed by applying predefined rules to the historical data.

17. A program product for generating an allocation table in a computerized procurement system, the program product comprising non-transitory machine readable program code for causing, when executed, one or more machines to perform the following method steps:

receiving first data from a purchase order regarding a plurality of articles to be allocated;

receiving second data from an assortment regarding the plurality of articles and a plurality of stores identified for receiving the articles at specified times;

determining a fixed quantity of each article to be allocated to each store based on at least one of the first and second data, wherein the fixed quantity of each article is the same for all stores;

determining a variable quantity of each article to be allocated to each store based on the fixed quantity of each article allocated to each store and a store type, wherein the variable quantity of each article is individually set for each store, and wherein the variable quantity of each article is determined based on analysis of historical data;

determining a delivery route on an individual article basis from among a plurality of delivery routes, wherein the delivery route for a first set of one or more of the plurality of articles is a first delivery route in which the articles will be delivered direct from a vendor to each store, the delivery route for a second set of one or more of the plurality of articles is a second delivery route in which the articles will be delivered to a distribution center and then to each store, and the delivery route for a third set of one or more of the plurality of articles is a third delivery route in which the articles will be delivered to each store from the distribution center; and

generating for each store purchase orders and delivery schedules based on the fixed quantity determination, the variable quantity determination and the delivery route determination.

18. The program product of claim 17, wherein the fixed quantity is determined based on the first data.

19. The program product of claim 17, wherein the fixed quantity is determined from the second data.

20. The program product of claim 17, wherein the first data and the second data further comprise information chosen from the group consisting of generic article information, variant article information, store delivery date, prepack article quantities, and combinations thereof.

21. The program product of claim 17, further comprising the step of receiving third data which is manually input, and wherein the manual input provides an adjustment to at least one of the fixed quantity and the variable quantity of at least one article.

22. The program product of claim 17, wherein the purchase order is a released purchase order and the assortment is a released assortment.

23. The program product of claim 17, further comprising populating the allocation table with purchase order data.

24. The program product of claim 17, wherein the analysis of the historical data is performed by applying predefined rules to the historical data.