The Zero Forecast Baseline feature empowers you to override automated statistics by resetting an item's baseline to zero at every calculation cycle. This ensures you start with a clean slate, allowing you to apply manual adjustments or promotional plans without any interference from historical sales noise.
When to Use This Feature
Activating a zero baseline is highly recommended in the following scenarios:
Manual Forecast: When you want a completely clean slate to apply your own manual forecast numbers without the system interfering.
Promotional Splits: When you want to manage promotion-driven demand as a standalone forecast, distinct from the product's normal recurring sales.
Intermittent Demand: Products that sell very infrequently, where standard forecasting algorithms might create unrealistic baseline expectations.
How to Activate the Zero Baseline
You can enable this feature for individual items or apply it in bulk:
1. Via the User Interface (Single Item):
In the Navigator, click on the General Information tab for the specific item or element. Click on edit.
Check the box to activate the zero baseline feature and save your changes.
2. Via Data Upload (Bulk):
You can update this setting for multiple items simultaneously by mapping the corresponding field during your standard data upload process.
Prepare your file:
In your masterdata file, add a new column "Baseline to 0". In this column, enter a 1 for every element you wish to have a baseline at zero. Leave the cells empty for all other elements.
Note: Ensure that the "1" is entered as a plain digit without any additional formatting to prevent import errors.
Save your file and import it into SKU Science.
Click on Upload SKUs data button.
Follow the upload wizard steps and in the mapping section select "Baseline to zero" field.
Check that the forecast level is correct, and click confirm to launch the upload.
Once the upload is complete, navigate to the element. The baseline will now remain at zero for every forecast cycle.
⚠️ Impact on Aggregate Forecast Computation
It is important to note that this functionality specifically dictates how the system behaves during aggregate-level forecast computations. When active, the system ignores the historical demand of these elements only when calculating the aggregated forecast to prevent them from artificially inflating the results. However, if you are simply displaying an aggregation (e.g., viewing total historical demand or forecasts in Forecast Edition or Reports), these elements will still be included in the totals unless specifically filtered out.