One of the challenges of any simulation engine is to expose results in a comprehensive and trustful manner to end-users.

This step has been historically underestimated by many solutions leading to an under usage of the simulation, not because of poor quality results but only because of "black box" effect and non user-friendly results presentation.

RECONCILIATE BUSINESS AND SCIENCE

Soft Solutions Analytics research laboratory has taken this into consideration since the early beginning of ibs Analytics. The first releases of the solution have already integrated an intuitive interface to provide the whole information to business users and build confidence between the science and the business.
The ibs AMS goes one step beyond and now includes all the graphical features to provide easy access and in-deep analyses to users. These new features allow:

THE WHITE BOX INTERFACE

• Portlet-based interface for multiple views to the information:
  • Graph view to have an instant understanding of sales level and visual comparisons of history vs. forecast
  • Grid view to have detailed access to figured information and allow export and modifications
  • Simplified access to forecast models to understand the behavior of the item (trend, seasonal amplitude…)
• Multiple comparison features:
  • Item and category comparisons
  • Stores and Regions comparisons
  • Consolidated or individual display
• Base analysis features:
  • Display items trend
  • Display smoothed history
  • Display change in retail
  • Switch between sales, units, margin $ and margin % indicators
• Ability to perform analysis at item and consolidated level, including
  • Consolidated trends
  • Weighted retails and costs
• Different Scenarios analysis:
  • Compare a forecast model to another
  • Compare a price policy to another
• Easy and deep access in forecast results
  • Display of different components of forecast simulation (trend, cycle, seasonal peaks, weekly variations, price elasticity, category evolution index)
  • Ability to update one or several of those indicators (ex: change in category trend based on external market analysis) and measure impacts on sales live within grid and graph components

Without underestimating the importance of accessing to information, ibs AMS maximizes the benefits from ibs Analytics meta-forecast engine.