'What-If' Analysis Strengths of SAS(R) Demand-Driven Forecasting Drive Profits, Market Share.

Software Automatically Tracks Variations between Forecasted and Actual Numbers to Guide the Sales and Operations Planning Process

CARY, N.C. -- Companies moving to a progressive demand-driven business model seek sophisticated analytics as traditional enterprise resource planning and supply chain technologies often fall short of expectations. Poor forecasting harms companies across all functional areas: lost sales, budget over-allocations, product obsolescence, overstocks and higher prices. To meet the need for robust demand planning and forecasting, SAS, the leader in business intelligence and predictive analytics, has introduced SAS([R]) Demand-Driven Forecasting.

According to AMR Research, "demand-planning applications with innovative new capabilities, such as attribute-based forecasting, direct ties into sales and operations planning processes and integration of downstream data are driving market demand and causing firms to re-evaluate existing demand-planning and forecasting implementations." Further, AMR Research estimates demand planning and forecasting will command a 12 percent revenue share of total supply chain management (SCM) application spending with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6 percent through 2011. (http://www.amrresearch.com/Content/View.asp?pmillid=20566)

SAS Demand-Driven Forecasting integrates customer and other upstream data into a demand plan that helps maximize profits, market share and customer satisfaction. Implementing SAS Demand-Driven Forecasting helps users:

* Generate accurate, demand-driven forecasts using the right methods and models at any hierarchical level with SAS' patented Forecast Server engine.

* Respond profitably to demand using "what-if" analyses and scenario modeling to gauge the financial impact of changes in marketing strategies or product mix.

* Create more accurate automatic-weighted consensus forecasts that track variations between forecasted and actual numbers to help with sales and operations planning.

* Reduce finished goods inventory levels and stock-outs.

* Measure and manage forecast performance by monitoring, tracking, reporting and surfacing alerts on forecast performance metrics.

About SAS

SAS is the leader in business intelligence and analytical software and services. Customers at more than 44,000 sites use SAS software to improve performance through insight from data, resulting in faster, more accurate business decisions; more profitable relationships with customers and suppliers; compliance with governmental regulations; research breakthroughs; and better products and processes. Only SAS offers leading data integration, storage, analytics and business intelligence applications within a comprehensive enterprise intelligence platform. Since 1976, SAS has been giving customers around the world THE POWER TO KNOW([R]). www.sas.com

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