A forecast that's off by even a small margin can ripple through an entire supply chain — driving excess inventory in one place and stockouts in another. The Forecasting Demand & Planning Sales for Supply Chain Success Training Course by Arab British Fellowship Training Academy helps professionals close that gap, building the skills to produce forecasts that operations and sales teams can actually rely on.

Part of the Logistics and Supply Chain Training Courses, the programme covers forecasting models, S&OP, business analytics, and inventory planning, helping organisations improve customer service, cut inventory costs, and make demand planning a genuine driver of supply chain performance.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Explain the business cost of inaccurate forecasts and the main forecasting challenges.
• Build a demand planning process supported by reliable data and cross-department collaboration.
• Apply qualitative and quantitative forecasting models.
• Integrate forecasting into the S&OP process to balance demand and supply.
• Use business analytics and digital tools to improve forecast accuracy.
• Connect forecasts to inventory planning and manage demand-related risk.

Target Audience

• Demand planners and sales planning professionals.
• Supply chain, logistics, and operations managers.
• Procurement and inventory/warehouse managers.
• Production planning specialists and business analysts.
• Professionals responsible for forecasting and supply chain planning.

Module 1: Why Forecast Accuracy Is a Business Problem, Not Just a Number

• The business cost of inaccurate demand forecasts.
• Types of demand and common forecasting challenges.
• Linking forecasting to customer service and cost control.

Module 2: Building a Demand Planning Process

• Collecting and validating demand data.
• Sales and market analysis.
• Collaborative planning across departments.

Module 3: Forecasting Models and Techniques

• Qualitative and quantitative forecasting models.
• Time series and causal forecasting.
• Choosing the right technique for the situation.

Module 4: Integrating Forecasts into Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP)

• Introduction to S&OP and cross-functional planning.
• Balancing demand and supply.
• Supporting executive decision-making.

Module 5: Turning Data into Better Forecasts

• Using business analytics and data quality checks.
• Digital forecasting platforms, ERP integration, and AI.
• Building performance dashboards.

Module 6: Connecting Forecasts to Inventory Planning

• Forecast-driven inventory and safety stock planning.
• Replenishment planning.
• Inventory performance metrics.

Module 7: Managing Forecast Performance and Risk

• Measuring forecast error and key KPIs.
• Managing demand uncertainty and scenario planning.
• Supply chain risk mitigation and contingency planning.

Module 8: Applying Best Practices for Long-Term Forecasting Success

• Integrated business planning.
• Continuous forecasting improvement.
• Case studies and practical applications.