Short-term versus long-term planning

Simple forecasting methods remain useful when their fit and limits are understood. This primer explains short-term versus long-term planning with a planner’s workflow in mind.

Practitioner lens

Keep the decision in view when using short-term versus long-term planning. A forecast for replenishment, capacity and annual budgeting may need different horizons and different levels of aggregation.

First experiment

Draw the series before fitting a model; mark missing periods, stockouts, promotions and calendar changes.

This is an original educational brief. It is a starting point for discussion, not a claim that one technique fits every supply chain.