Demand planning ROI calculator
Four figures from your operation and an estimate of the annual saving in hours, inventory and money when moving from a manual forecast to one automated with machine learning. The assumptions are illustrative and visible; the result is stored in the URL so you can share it.
ROI Calculator · DemandSolve
Adjust the values for your operation
* Estimate based on 40% savings in manual labor at $11 USD/h and 15% inventory reduction with ML. Assumptions are illustrative, not audited client results. Actual results vary by operation. Other savings not included: inventory carrying costs (tied-up capital, storage, obsolescence), additional time and effort costs (rework, corrections, meetings), and improvement in customer service level (recovered sales, retention).
Illustrative assumptions based on typical ranges for ML demand-planning projects; not audited DataSolve client results.
How it is calculated
- Hours saved per year = people × weekly hours in Excel and data × 40 % × 52 weeks. The 40 % is the low end of the manual-work reduction observed when data preparation and forecasting are automated.
- Inventory reduction = inventory value × current forecast error × 18 %. The higher the starting error, the more inventory exists only to cover it.
- Estimated annual ROI = hours saved × 11 USD/h (reference hourly cost for Latin America) + inventory reduction. It does not include the cost of the solution, which depends on scope.
It does not include other real savings that are harder to estimate without your data: inventory carrying cost (capital, warehousing, obsolescence), lost sales from stock-outs and meeting hours spent arguing about which number is right.
What to do with the result
Use it as an order of magnitude to decide whether a conversation is worthwhile, not as a promise. In 15 minutes we can review your real figures and tell you which solution applies: ForecastSolve if one person forecasts in Excel, or DemandSolve if it is a team.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the percentages come from?
They are typical ranges in forecast and demand planning automation projects, taken as industry references. They are not audited measurements from DataSolve customers. That is why we show them and call them illustrative.
Why 11 dollars an hour?
It is a reference hourly cost for planning roles in Latin America, at the low end. If yours is different, multiply the hours saved by your own cost.
How do I measure my current forecast error?
Compare the forecast you made a month ago with this month's actual sales, by item, and compute WAPE: sum of absolute errors divided by sum of sales. If you do not have it, 30 to 40 % is common for manual forecasts.
Want the calculation with your real data?
Book 15 minutes. We review your forecast error, your inventory and your process, and tell you what to expect.
Book 15 minutes →