Implementation-ready Excel workbook

Turn demand history into a plan your team can review.

A practical workbook for building baseline demand, applying commercial and planner input, and reviewing exceptions before the next planning conversation.

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Inputs

Baseline

Consensus Plan

Exceptions

ERP_WMS_Map

Lists

Illustrative demand-planning example

From history to a review signal.

Historical demand · 6 periods7,800 unitsBaseline forecast1,300 unitsPlanner adjustment10%Consensus plan1,430 unitsActual vs plan variance+140 unitsReview statusOpen

Six sample periods total 7,800 units and average 1,300. A 10% planner adjustment yields a 1,430-unit consensus plan; a +140-unit actual-vs-plan variance is flagged for review. Illustrative only.

Exception status

Review

Demand above plan after event. These sample values are illustrative, not a performance result.

Before you load the workbook

Setup checklist

Agree these choices for your team; the workbook examples (units, YYYY-MM, and a three-period horizon) are illustrative, not required policy.

Planning cadence

Choose a recurring review rhythm aligned with the workbook's YYYY-MM or fiscal planning periods and the planning horizon you select. The sample uses YYYY-MM and a three-period horizon as illustrations, not required policy.

Units

Use one agreed unit of measure across historical demand, baseline, consensus plan, and actuals. Convert source extracts before loading when needed.

Locations

Confirm the sites or channels in scope, then use a consistent SKU + location/channel + period key on each row.

Responsible owners

Name a demand planner to refresh extracts and consolidate the plan, a commercial input owner for event/override context, and a planning owner to review exceptions.

01 / Required inputs

Load the assumptions your team can explain.

Required fields establish the row and its planning context. Optional fields add stockout, event, or commercial context when it is available for the row.

Field	Required?	Unit / format	Likely source
SKU	Required	Identifier	ERP item master
Description / product hierarchy	Required	Text / hierarchy path	ERP item or product master
Location / channel	Required	Location or channel key	ERP customer/channel or WMS location
Planning period	Required	YYYY-MM or fiscal period	Planning calendar
Historical demand units	Required	Units / period	ERP orders or shipment history
Lifecycle status	Required	New / active / phase-out	ERP item master
Planning horizon	Required	Periods	Planner policy
Planner input	Required	Note, units, or % adjustment	Planner / commercial review
Stockout / lost-sales context	Optional	Units / period or note	WMS availability or service report
Promotion / event flag	Optional	Y/N + event note	Commercial calendar
Commercial override	Optional	Percent, e.g. 10%	Planner / commercial review

02 / Outputs

Keep the recommendation auditable.

The workbook makes its baseline, adjustments, totals, and exception logic visible. Every example below is illustrative, not a forecast-accuracy claim.

Output	Formula / assumption	Example
Baseline forecast	Average of the selected historical demand periods	1,300 units
Consensus plan	Baseline forecast × (1 + event / planner adjustment)	1,430 units
Override percentage	(Consensus plan − baseline forecast) ÷ baseline forecast	10%
Period-total demand	Sum of historical demand units in the selected review window	7,800 units
Actual-vs-plan variance	Actual demand units − consensus plan units	+140 units
Exception status	Review when absolute variance crosses the workbook threshold	Review
Exception reason	Short explanation such as event, stockout, or demand above plan	Demand above plan after event
Review status	Open, reviewed, or accepted by the planning owner	Open

03 / ERP + WMS

Manual ERP/WMS export notes

Use manual ERP and WMS exports as source files. The workbook helps document ownership and normalize those files without connecting to either system.

ERP owns the planning spine

Use ERP extracts for item master, sales or order history, customer/channel, lifecycle, and commercial-calendar inputs.

WMS adds availability context

Use WMS exports for availability, shipment or fulfillment, location, and stockout context when those fields improve the review.

Normalize before loading

Keep one extract key, one period grain, one unit of measure, and a snapshot timestamp across every source file.

Review the handoff offline

The workbook accepts exports and documents assumptions; it does not connect to an ERP or WMS or refresh live data.

Important: normalize the extract key, period grain, unit of measure, and snapshot timestamp before loading Inputs. This is an offline planning starting point, not a live ERP/WMS integration.

Planning reference

Related glossary terms

04 / Preview

Representative workbook preview

Illustrative values — replace with your own data

Workbook sheet · Inputs

Inputs example

Illustrative values

The compact view shows the required row context; the workbook has separate editable cells for each history period and optional adjustment field.

SKU	Description / hierarchy	Location / channel	Planning period	History, units / period	Lifecycle	Horizon	Planner input
KST-101	Everyday insulated bottle / Drinkware	US-East / DTC	2026-10	1,220 · 1,180 · 1,310 · 1,260 · 1,390 · 1,440	Active	3 periods	Holiday gift set: +10% in October review

SKU: KST-101
Description / hierarchy: Everyday insulated bottle / Drinkware
Location / channel: US-East / DTC
Planning period: 2026-10
History, units / period: 1,220 · 1,180 · 1,310 · 1,260 · 1,390 · 1,440
Lifecycle: Active
Horizon: 3 periods
Planner input: Holiday gift set: +10% in October review

Workbook sheet · Consensus Plan

Baseline / consensus / exceptions

Illustrative values

The illustrative row makes the adjustment, variance, and review reason visible alongside the baseline forecast.

SKU	Baseline forecast	Consensus plan	Override	Period total	Actual vs plan	Exception	Reason	Review status
KST-101	1,300 units	1,430 units	10%	7,800 units	+140 units	Review	Demand above plan after event	Open

SKU: KST-101
Baseline forecast: 1,300 units
Consensus plan: 1,430 units
Override: 10%
Period total: 7,800 units
Actual vs plan: +140 units
Exception: Review
Reason: Demand above plan after event
Review status: Open

Workbook release

Current version 1.0.0

Released September 29, 2026

Current

Changelog

v1.0.0
September 29, 2026
- Initial release.

Workbook file: kernstitch-demand-planning-template.xlsx

Your workbook · $79 one-time

Put a reviewable demand plan in your team’s hands.

Buy the seven-sheet Excel workbook, kernstitch-demand-planning-template.xlsx. It includes the Inputs, Baseline, Consensus Plan, and Exceptions workflow, plus ERP/WMS mapping and reference lists. It works from offline exports and does not connect to or refresh live ERP/WMS data. After payment verification, the confirmation page provides the private workbook download.

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Kernstitch · Demand planning template

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