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    About Us

Reserve Your Space Without Obligation

If you want to ensure your customers receive their orders fast, preserve cash, ensure new product planning success, optimize marketing strategies with big data & predictive business analytics, lower inventory, improve supply chain efficiency, it is crucial that you improve your company's S&OP, demand planning, and forecasting process. We all know in forecasting that we strive for better accuracy. IBF's training program will teach you how to be more right than wrong and better plan the business.

During the training, IBF's senior educators will use their wealth of real-world experience to provide valuable knowledge for empowering employees, uniting departments, and gaining consensus. It is geared towards every industry, at all levels of experience.

Plus, if you're looking to educate your sales, marketing, finance, supply chain, and demand planning teams on the fundamentals of forecasting & planning, then this program is for you. Furthermore, IBF's Online training program is especially geared for those with limited budgets and time constraints for travel.

ADVANTAGES OF IBF’S ONLINE TRAINING:

  • Benchmarks & Best Practices: Get access to valuable benchmarking data, as well as best practices that successful companies are using to win in today's challenging marketplace. Identify the gaps in regards to your people, processes, technology and learn what action plans are required to correct them.
  • Valuable Bonus Materials: Case studies, exercises, data-sets, templates, and complete presentation slides.
  • Save Money & Unlock the Power of your ERP / Demand Planning Solution: Learn to leverage the power of your ERP for improved demand planning & forecasting. Most companies only utilize a small percentage of their system's capabilities.
  • Certification Preparation: If you're registered to take IBF's Certified Professional Forecaster (CPF) exams, this training program is a great way to prepare.

Furthermore, our focus on Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) and the role of Demand Management will help you and your colleagues learn pitfalls to avoid during a process implementation that can immediately pay dividends and keep your company on the right path to success.

IBF's training program is a comprehensive curriculum that is based on over 30 years of research and working with the forecasting/demand planning community. And at the same time it is continuously reviewed to ensure it matches the needs of businesses and professionals today.

Event Speakers
Todd Dunn, CPF
Todd Dunn, CPF
Catalent Pharmaceutical
Director of Supply Chain

Prior Roles

  • Positions in supply chain and production with 28 years of manufacturing experience.
  • Project manager that successfully lead his organization to Class A MRPII certification.
  • Facilitated pre-S&OP and executive S&OP meetings for over 15 years

Education

  • BSc in Business Management
  • Michigan Certificate from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan

Industry Involvement

  • Speaker at several Supply Chain & Demand Planning events across North America
  • Certified Professional Forecaster (CPF)

Award

  • IBF Excellence in Business Forecasting & Planning" award winner
Mark Lawless, ACPF
Mark Lawless, ACPF
Institute of Business Forecasting & Planning
Senior Advisor/Facilitator
Mark has held senior management and C-level positions at several companies across multiple industries. His experience covers manufacturing operations, product development, sales, finance, and marketing. Mark is a long-time affiliate of the Institute of Business Forecasting, having served in advisory roles and delivering training to many companies worldwide. He is the recipient of IBF's 2016 Lifetime Achievement in Business Forecasting & Planning Award. He holds an undergraduate degree in Economics, and graduate degrees in Economics, Finance, and Accounting from Southern Illinois University (Edwardsville), Washington University (St. Louis), Boston College, and Bentley College. He is an IBF Advanced Certified Professional Forecaster (ACPF).
Eric Wilson, ACPF
Eric Wilson, ACPF
Institute of Business Forecasting & Planning
Director – Thought Leadership

Prior Roles

  • Escalade Sports: Director of Demand Planning
  • Berry Plastics: Director of Demand Planning
  • Tempura Sealy International: Director of Demand Planning & S&OP

Industry Involvement

  • Frequent speaker and panelist for many executive forums and professional conferences
  • Written numerous articles in publications including The Journal of Business Forecasting and APICS Magazine
  • Author of the books Cultural Cycles and Predictive Analytics for Business Forecasting & Planning

Award

  • IBF Excellence in Business Forecasting & Planning

Certification

  • IBF Advanced Certified Professional Forecaster (ACPF)
John Hellriegel, CPF
John Hellriegel, CPF
Rutgers Business School
Assistant Professor of Professional Practice

Additional Responsibilities

  • Rutgers University: Adjunct Professor at Rutgers University

Prior Roles

  • John has worked in demand planning, inventory optimization, capacity planning, deployment planning, and SIOP development at:
    • Estee Lauder
    • Honeywell
    • Diageo
    • Pepperidge Farm
    • Accenture
    • GE
Event Speakers
Todd Dunn, CPF
Todd Dunn, CPF
Catalent Pharmaceutical
Director of Supply Chain
Mark Lawless, ACPF
Mark Lawless, ACPF
Institute of Business Forecasting & Planning
Senior Advisor/Facilitator
Eric Wilson, ACPF
Eric Wilson, ACPF
Institute of Business Forecasting & Planning
Director – Thought Leadership
Online Training Schedule
  • #1 Fundamentals
    Sep 14, 2023
  • #2 Collaboration & New Products
    Sep 20, 2023
  • #3 Analytics
    Sep 21, 2023
  • #4 S&OP
    Sep 25, 2023
  • #5 Supply Chain
    Oct 2, 2023
  • #6 CPF Review
    Oct 4, 2023
Fundamentals of Demand Planning & Forecasting: 1-Day Workshop
IBF Re-Certification - 3 Points
Section 1: Fundamentals of Demand Planning

Demand Planning & Forecasting is both an art and a science. It requires informed judgment, business expertise, and technical skills. Done well, it can provide a true competitive edge and increased sales, while managing inventory and maintaining best-in-class customer service. Forecasting depends on both a structured process and modeling. Both are equally important. In this workshop, we will describe not only the fundamentals of forecasting and planning, but also why the forecasting process is important and what role it plays in demand planning.

KEY LEARNINGS:

  • What you need to know about demand planning & forecasting
  • Why we need forecasts and what role do they play in the supply chain
  • How to effectively create and launch an effective demand planning process
  • The ingredients of an effective forecasting process why we need it
  • Why is it important to have a consensus forecasting process in place
  • Why is it important to have a single number forecast and plan
  • What contributes to bull whip effect and how to avoid it
  • Why unconstrained demand is important in demand planning
Section 2: Demand Planning & Demand Management

Both demand management and demand planning call for managing the demand, that is, what to do if demand is greater than supply or if supply is greater than demand? It's in the best of interest of a company to balance supply with demand. This requires demand sensing (reading and interpreting the signals of the market) and demand shaping (shaping the demand to optimize sales and profit). For effective demand planning, we have to set some business rules, that is, how to deal with different issues that might arise. For example, how to deal with products that are highly volatile, how to allocate products among different customers when there is a shortage, what criteria to use for pruning products, and so on. Also, we need to regularly review such things as forecast performance, customer service, and inventory levels, which will also be addressed in this workshop.

KEY LEARNINGS:

  • How to sense and shape the demand
  • What business rules need to be established for effective demand planning
  • What are the success factors and impediments to demand planning
  • How to deal with products that are highly volatile
  • What demand planners should review every month and why
  • How to interface demand planning to the S&OP Process
  • How to interface the S&OP to New Product planning and Long-Term Business Plans
Presented By:
Speaker photo
Mark Lawless, ACPF
Institute of Business Forecasting & PlanningSenior Advisor/Facilitator
Pricing
Non-member
IBF Members
Single Day
Full course
(5 days)
Full course + CPF Review
(6 days)
Membership + Full Course + CPF Review & EXAMS (incl. Book)
(6 days)
Full Course + CPF Review & EXAMS (incl. Book)
(6 days)
$499

Member’s discount: -$50

$2,395

Member’s discount: -$250

$2,844

Member’s discount: -$250

$4,074
$4,224

Member’s discount: -$400

$449
$2,145
$2,594
N/A
$3,824
Put the IBF to Work for You!

Become an IBF Member and Start Improving Your Forecasting & Planning Performance Today.

The IBF Advantage:

IBF members include well-known company professionals that span a broad array of business sectors. By joining our organization, you can make certain that your company sets up the right forecasting & planning process and uses the best techniques available. Moreover, you can be sure that your forecasting and demand planning staff has the proper knowledge and skill set for success.

As an IBF member you receive:

  • A subscription to the Journal of Business Forecasting, which is primarily written by and geared toward practitioners.
  • Our Research Reports which include valuable benchmarking information and provide you with eye opening information on various topics in Business Forecasting and Planning.
  • Special discounts on our Conferences, Workshops, Training Seminars, Certification Program, as well as on any new products and services we will offer in the future.
  • Access to Journal of Business Forecasting Past Articles (FREE)Access to our growing online Knowledge section & Action Templates
  • Complimentary 1-day Tutorials at select Global events ($1000 USD Value)
Upcoming Events & Trainings
October 23, 2024
Orlando, Florida USA
Business Planning, Forecasting & S&OP/ IBP...
NOVEMBER 6–8, 2024
Online
w/ 1-Day Predictive Analytics Workshop & Use of Big Data Workshop...
November 20 – 22, 2024
Amsterdam, Netherlands
w/ Fundamentals of S&OP, Demand Planning & Forecasting Tutorial...

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

  • PAYMENT: Payment in full is required prior to the scheduled date of IBF event. Unless payment is received before the start of the scheduled event, your registration will be canceled.
  • CANCELLATION POLICY: All cancellations must be received in writing a minimum of 15 days prior to the scheduled IBF event. Cancellations received less than 15 days prior to the event are subject to a $195 (USD) service charge. However, the fee is waived if a credit is selected. For cancellations made on the event date or thereafter, a credit will be applied, no refunds. If you have received training material for the event, then regardless of time before the event, only a credit will be given, no refunds. Furthermore, if your package includes IBF Membership, membership is non-refundable. Therefore any approved refunds that include IBF Membership will be returned minus IBF Membership at the advertised price.
  • MATERIALS: Any materials delivered by IBF in reference to this program are for personal use only.
  • SPEAKERS: The Institute of Business Forecasting & Planning - IBF, reserves the right to substitute, eliminate, and/or reschedule sessions and speakers if necessary.
  • Plus, as a registrant or speaker, you agree that you may be included in group pictures or videos taken at the event that could be used for IBF services, including marketing in the future.
  • For event packages that include IBF membership, registrants will be billed annually for each member. Membership can be cancelled at any time by unselecting membership renewal on your IBF profile.