Question 1

Can this work when customer and distributor data are inconsistent?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if the first scope includes reconciliation, ownership, and quality controls. The system should expose unresolved records and unreliable measures rather than hiding them behind an aggregate.

Question 2

Should forecasting be the first use case?

Accepted Answer

Only when the forecast exception leads to a defined planning action, an accountable owner can review it, and the source history is reliable at that decision grain. Otherwise begin with the customer-performance data layer.

Question 3

When is a CPG planning workflow not ready for AI?

Accepted Answer

It is not ready when product and customer identities cannot be reconciled, partner feeds cannot be used for the intended decision, no owner can resolve exceptions, or the current baseline and action are undefined. Data readiness and workflow design should come first.

Make CPG planning decisions traceable across fragmented customer data.