FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions
If you're looking for something specific, you might find the answer in our FAQ library. If not, please get in touch!

How long does an implementation take?

A typical implementation takes approximately 9 months.  This is mostly taken up with business process design, data validation, change management and training – the software installation itself is quite fast. More information here.

We already have APO - can we still use Blueshift's ONE Solution?

Absolutely. We work with clients who use APO and they work well together – Blueshift’s ONE Solution is used for an unconstrained customer forecast which is then interfaced to APO for supply planning.

We have an overseas parent company which controls IT implementations, will that not prove challenging?

No. We can help with the business case as well as answer any interfacing or infrastructure questions they may have. We also see great value in seeing these situations as an opportunity to pilot and are thus very keen to discuss.

Blueshift appears major chain grocery focused. What about other channels such as food service, route, independents, and pharmacy?

Blueshift’s ONE Solution is for all channels and we work across categories that span them.  For example, screens can be customised per user to allow for different trading models.  We also have solutions to handle the complex account such as independents – contact us to discuss further.

Where is your support team based, and can they support installations across multiple time zones?

Our support team is currently based in NSW, Australia and supports installations spanning from Asia to Auckland.  We are currently also investing in international offices which will be online soon.

Some channels within our business operate in units, others in cases, and others by weight. Does Blueshift support multiple units of measure?

Yes. Blueshift’s ONE Solution supports multiple units of measure which the users can change between on the fly.

How much history is required? And what happens when we don't have scan data available?

We generally load four years of Ex Factory history and two years of scan, which helps to pick up trending and seasonality.  However we are able to work with varying amounts of history.  There is also no hard requirement for scan data, as promotional history itself can be used to drive the algorithms.

If we implement Blueshift's ONE Solution, can we migrate our promotional history from our existing system or spreadsheets?

Yes. Blueshift support a direct history copy from some existing solutions, and otherwise allow time in the implementation for Blueshift consultants to load one year of history manually.

How does Blueshift handle new products that have no history?

For demand planning, Blueshift’s ONE Solutions supports history migrations – meaning that a new product can be modeled on the history of an existing one (which can also be used for product code changes). Automatic system recommendations kick in when history commences, and even without this new products still enjoy all the benefits of Integrated Business Planning such as single point of entry and one-number forecasting.

We have used similar systems in the past and one key problem is always slow performance. Is Blueshift's ONE Solution fast and responsive?

Absolutely. It is designed for performance.

Is it possible to speak to or even visit existing users of Blueshift's ONE Solution?

Yes. As part of the due diligence process, we can help to coordinate reference visits.

How much does it cost?

Pricing is based on the number of users licences and the implementation consulting time.  Contact us for more details.

I'm interested - what are the next steps?

Contact us for a free on-site demonstration and consultation.  We will then prepare a formal project proposal detailing a tailored Integrated Business Planning implementation including time frames, resourcing and costs.