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Parlevel - VMS - OCS Managed Station Forecasting
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  3. Vending Management Software (VMS)
  4. OCS (Office Coffee Service)
Parlevel - VMS - OCS Managed Station Forecasting
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Table of Contents

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to outline the Managed Station Forecasting feature for Office Coffee Service (OCS). This feature uses historical invoice activity to create a more accurate starting invoice for drivers.

  • Please Note: This applies only to managed OCS stations where forecasting has been enabled.
  • If forecasting is enabled for a station but the station does not have enough completed invoice history to meet the company setting, the system uses the station’s default order. (Company setting of 3 previous invoices, the station only has 2 invoices so far)

Process

  1. Navigate to Company Settings > Route Planning.
    • 'Number of Historic Services for Forecast (OCS)' will show the number of invoices the service will average from. The default value is 3.
      Parlevel - Company Settings Forcast OCS.png
  2. Navigate to the OCS Station you want to enable forecasting for. Click the 'Enable OCS Forecasting' check box on the left side. Please note: This station must be a Managed Location.
    Parlevel - Station Enable OCS Forecasting.png
  3. The feature is now enabled for the Station.
     

Forecast Previews

  • OCS / Create Order Screen
    Parlevel - OCS Forecasting Example 1.png
  • Route Planning Screen / Add a Station to a Route
    • Click 'View/Modify Order'
      Parlevel - OCS Forecasting Example 2.png
  • Smart Routing Screen (if Smart Routing is enabled)
    Parlevel - OCS Forecasting Example 3.png
    • Click 'View/Modify' to show more.
      Parlevel - OCS Forecasting Example 3 expanded.png

Product Eligibility

  • A product can appear in the forecast only if it is currently available in the station’s price tier when the forecast is generated.
     
  • Products that appeared in historical invoices but have since been removed from the station’s current price tier are excluded from the forecast.
    • Products that are in the station’s current price tier but have no historical invoice activity are also excluded from the forecast.
       
  • The forecast does not combine with the default order to fill in missing products. If a product has no qualifying forecast history, it does not appear in the forecast, and the driver can add it manually if needed.