Operations & Inventory
SKU-Level Demand Forecast
Forecast demand per product for the next 90 days with reorder recommendations, stockout risk alerts, and overstock warnings.
What This Skill Does
This skill forecasts demand for each of your SKUs over the next 60-90 days using historical sales patterns and seasonality. It identifies stockout risks based on current inventory and lead times, recommends specific reorder quantities and timing, and flags products likely to overstock — preventing both lost sales and tied-up capital.
What You Need
SKU-level sales data for 6-12 months, current inventory levels per SKU, and supplier lead times.
Prompt Template
Copy this prompt, replace the [BRACKETED] placeholders with your data, and paste into Claude.
Forecast demand for my product SKUs over the next 90 days.
Historical sales data (past 6-12 months):
[PASTE SKU-LEVEL WEEKLY OR MONTHLY SALES DATA]
Current inventory and lead times:
| SKU | Current Stock | Lead Time (days) |
|-----|--------------|-----------------|
| [SKU] | [X] units | [X] days |
...
Upcoming events: [PROMOTIONS, SEASONAL PEAKS, MARKETING CAMPAIGNS]
For each SKU, provide:
1. Projected weekly demand for next 12 weeks
2. Seasonality pattern identified (if any)
3. Stockout risk: date inventory hits zero at current sell-through
4. Reorder recommendation: when to order and how many units
5. Overstock flag: SKUs where current inventory exceeds 90-day demand
Also calculate:
- Safety stock recommendation per SKU (targeting 95% in-stock rate)
- Total capital required for recommended reorders
- Priority ranking: which reorders to place first if cash is limited
Example Output
Here is what Claude produces when you use this skill with sample data.
**Historical Sales Analysis (6-month weekly averages):**
| SKU | Product | Oct Avg | Nov Avg | Dec Avg | Jan Avg | Feb Avg | Mar Avg | Trend |
|-----|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|-------|
| VC-30 | Vitamin C Serum 30ml | 110 | 165 | 140 | 95 | 105 | 120 | +5%/mo |
| HA-50 | Hyaluronic Moisturizer | 85 | 130 | 110 | 80 | 78 | 82 | Flat |
| CL-200 | Gentle Foaming Cleanser | 200 | 280 | 230 | 190 | 195 | 205 | Flat |
| RT-15 | Retinol Night Cream | 45 | 70 | 55 | 38 | 40 | 52 | +8%/mo |
**Seasonality Patterns Detected:**
- Nov spike across all SKUs (Black Friday): +45-55% above baseline
- Jan dip: -15 to -20% post-holiday
- Spring uptrend (Mar-Apr) in serums and retinol (skincare season prep)
**90-Day Demand Forecast (Weeks 1-12):**
| SKU | Current Stock | Wk 1-4 | Wk 5-8 | Wk 9-12 | 90-Day Total | Stockout Date |
|-----|--------------|---------|---------|---------|-------------|---------------|
| VC-30 | 340 units | 500 | 530 | 560 | 1,590 | ⚠️ Week 3 |
| HA-50 | 520 units | 340 | 350 | 360 | 1,050 | Week 7 |
| CL-200 | 1,800 units | 840 | 860 | 880 | 2,580 | ✅ Covered |
| RT-15 | 85 units | 220 | 240 | 260 | 720 | ⚠️ CRITICAL — Day 3 |
Note: VC-30 forecast for Wk 3-5 includes an estimated +30% lift from the planned promotion in 3 weeks. Without the promo, stockout would occur in Week 5 instead.
**Safety Stock Recommendations (95% in-stock target):**
| SKU | Avg Weekly Demand | Demand Variability | Safety Stock | Reorder Point |
|-----|------------------|-------------------|-------------|---------------|
| VC-30 | 125 | +/-25 (high) | 180 units | 555 units |
| HA-50 | 83 | +/-12 (low) | 95 units | 344 units |
| CL-200 | 205 | +/-20 (moderate) | 150 units | 765 units |
| RT-15 | 55 | +/-15 (high) | 90 units | 255 units |
Reorder point = (avg daily demand x lead time) + safety stock, using 21-day lead time.
**Priority Reorder Recommendations:**
| Priority | SKU | Action | Order Qty | Order By | Est. Cost | Reason |
|----------|-----|--------|-----------|----------|-----------|--------|
| 1 - URGENT | RT-15 | Emergency order NOW | 800 units | Immediately | ~$4,000 | Stocks out in 3 days. Even with expedited 14-day shipping, you face 11 days of lost sales (~85 units). Negotiate air freight. |
| 2 - URGENT | VC-30 | Order this week | 1,400 units | Mar 7 | ~$8,400 | Stocks out Week 3, coinciding with your promotion. A stockout during a promo wastes ad spend and damages trust. |
| 3 - PLAN | HA-50 | Order within 2 weeks | 700 units | Mar 17 | ~$5,600 | Comfortable until Week 7, but 21-day lead time means ordering by mid-March. |
| 4 - MONITOR | CL-200 | No reorder needed | — | — | — | 1,800 units covers 90-day demand (2,580) — wait, this actually falls short. Order 1,000 units by Mar 21. |
Correction on CL-200: Current stock (1,800) does NOT fully cover 90-day demand (2,580). Shortfall of 780 units. Order 1,000 units by March 21 to maintain buffer.
**Total Capital Required for Reorders:**
- Immediate/urgent: $12,400 (RT-15 + VC-30)
- Planned (2-4 weeks): $11,600 (HA-50 + CL-200)
- **Total: $24,000**
**If cash is limited, prioritize in this order:**
1. RT-15 ($4,000) — already stocking out, every day = lost sales
2. VC-30 ($8,400) — promo in 3 weeks makes this time-sensitive
3. CL-200 ($6,000) — highest volume SKU, stockout = biggest revenue impact
4. HA-50 ($5,600) — most runway, can delay 1 week if needed
**Promotion Impact Warning:** The planned promotion in 3 weeks will likely spike VC-30 demand by 30-50%. If you run the promo before the reorder arrives, you risk stocking out mid-campaign. Either delay the promo by 1 week or expedite the VC-30 order.
Tips for Best Results
Remove promotional spikes from historical data before forecasting to avoid inflating baseline demand.
Forecast in units, not revenue — unit-level forecasts are more actionable for reordering.
Update weekly during peak seasons (Q4) when demand patterns shift rapidly.
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