Step 1. Name your Plan; Set the 12-month planning period for your Plan

• In "This Plan's Start Date" field, use the pop-up calendar.  Select a month and year for your Plan to start.
• Any day of the month will set that month and year as the first month of your Plan.
• In "This Plan's Name", enter your company name, or some identifier for this particular plan (e.g., "Optimistic 2008")

Step 2. Name your Department(s)

• Enter the name of a Department in the white box

If you are planning for just one Department

• Click the "Go to Step 3: Name Classification(s)" button

If you are planning for more than one Department

• Click the "New Department" button
• Enter the name of your next Department in the white box

Step 3. Name Classification(s). 
Enter Classification Inputs.  And that's it!

Create at least one Classification in each Department.
Classifications roll up to Departments; Departments roll-up to your Total Plan.

• All data inputs are at the Classification level: (see below)
  
  • inventory on hand in this class
  • planned sales by month
  • planned gross margin percent by month
  • planned annual turnover rate for this classification
    

• Optional input screen for each Classification (see screenshot below)
  On-Order & Reserve Inputs
  • enter any inventory on order, at cost, for this Classification by the month you expect to receive it
  • enter the dollar value of any reserves for re-orders in the appropriate month(s)
    

Step 4: Press the "Buying Plan" Button

Immediately!  See your buying plan. 
By month.  By Class. By Department. By YOU!

Based on your inputs of planned Sales, Gross Margins, and Turns for this Class, you see:

Buying Plan for Each Classification
e.g., "Given the amount of inventory you have on hand and on-order for this class, and your planned sales, gross margin %, and targeted turn rate for this class, you should bring in these amounts of inventory each month to reach your goals."

• Plus: a Recap of Key Analytics for this Classification
  • Total planned Sales for this Classification
    
  • Total planned Gross Margin dollars
  • Planned (input) GM % for the 12-month planning period
    
  • Planned (input) Turnover Rate
  • Projected Turnover Rate (reflects beginning inventory on hand levels)
  • Calculated GMROI for this Class
    

Detail Buying Plan for Each Classification
For each month of your 12-month planning period, you will see:

• Your inputs of Planned Sales by month
• Planned COGS (reflects your input of Gross Margin %)
• Calculated EOM Inventory @ Cost
• Calculated BOM Inventory @ Cost
• Your inputs, if any, of On-Order or Reserves for Re-Orders
• Your Buying Plan @ Cost 
  

What a great way to "check the math"!!

But wait!  There's more!
What Else Does the OTB Calculator™ Tell Me?

Rolls Up All Classifications into their Departments.
Allows important comparisons of key analytics.

• Classification Summary (see screenshot below)
  Compares/contrasts each Department's Classes at a glance

• Planned Sales by Class
  
• Beginning Inventory by Class @Cost
• Input (targeted) Turnover Rate by Class
  
• Calculated Turnover Rate for each Class
  
• Gross Margin % for each Class
  
• GMROI for each Class

• Department Buying Plan (see screenshot below)
  Complete Roll-Up Summary of all Classifications for each Department
  

• Department buying plan for each month of your 12-month planning period. Rolls up all the Classification plans for this Department.

• Also: a Recap of Key Analytics for this Department
  • Total planned Sales for this Department
    
  • Total projected Gross Margin dollars for this Department
    
  • Projected Gross Margin % for this Department
  • Calculated GMROI for this total Department
  • Projected Turnover Rate for this Department
    
  • Projected Turnover Rate shown as Months, Weeks, and Days of Supply

Department Detail Buying Plan (see screenshot below)
For each month of your 12-month planning period, you will see:

• Total Planned Sales by month for all Classifications in this Department
  
• Planned COGS (reflects your input of Gross Margin %)
• Calculated EOM Inventory @ Cost for this Department
  
• Calculated BOM Inventory @ Cost for this Department
  
• Your inputs, if any, of On-Order or Reserves for Re-Orders
• Your Buying Plan @ Cost for this Department
  

Ready to Make Some Changes?

Now we're talking! 
Exactly what this online OTB Calculator is meant to do.  Empower you to play "what if...?"

Remember - all inputs are at the Classification level. 

• Just return to the Buying Plan screen for the Class you want to adjust
• Click the "Edit Your Plan" button.

This returns you to the input screen for that Class (see screenshot below)

• Change any entries you choose: e.g., any month's planned Sales or Gross Margin %
  (Hint: If you want to make a global change in your sales plan, to adjust it up or down by the same percent each month, try the "Apply +/- Percent to Sales" button)
  
• Or, try adjusting the planned Turnover Rate and see what that does (especially to your GMROI!)