Inventory, demand & supply planning · Core
Demand forecast
Also called: market demand forecast, sales forecast for operations
ELI5
An estimate of future demand over a defined horizon.
Used in conversation
“The number is useful only if everyone calculates demand forecast the same way.”
Pitch context
You will see “Demand forecast” in operating plans, procurement packs, supplier reviews and supply-chain reports when the discussion reaches inventory, demand & supply planning.
Why it matters: In inventory, demand & supply planning, different calculation boundaries, periods or accounting treatments can change the number and the decision.
Caution
Calculation, recognition and disclosure can vary by accounting framework, company policy and reporting context.
Sources & evidence · 8
Direct term-level sources and supporting source families.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Productivity programmeDirect source · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- Strategyzer — Business Model Canvas resourcesSupporting source family · practitioner · checked 2026-08-16
- Strategyzer — Value Proposition Canvas resourcesSupporting source family · practitioner · checked 2026-08-16
- LEANSTACK — Lean CanvasSupporting source family · practitioner · checked 2026-08-16
- U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division — Herfindahl-Hirschman IndexSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- U.S. Census Bureau — Business and economy dataSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- U.S. Acquisition.gov — Federal Acquisition Regulation Part 15 — Contracting by NegotiationSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16
- UK Government — Groceries Supply Code of PracticeSupporting source family · primary · checked 2026-08-16