The document outlines the new features and enhancements in the 15.0.0 release of the SPI Buyer Direct software, including a rebranding and updates to modules such as Forecasting, Master Scheduling, and Dynamic Reporting System. Key updates include support for Windows 8.1 and 10, improvements in merchandise assortment planning, and enhancements in report interfaces for better user experience. Additionally, there are new features for managing purchase orders and improved control over inventory and supply chain dynamics.

1. New Features in
SPI Buyer Direct
RAY GOODMAN

2. Buyer Direct Rebranding
Merchandise Assortment Planning (MAPS) Module
Forecasting Module
Master Scheduling, SPO and Multi-Echelon Modules
Dynamic Reporting System (DRS) Module
Interface Module
NEW FEATURES 15.0.0

3. Release Notes

4. BUYER DIRECT
Rebranding and Infrastructure

5. Infrastructure
• Application is upgraded to use .Net Framework 4.5
• Allows for support of Windows 8.1 and Windows 10
• Availability
• .Net Framework is distributed with Windows 8.1 and higher
• Windows 7 machines may need to have the .Net Framework 4.5
installed by an administrator user

6. Rebranding
Direct Tech All Channel Suite is now:
SPI Buyer Direct

7. Rebranding – Dashboard

8. Rebranding – Dashboard

9. Rebranding – Venture*21

10. BUYER DIRECT
Merchandise Assortment Planning (MAPS) module

11. MAPS
• Frequency Percentage
• Budget Items – Target Order $ and Items/Order

12. MAPS – Frequency Percentage
• Frequency Percentage is the percentage of customers that will see
this product offering
• If a mailing has dynamic products, you can adjust for how often a
customer sees a product
• For example:
• Products A is always shown on a page
• Products B and C are only shown to 60% and 40% of customers respectively
• Product A has 100% Frequency Percentage
• Product B has 60% Frequency Percentage
• Product C has 40% Frequency Percentage

13. MAPS – Frequency Percentage
• Average Item Index (xAii) values
are adjusted for Frequency
Percentage
• Default value of Frequency
Percentage is 100% for a
Product
𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 =
(
𝑅𝑅𝐿𝐿 − 𝑅𝑅𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑋
∑ 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐿𝐿 − ∑ 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑋
)
(
𝑅𝑅𝐵𝐵 − 𝑅𝑅𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑋
∑ 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵 − ∑ 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑋
)
𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢𝑢 =
(
𝑈𝑈𝐿𝐿 − 𝑈𝑈𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑋
∑ 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐿𝐿 − ∑ 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑋
)
(
𝑈𝑈𝐵𝐵 − 𝑈𝑈𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑋
∑ 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐵𝐵 − ∑ 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑋
)
R=Revenue, U=Units, FP=Frequency Percentage

14. MAPS – Frequency Percentage

15. MAPS – Frequency Percentage

16. MAPS – New Budget Items

17. BUYER DIRECT
Forecasting module

18. Forecasting
• Size Templates
• User Conference 2015 enhancement
• Like Product Filtering in Product Level Forecasting
• User Conference 2015 enhancement

19. Forecasting – Size Templates

20. Forecasting – Size Templates

21. Forecasting – Size Templates

22. Forecasting – Size Templates

23. Forecasting – Size Templates

24. PLF – Like Product Filtering

25. BUYER DIRECT
Master Scheduling, Suggested Purchase Order (SPO),
and Multi-Echelon modules

26. Master Scheduling
• Master Scheduling – Launch from Dashboard
• 2015 User Conference enhancement
• Suggested Purchase Order (SPO) Expedite Weeks
• Includes 2013 and 2015 User Conference enhancements
• Show individual Requisitions and Purchase Orders in Materials Planning
• Take into account near future POs in suggestions
• Multi-Echelon – Weeks of Supply for Transfers

27. MS – Launch from Dashboard

28. MS – Launch from Dashboard

29. MS – Launch from Dashboard

30. MS – Launch from Dashboard

31. SPO Expedite Purchase Orders
• Added the ability to identify purchase orders that can be
expedited
• Adjusts suggested orders to account for receipts within a
specified number of weeks of the lead time
• Gives better control over future orders

32. SPO – Expedite Hotlist

33. SPO – Expedite Hotlist Options

34. SPO – Vendor Order Review

35. SPO – Vendor Order Review

36. SPO – Materials Planning

37. SPO – Materials Planning

38. Multi-Echelon – Weeks of Supply
• Added a Transfer SPO Method of Weeks of Supply (WOS)
• Weeks of Supply is controlled by 2 parameters
• How many weeks of supply to maintain (Weeks of Supply)
• Number of weeks to cover in the future (Number of Weeks)
• Maintained on the Transfer Order Review (TOR) screen
• Can be managed on the Warehouse Defaults screen

39. Multi-Echelon – Weeks of Supply

40. Multi-Echelon – Weeks of Supply

41. Multi-Echelon – Weeks of Supply

42. Multi-Echelon – Weeks of Supply

43. Multi-Echelon – Weeks of Supply

44. Multi-Echelon – Weeks of Supply

45. BUYER DIRECT
Reports Module

46. Reports
• User Interface Improvements in DRS
• User request at 2015 User Conference
• Upgrade Crystal Report for Windows 8.1/10 compatibility
• New Crystal Reports distributable will need to be installed on every
user’s desktop

47. DRS User Interface Changes
• Updated the Open Report screen
• User friendly display shows:
• Report Name
• Columns saved in the report
• Report owner
• Base View
• Description
• No longer using the Report Title field
• Can mark the report as a favorite
• Can make reports you create private

48. DRS User Interface Changes

49. DRS User Interface Changes
• Added tabs for:
• My Favorite Reports
• My Reports
• Classifications
• Owner
• Base View
• Each tab displays reports generally by Classification
• Saved report names are clearer
• Old: RGOODMAN’s Suggested Req Detail
• New: Suggested Req Detail (Ray)

50. DRS User Interface Changes
• Simplified the New Report screen
• Allow user to base new report on a base view or table or on
another DRS report
• Allows the user to select the columns to include on the report
• Save the report from the creation screen

51. DRS User Interface Changes

52. Upgrade Crystal Reports
• Crystal Reports is upgraded to support Windows 8, 8.1, and 10
• Faster rendering of reports
• To upgrade:
• Push upgrade to each client machine (IT services)
• Application will detect old version and begin upgrade (user)
• Either method requires that the user performing the upgrade be an
administrator.

53. BUYER DIRECT
Interface Module

54. Interfaces
• Add Lot Size field to Item Master (IM) interface record
• Field is used for Transfer Order Lot Size (Multi-Echelon
customers)
• Contact your Customer Experience representative for details

55. Contact Me
•Ray Goodman
Email: ray.goodman@spi.com
Phone: 770-709-3462