Welcome to ABC Analyzer!

This basic manual contains an introduction to:

 The basic functions

 The 6 tabs
 Dataslicers
 Reports and click reports

Manual updated October 2015

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Open ABC Analyzer ........................................................................................................................................ 3
Import data and set up a new project ....................................................................................................... 3
Step-by-step guide..................................................................................................................................... 4
Set up a categorization .................................................................................................................................. 5
ABC Analyzer’s design.................................................................................................................................... 6
The top bar ................................................................................................................................................ 6
The right-side controls............................................................................................................................... 6
The 6 tabs and reports................................................................................................................................... 7
Overview .................................................................................................................................................... 7
Click report ................................................................................................................................................ 7
Graph ......................................................................................................................................................... 8
KPI .............................................................................................................................................................. 8
Crosstable .................................................................................................................................................. 9
................................................................................................................................................................... 9
Sum ............................................................................................................................................................ 9
Data ......................................................................................................................................................... 10
Click report  report .............................................................................................................................. 10
Dataslicers ................................................................................................................................................... 11
Dataslicer controls ................................................................................................................................... 11
Work effectively with Analyzer ................................................................................................................... 12
Combine dataslicers and reports............................................................................................................. 12
Add extra categories to the double ABC ................................................................................................. 12
Edit an existing categorization ................................................................................................................ 13
Define the content in an extra category.................................................................................................. 14
Calculate columns.................................................................................................................................... 15

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 Double-click the ABC Analyzer icon on your desktop or find ABC Analyzer from your list of programs

Shortcut to your
recently used files:
Choose one of them if
needed

News from ABC

Softwork: New features
will be explained on our
blog, find the links here!
Open a template or
choose a ”New project”
to import data.

Import data and set up a new project

Do you want to import data from:
 Excel
 Txt
 XML
 CSV

Choose “New project” (the picture above) or

“New”/”Import” (the picture on the right). Follow
the step-by-step guide in ABC Analyzer (see next
page) or get more help in our detailed ‘Import
guide’.

Find the ”Import guide” here: http://files.abcsoftwork.com/embed/Import_you_own_data

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Step-by-step guide

1. Choose the delimiter used

in your data. When you have
chosen the right one, your data
is displayed correctly in the
grid.

2. Click ”Next”.

3. Does your data contain

headlines for each column? If
yes, make sure the box is
check-marked. If not, have a
look in the ”Import guide.”

4. Click ”Next”.

Choose the correct date

format.
5. Define each column’s
content using the dropdown-
menu. Remember your data
need one ID column and at 6. Click ”Apply” and your data
least 2 columns containing
will be imported. If you get an
numbers. error message, have a look in the
”Import guide”.

Did you remember?

- ID is normally either the item number, or client number.
- Numbers are only numbers if you can use them in calculations! (E.g. multiplying all supplier numbers
doesn’t make sense. Supplier numbers should be imported as text).

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After import, your data is only visible on the “Data” tab. Set up a double ABC categorization to analysing
your data.

Click here to set up a

new categorization.

A click gives you the following window (it is empty the first time you open it):

2. Settings become visible here.

Choose the column equivalent to
”Cost value1” and ”Order lines”/
”Pick”.

We recommend that you make your ABC Master categorization on “Cost value1” and “Order lines”/”Pick”.
Consider adding extra categories to your double ABC categorization, in order to create a more precise
categorization, read more on page 12.

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* Cost value = cost price * sold pcs 12 months

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The top bar
Each tap has a menu in the
top, controlling what the tab
displays.

Each tab has a local toolbar.

The right-side controls

The settings on the right side of the program affect all the tabs – except “Reports”.

Categorization:
The name of the categorization
displayed on Overview and KPI is shown
here. If you have added more than one
categorization to your project, switch
between them using the dropdown
menu

The 4 bottoms:
Edit the current categorization,
copy it, add a new or delete it.

Report slicer:
Choose the report you want to
see. The report is displayed on all
tabs – except “Reports”.

Dataslicers.
Use dataslicers to dive quickly into data
and see a relevant selection of your
analysis: Choose e.g. only to see items for a
certain purchaser, ABC category or
supplier.

Combine several dataslicers to see a more

detailed selection.

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Overview

Overview displays all

your items divided into
the 9 ABC categories.

Set up the tab using the

top bar. Choose for Click a number to see which
example only to see items the category contains (=a
turnover per category click report).
instead of the number
of items.

Use one or more

dataslicers to see a
more narrow selection.

Click report

A click in “Overview” gives you a click report showing the items in one of the categories. Read more about
using click reports on page 10.

If you want to save a click Click ”x” to close the

report you have to name it click report and return
and click ”Save”. to ”Overview” without
saving it

A click on ”Cancel” will

close the click report and
return to ”Overview” too.

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Graph

The tab Graph displays

how the items are
distributed in your ABC The graph always uses the axes the
categorization. categorization is built by (here ”Pick 12
AA months” and ”Cost value 12 months”).
The tab is empty the first
time you open it. Click
“Draw Graph” to see how CC
the items are distributed.
The colours display
which category the
items belong to.
Each dot represents an
item number – click a dot
to see its data.

KPI

KPI gives you the opportunity

to set up several KPI boards at
the same time and overview
your data. Set up a new KPI
board.
The tab is empty the first time
you open it.

We recommend these 8 KPI Click a number to see what

the category contains
boards as a starting point:

- 2 x Item number: Number + %

- 2 x Cost value: Number + %
- 2 x Stock value: Number + %
- Number of order lines/Pick
- Turnover rate

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Crosstable

Crosstable allows you divide

products into subgroups based
on two parameters. Define the
x- and y-axis, and set the cell
content.

You can sort the crosstable on

both axes by clicking it. A small
Find out how many products each
black arrow displays what you
purchaser has, and how they are
are sorting by. distributed among the different ABC
categories.
Click a cell to see the items in a
click report.

Sum

SUM resembles an advanced

crosstable. Set up the view
column by column, and compare
several cloumns, eg. “no. of
products”, picks and Create your view column by
revenue. column, and pick the ones
you wish to compare
View it by ABC
category, supplier or product
group (vertical parameter)

NB: Views created on Sum is

not saved!

You may export it to Excel and

continue working with it here

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Data

The Data tab displays all

rows and columns in
your data.

Control the layout of

the click reports: Hide or lock columns in your
Arrange the columns at clickreports by right clicking, or use
“Data” to control the the cogwheel.
Pull the headlines to move the
standard layout in your
columns.
click reports.

Click report  report

Each time you click in “Overview”, “KPI” or “Crosstable” a new window pops up: A click report.

Choose only to see a “Top

When you have sliced and 10, 5 or 3”-report instead
clicked your way to a of the whole report.
Give the report a descriptive
relevant selection, you can
name before saving.
save it as a report. When
you have saved a report it
is displayed in the “Report
slicer” on the right side of
the program.

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Dataslicers are one of your most important tools when analyzing. Use dataslicers to dive into your data.
Choose for example only to see items for a certain purchaser or supplier. Combine several dataslicers to see
exactly the items you want.
Choose the column you
want to slice on and click
”Add”.

Choose between
different dataslicer
layouts

Dataslicer controls
When you have sliced down to a relevant data selection and wish to return to your starting point, you can
easily reset all your dataslicers using the “Clear all dataslicers”-bottom at the top.

The ”Clear all dataslicers”-

bottom resets all your Turn dataslicers on/off – Every time
dataslicers. All markings are you slice ABC Analyzer recalculates
the data on display. Save time when
removed, and the program
slicing on multiple parameters or
displays all your data again.
working with large datasets: Turn off
dataslicers while you set up all your
slicers. Turn dataslicers on when you
want the program to calculate.

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Combine dataslicers and reports

It is easy to make several reports in ABC Analyzer, but often it is an advantage to combine reports and
dataslicers – and reduce the number of saved reports.

E.g. It is not necessary to make a “Top 10 dead items” for each purchaser. Instead, make one “Top 10 dead
items” and combine it with a dataslicer containing the purchasers’ names.

Combine reports and dataslicers

Frequently used reports Frequently used dataslicers:
 AA items on back order  Purchaser
 Top 10 “dead” items
 New items without sale
+  Supplier
 Product group
 Top 50 stock surplus  ABC category

Add extra categories to the double ABC

Besides the standard matrix (the double ABC) your analysis should contain extra categories. Extra
categories allow you to isolate specific groups of items using mathematical criteria. There are two good
reasons for this.

1) Keep an eye on “special” products you want to monitor separately, for example “New products”
2) Remove “noise” from your standard matrix, for example “dead products”

Your CC items consist of many

different kinds of products. For
different reasons none of them
sell very well.

Create extra categories to divide

them into useful subgroups and
assign action plans to each
category.

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Edit an existing categorization

You can always add extra categories to

an existing categorization.

Choose edit to add one or

more extra categories to
your double ABC matrix.

A rule of thumb: Make extra categories for all “the different types of items” you want to monitor
and control. Consider to add the following extra categories to your ABC categorization:

We recommend extra categories for:

 New items: Less than for example 180 days in stock.

 Dead items: Items not sold the last 12 months, but
with stock value.
 Phantom items: Items not sold the last 12 months
and without stock value.

Consider also:

 Buy-to-order: Items that sell only a few times each year.

 Political items: Items which the board has
decided you should keep in stock.
 Special items: Items with a special mark in your ERP
system. E.g. Products you plan to replace by others.

Remember! The definitions of the extra categories are guidelines – not universal truths which fit
every supply chain!

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Define the content in an extra category

1. Add an extra
category.

3. Choose ”Add
2. Name your extra criteria” to define the
extra category.
category and give it an
appropriate colour, e.g.
dark grey or black for
“dead items”.

4. Define the criteria for

your extra category “Dead “
items.

We have used the following

criteria: “Include only rows in
the extra category where 5. Click ”OK”. You add
‘Orderlines 12 mth’ <= 0”.
one mathematical criterion
at a time to your extra
Meaning, this category will
category. Add as many as
only contain items that have
you want.
not been sold the last year.

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Calculate columns
Often data from your ERP system does not contain all the columns you need for making great analyses. Use
the columns to calculate the ones you lack. Consider calculating the following columns:

 The item’s age in days

 The turnover rate
 Contribution margin
1. Click ”New column” in
the menu Columns.

Create new columns window:

Using squared brackets ([name of column]), you can auto insert columns into formulas

Press ”Ctrl+Alt+8”
1. Name the column, for
to make a squared example ”The item’s age in
bracket. days”.

2. Type the formula. In this

example only one column is
needed: “Creation date”. 3. Click ”OK”.

Red colour = an error in the formula!

If the “Create formula”-window is blue, your formula contains an error. Double-check the formula to see if
you have forgotten a bracket. You cannot click “OK” before you’ve solved the error.

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