Category managers use the Shelf Management System to visualize the products displayed on shelves - item for item. Clear shelf plans help staff to stock shelves and ensure that the display is customer friendly and drives 
Which Planning Documents does SMS provide the Store with?
Key components of the planning documents which Category Managers send to their stores electronically include a Full Shelf Shot including a detailed Article List as well as a Detailed Product Shot bmp (469 KB). These documents instruct store workers how to stack shelves.
Getting the Picture
The full-shot shows the entire shelf. This image clearly documents item for item which scope the Category Manager has planned for each category. It depicts the horizontal shelves and the vertical positioning units. The product range group is specified at the top of the document, e.g. "dishwasher powder" or "honey". The planogram refers to the maintenance group which is outlined below the product range group. A maintenance group pools those stores which have an identical planogram for a respective product assortment and have a shared way of displaying goods on the shelf.
Analyzing Data
The second important document included in the planning documents is a detailed product list. It contains information about product codes, product descriptions, manufacturers and the stock in the shelf. The first column shows store staff in which shelf the merchandise is to be stacked. It also specifies how merchandise is to be stocked beside, above and behind. The number of facings, i.e. frontal views, of a product is at the discretion of the store manager – as long as the minimum number of facings is displayed. The store manager could display five bottles of shampoo instead of three. In many cases it is necessary to have a different number of facings because of different shelf systems or other factors which are specific to a store. However, deviations regarding the order of the merchandise on the shelf are not permitted. METRO Group’s objective is to offer customers a consistent positioning of merchandise so the can find what they are looking for quickly.
Implementing Guidelines
The third part of the planogram shows a part of the shelf on each page, i.e. the positioning unit bmp (469 KB). This segment shot and the respective product information help store workers stock the products. This document also includes information about the depth of a shelf.
