Master What If Simulations in Kinaxis Maestro

Learn how to use What If Simulations in Kinaxis Maestro to boost agility, optimize supply chain planning, and prepare for disruptions with confidence.

Why What If Matters More Than Ever

In today’s volatile business environment, supply chains face relentless pressure from every direction. Geopolitical instability, rapidly shifting customer expectations, raw material shortages, regulatory changes, and supplier unpredictability have all become part of the new normal. In this dynamic landscape, traditional planning methods—static, linear, and reactive—are no longer sufficient.

The real differentiator between companies that thrive and those that merely survive is agility. And agility starts with a simple but crucial question:

“What if something changes tomorrow—are we ready?”

That’s where What-If Simulations in Kinaxis Maestro become a game-changer.

With What-If capabilities, supply chain planners can go beyond guesswork and reactive firefighting. Instead, they gain the power to simulate countless potential disruptions—such as a supplier delay, demand spike, or logistics constraint—and immediately see the ripple effects across the entire supply chain. This includes impacts on inventory, capacity, customer service levels, and revenue.

What Are What If Simulations in Kinaxis Maestro?

In Kinaxis Maestro (part of the RapidResponse® platform), What-If Simulations are advanced scenario modeling tools that allow planners to:

• Test alternate planning strategies
• Model the impact of demand surges or supply shortfalls
• Evaluate lead time variability or new supplier onboarding
• Simulate policy changes like inventory buffers or order prioritization

Each scenario is created in a sandboxed environment, preserving the integrity of live data while enabling safe experimentation.

Top Benefits of Using What If Simulations

Real-Time Visibility

See the impact of any change, whether upstream or downstream, instantly across the supply chain.

Risk Mitigation

Anticipate and prepare for disruptions by simulating multiple “what-if” outcomes before they happen.

Faster Decision-Making

Eliminate the guesswork and reduce decision cycles from days to hours.

Better Collaboration

Share scenario insights across teams—procurement, production, logistics—for aligned responses.

Common Use Cases for Scenario Planning

Demand Surges or Drops

Forecasting a spike in promotion? See how it affects raw material availability and capacity constraints.

Supplier Delays or Failures

Run a simulation on how a 3-week delay from a key supplier impacts delivery schedules.

Capacity Expansion

Before investing in new capacity, test how that would influence cost, cycle time, and service levels.

Inventory Policy Changes

Try out buffer stock increases to see the trade-off between service level improvements and inventory holding costs.

Step-by-Step: Running a What If Simulation in Kinaxis Maestro

Clone the Planning Environment

Create a new private scenario based on live data.

Apply Assumptions

Modify demand forecasts, supplier lead times, order policies, or resource constraints.

Run the Simulation Engine

Let Kinaxis Maestro process the scenario and generate impact analytics in real-time.

Analyze KPIs

Use preconfigured dashboards to compare plan vs. scenario performance on metrics like OTIF, cost, and inventory turns.

Share & Decide

Collaborate with stakeholders and make confident, data-driven decisions.

Why Choose Simbus Tech as Your Kinaxis Maestro Partner?

At Simbus Tech, we bring over a decade of expertise in supply chain planning and Kinaxis RapidResponse implementation. Our specialists help clients:

• Design simulation frameworks aligned with business goals
• Build reusable scenario templates for rapid modeling
• Train teams to interpret outputs and act with confidence
• Integrate simulations with broader S&OP processes

With Simbus as your partner, you get not just the tool—but the strategic know-how to use it to its fullest.

Build a Resilient, Agile Supply Chain

Supply chains are no longer just about efficiency, resilience, adaptability, and foresight. Mastering What-If Simulations in Kinaxis Maestro gives business the edge to anticipate the unexpected, align teams faster, and respond smarter.

Whether you’re preparing for disruption or simply seeking continuous improvement, scenario planning is no longer optional, it’s essential.

Looking to unlock the full potential of Kinaxis Maestro?

Let Simbus Tech help you model your next “what if.”

Contact us to schedule a free consultation with our Kinaxis experts.