Collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment (CPFR) is an approach to the supply chain process which focuses on joint practices.
According to an October 21, 1996 Business Week article entitled Clearing the Cobwebs from the Stockroom, New Internet software may make forecasting a snap, "Benchmarking developed CFAR with funding from Wal-Mart, IBM, SAP, and Manugistics.
To promote CFAR as a standard, Benchmarking has posted specifications on the Web and briefed more than 250 companies, including Sears, J.C. Penney, and Gillette.
The pilot's results were publicly announced at a CFAR industry session at Harvard University, July 30, 1996 of executives from Wal-Mart's suppliers as well as other retailers and the Uniform Code Council.
Benchmarking Partners then presented CFAR to the board of directors of the Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Standards Committee (VICS).
Based on the suggestion of Procter & Gamble's vice president of supply chain, the standard was renamed CPFR to emphasize the role of planning.