Collaborate forecasting is to involve external parties in the forecasting process. In IFS Demand Planning this is done by sharing the forecasting information with your partners. To do this you have to create your best forecast suggestion for the different parts. Then make a trolley(s) that consists of the flows and parts/groups that you have agreed/want to collaborate about. Then you send these parts (trolleys) to the different collaborate partners. You can send the trolley(s) in two different trolleys ways :
In the read only sending option, the receivers (collaboration partners) of these trolleys will only be able to look at your forecast suggestions through the demand applet, they will therefore have no influence on the resulting collaborate forecast. In this mode the collaboration partners (receivers) will have to send there responses to the forecasts by mail, telephone or fax etc. And the head forecaster will have to put their feedback into the forecast. Or you can use this option to distribute your forecast to your partners as a "this is how we think the future will look like". This can be valuable information for your suppliers.
The other way of sending trolleys is the collaborate way in this way the receivers will be able to make there own forecast through the demand applet, the different suggestions from all the collaboration partners will make up the collaborate forecasts in the Collaborate partner graph. And this collaborate forecast is the forecast is your partners believe of how the future demand will look like. But the head forecaster is still master and responsible for setting the final forecast. The collaborate forecast is only helping to get the best possible forecast for the part or group.