The CPG Evolution: The “Aha!” Moment That Transforms Inventory Planning on Google Cloud with Pi Agent

Blog / The CPG Evolution: The “Aha!” Moment That Transforms Inventory Planning on Google Cloud with Pi Agent

For years, consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies have depended on enterprise resource planning systems like SAP, Oracle, and NetSuite to manage operations. These systems have served as reliable systems of record (SOR) tracking every transaction, every order, every stock movement with precision. But in today’s volatile and fast-changing market, recording what happened is no longer enough.

The real challenge now lies in transforming those systems of record into systems of intelligence platforms that enable agile, real-time decisions in response to fluctuating demand, supply chain uncertainty, and operational complexity.

Many CPG leaders we speak with share a common frustration. Despite having robust ERP data, it’s often locked in complex modules. Reports are slow. Making time-sensitive decisions across inventory or demand planning becomes a manual, painful process.

But what if that could change?
What if instead of reacting to the past, your teams could interact with your data in real time asking questions, getting insights instantly, and making smarter inventory decisions without IT bottlenecks?

That’s the shift we’re seeing with Planning in a Box – Pi Agent on AgentSpace, built on Google Cloud. It’s a shift that sparks a powerful “Aha!” moment for CPG companies a realization that decision-making can be faster, more intelligent, and far more intuitive.

From Siloed ERP Data to Intelligent Supply Chain Action

This transformation doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a phased journey that builds value over time. Each step delivers tangible gains, paving the way to a fully intelligent enterprise.

Phase 1: Build the Foundation with a Unified Digital Twin

It all begins by connecting ERP data from SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, and other systems into BigQuery on Google Cloud. This isn’t just data integration – it’s the creation of a Unified Digital Twin using Cortex, bringing together purchase orders, sales, inventory, and component-level data into a single, real-time Master Ledger.

Suddenly, what was once scattered across systems becomes accessible and visible in one place. For many ERP-heavy organizations, this is the first glimpse of life beyond data silos. It’s the groundwork for supply chain visibility, accurate forecasting, and intelligent planning.

Phase 2: Real-Time Inventory Visibility and Demand Sensing

Once the digital foundation is in place, everything speeds up. Inventory planning and decision-making become faster and more accurate.

What used to take hours or even days inside ERP systems can now be done in near real-time. For example, calculating inventory availability across thousands of SKUs is no longer a batch process; it happens instantly, factoring in dynamic rules and real-time inventory updates.

Teams also gain access to unified dashboards that surface insights across internal ERP data and external demand signals from tools like Google Trends. This shift allows CPG planners to stop reacting to what already happened and start planning for what’s coming next.

Interested in seeing how real-time supply chain decisions can be made with your ERP data? Request a demo of Planning in a Box – Pi Agent to explore it live.

Phase 3: The Intelligence Layer – The “Aha!” Moment with Pi Agent

Here’s where it all clicks.

In this final phase, we introduce Planning in a Box – Pi Agent on Google AgentSpace, a vertical AI solution built specifically for supply chain and ERP planning needs. It sits directly on top of the Master Ledger and changes how business users interact with enterprise data.

Picture this: a demand planner is under pressure to respond to a major order. Instead of logging into SAP, pulling multiple reports, and manually crunching numbers, they simply ask a question:

“When can we fulfill 450 units of Product X for our Los Angeles distribution center?”

Within seconds, Pi Agent replies with the earliest fulfillment date, plus the reasoning—component availability, current stock levels, and lead times. If there’s a blocker, it flags it:

“Inventory for Component X is low. Unable to fulfill request on current timeline.”

This moment is the breakthrough. Suddenly, business users can query complex data in natural language, without waiting on IT or wrangling spreadsheets. Decision-making becomes faster, more frequent, and far more informed.

Beyond Supply Chain: Expanding AgentSpace Across the Enterprise

Once teams experience the agility and intelligence that Pi Agent brings to supply chain planning, the next step becomes obvious:

“What else can we connect?”

With AgentSpace, Pi Agent isn’t just a tool for inventory visibility. It becomes the intelligent interface for the entire enterprise.

Connect More Data

Bring in information from Salesforce, SharePoint, marketing platforms, and even unstructured data from emails and calendars. The context gets richer. The insights get sharper.

Ask Broader Business Questions

Now, users aren’t just optimizing stock or forecasting demand. They’re exploring enterprise-level questions like:

• “What’s the profit margin on the sport shoe product line in the Americas?”
• “Which marketing campaigns drove demand for our new product?”

Leverage Generative AI with Gemini

With Google’s Gemini models, the agent can reason across historical data, spot trends, and even draft contextual responses like an email to a supplier about a delay, pre-filled with relevant order and component details.

This is where Planning in a Box – Pi Agent becomes not just a planning tool, but a decision intelligence layer for your business.

Reimagining ERP: From System of Record to Strategic Partner

This is more than automation. It’s a mindset shift.

With Planning in a Box – Pi Agent, CPG companies are evolving from reactive planning to proactive, strategic decision-making. They’re transforming their ERP – from a system that logs what happened – to an intelligent assistant that helps navigate what’s next.

The result?
A more resilient, agile, and profitable enterprise. One that can act faster, plan smarter, and thrive amid uncertainty.