Abstract: The present disclosure describes delivery and/or retrieval of inventory holders to different transfer locations using an automated ground vehicle. In accordance with the described implementations, rather than the vehicle waiting at the transfer location for the agents to arrive and retrieve the items from the inventory holder, the autonomous ground vehicle, working in conjunction with an autonomous transition unit that accompanies the vehicle, transfer the inventory holder containing the items to the transfer location and departs without waiting for the agents to retrieve the items from the inventory holder and continues on to another transfer location at which it will deliver another inventory holder and/or retrieve an inventory holder. Once all the items have been retrieved from an inventory holder delivered to a transfer location, the autonomous ground vehicle may update its route to navigate back to the transfer location and retrieve the inventory holder.

Abstract: A forecasting tool predicts future demand for quantifiable items in connection with a plurality of projects. The tool has multiple tables, where each table has information therein. In particular, a project table has project information for each project, where the project information includes a reference to items (materials) to be employed in connection with the project. An item table has item information for each item referenced by the project table, where the item information includes a reference to an algorithm to be employed to determine a quantity of the item for a particular project. An algorithm table has algorithm information for each algorithm referenced by the item table. Thus, the quantity of a needed item for a particular project may be determined by determining the specifics of the necessary algorithm, obtaining any inputs necessary for the algorithm from the tables, and applying the inputs to the algorithm.