How 80/20 Tagging Helps Allocators Hit Their Targets With Less Work

Of all the challenges allocators face — and there are many — the one I hear about the most is decision overload. Managing allocation decisions for thousands of SKU-store combinations in industry-standard spreadsheets can be  overwhelming, no matter how sophisticated the formulas. The real question for allocators becomes: How do I know which of these 1000 allocation decisions matter the most for success?

Syrup’s intelligent 80/20 tagging system offers a unique way to focus on allocation decisions that impact the metrics most allocators are measured on — and ultimately, with the highest revenue upside. Learn more about how this feature helps allocators hit their targets with less work — and how Syrup’s build-to-test product philosophy moved us from pain to solution in just a few weeks.

Making Precision More Actionable

Syrup allows allocators to work at the most precise level of detail, with allocation recommendations at SKU-store levels that are backed by similarly granular forecasts. This granularity ensures the supporting information we provide matches the level at which allocation decisions happen: the individual unit level.

A big part of my job is ensuring that our products make people’s lives easier. And so, when allocators that use Syrup began voicing some data fatigue, I knew we needed to design a quick fix. Our users expressed that the sheer volume and granularity of data, while powerful, can be difficult to sift through. This can make it challenging to turn data into effective action.

Reviewing these recommendations at each SKU-store level presents a few challenges:

• Time consuming: One of the core promises I make to allocators is that Syrup will save them time. But for some, the choice overload was getting in the way of that goal.
• Blind spots: It can be difficult to see concerning patterns and outliers across multiple levels of product and store combinations without efficient ways to identify them.
• Missed strategic insights: Reviewing allocation decisions with a granular focus on individual SKUs can make it tough to spot higher-level patterns or strategic opportunities.

Because we’re in constant communication with our users, I heard these issues loud and clear and started thinking: find a way to cut through the noise and quickly identify the areas of highest opportunity. But I didn’t want to allow our users to struggle with decision overload for a typical software development cycle, which can take months. Thankfully, Syrup’s product and engineering teams have adopted a build-to-test approach that delivers value much faster.

The Build to Test Approach

Traditional feature development follows a slow and linear path, but retail moves too fast for that model — and so do allocators. At Syrup, we’ve adopted a build-to-test approach, a process that prioritizes real-world usability over theoretical perfection.

Rather than guessing what may work, our teams prototype functional features, present them to real users, and learn from live interaction. This feedback then directly shapes what gets built, refined, or scrapped.

We developed the 80/20 tagging system (more on this feature later) — a novel way to address choice fatigue — using the build-to-test approach.  Simple, rule-based tags were initially deployed to live users, allowing teams to observe real behavior and gather feedback. Tags that didn’t drive engagement were refined or removed, while those that proved useful were expanded and improved. As value became clear, new tag categories and hierarchy levels were introduced, ensuring that every addition supported faster, more confident decision making.

This build to test model isn't limited to tagging — it’s how product innovation occurs company-wide, allowing for faster learning, stronger feedback loops, and products grounded in real-world utility.

Smarter Focus with 80/20 Logic

Tags are descriptive labels applied to allocation recommendations based on specific business criteria and data points, such as sales performance and inventory levels, that help provide key insights and guide decision making. For instance, a “high demand” tag may be applied when a SKU’s forecasted sales exceed a set threshold. Our tags help surface key patterns and issues, such as broken size curves and shelf capacity risks, that are essential for ensuring allocations maximize margin and revenue.

These tags are generated across multiple levels of the inventory hierarchy:

• Store-SKU Level: This is the most granular level of the hierarchy, identifying issues specific to a product and its size at a specific location.
• Store-Product Level: This identifies patterns across all sizes of a product in one specific location.
• Product Level: Highlights issues affecting a product across multiple store locations.
• Store Level: Identifies issues affecting multiple products at a specific location.

Inspired by the Pareto Principle — the idea that 80% of outcomes result from 20% of causes — our 80/20 tagging system surfaces the 20% of recommendations that drive 80% of the revenue impact, enabling allocators to prioritize their time and attention more effectively.

Our tags apply across the different levels of the inventory hierarchy, allowing users to see whether issues are isolated to a specific product or store — or if the issue is part of a bigger trend. Users can filter allocation recommendations by severity or frequency, focus on problem areas, and view summaries revealing high-impact patterns across the business.

The result? Dramatic time saving and a sharper focus on critical inventory decisions.

Looking Ahead

We’re continuing to evolve the tagging system based on real-world usage and feedback:

• More tags, more intelligence: We’re expanding our rule library based on new scenarios and what you tell us.
• More tag hierarchy levels and rollups: Soon, you’ll be able to trace issues from individual SKUs to more overarching store or product-level patterns.
• Custom user-defined tags: In future stages, you’ll be able create your own rules and tags using our logic engine and hierarchy awareness.
• Tag trend tracking: We’ll show you how to spot frequency changes over time, so you can see any emerging risks or improving areas.

Are you feeling the burden of decision overload?

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