Getting S&OP Done Right

Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) comes in many flavors and variations including Integrated Business Planning (IBP) and Sales, Inventory and Operations Planning (SI&OP). All these cross-functional planning processes, however, boil down the same core competencies that:

• Span strategy to execution
• Leverage a single end-to-end data model of the supply chain
• Give a clear view of the best (optimal) options and associated tradeoffs
• Give executives the ability to make informed strategic and tactical decisions
• Provide the ability to execute those decisions daily

As companies deploying S&OP mature and upskill, the emphasis on one competency or another can shift, but each is important and necessary for a solid S&OP strategy. Despite this, few companies tick all these boxes.