Once, the objective of S&OP was to create a feasible plan. Today companies view sales and operations planning as a means to execute corporate strategy. A successful S&OP best practice process aligns an organization strategically to execute tactically.

Often the biggest obstacles to S&OP excellence stem from complexity – it may be too difficult to gather data, there may be too many meetings, the process may be too hard to govern, and key data too difficult to analyze and report. Ultimately, the process may become too hard to execute.

Leading supply chain teams have discovered that true S&OP best practices success flows from practical thinking, guided by three principles: make it easy to implement, make it easy to execute, and make it easy to sustain. Companies are achieving game-changing benefits by following a step-by-step S&OP methodology:
- Conduct a portfolio review
- Synchronize the forecast and financial outlook
- Synchronize supply and capacity
- Develop the S&OP plan
- Conduct the executive S&OP meeting

This paper details how to set up a practical, repeatable S&OP process that drives outstanding results when implemented through an easy-to-use technology platform. Real-world examples support the story.