Sales and Operation Planning (S&OP)
Strategic Sales and Operations Planning for Business Alignment
Course Overview
Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) is a strategic management process that aligns organizational demand, supply, and financial objectives within a unified planning framework. In today’s volatile and highly competitive business environment, organizations require an integrated S&OP process to balance market demand with operational capabilities while safeguarding profitability and service performance.
This comprehensive five-day training program is designed to provide participants with a structured understanding of how an effective S&OP framework enhances cross-functional alignment between sales, marketing, operations, finance, and executive leadership. The program highlights the critical role of senior management—particularly executive leadership—in ensuring that S&OP becomes a strategic decision-making platform rather than a purely operational exercise.
Participants will explore how robust Manufacturing Planning and Control (MPC) processes support coordination between demand-side functions (sales and marketing) and supply-side operations (production, procurement, and logistics). By strengthening S&OP processes, organizations can improve forecast accuracy, optimize inventory, enhance capacity planning, and achieve financial targets more consistently.
Course Objectives
By the End of this Course, Participants will be able to:
- Understand the strategic importance of balancing supply and demand functions within an integrated planning framework.
- Recognize the financial implications of S&OP decisions on revenue, cost, and profitability targets.
- Design and implement a structured S&OP process suitable for manufacturing, supply chain, and service organizations.
- Apply forecasting principles and demand management techniques within the S&OP cycle.
- Evaluate the role of executive leadership, including CEO involvement, in driving S&OP effectiveness.
- Integrate inventory, capacity, and risk management into the S&OP decision-making process.
Course Audience
This Course is Designed for professionals involved in strategic and operational planning, including:
- Executive and senior management
- Production and operations managers
- Finance managers and financial controllers
- Marketing and sales managers
- Supply chain and logistics managers
Course Methodology
The Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) training at HighPoint Center (HPC) is delivered through a focused and practical approach combining:
- Interactive instructor-led sessions
- Real-life case studies
- Hands-on forecasting and supply planning exercises
- Group discussions on executive alignment and risk management
- End-to-end S&OP simulation workshop
This methodology ensures strong conceptual understanding and immediate workplace application.
Course Outline
Day One: S&OP Overview and Strategic Context
- Evolution of ERP systems and the emergence of S&OP
- The S&OP maturity journey
- End-to-end supply chain integration
- Role of technology in supporting S&OP processes
- Core definitions and components of S&OP
- The standard S&OP cycle and governance structure
Day Two: Demand Management and Forecasting
- Understanding the nature and drivers of demand
- Forecasting methodologies and techniques
- Quantitative and qualitative forecasting approaches
- Forecast accuracy measurement and management
- Strategic uses of forecasts in operational planning
- Practical Exercise: Forecasting and demand planning simulation
Day Three: Inventory Management within S&OP
- Strategic purpose of inventory
- Types and functional roles of inventory
- Financial implications of inventory decisions
- Determining optimal inventory levels
- Reorder policies and replenishment strategies
- Exercise: Inventory planning and optimization scenario
Day Four: Supply Management and Capacity Planning
- Strategic supply-side decision-making
- Time fences and planning horizons
- Linking supply planning to S&OP decisions
- Capacity management and constraint analysis
- Production scheduling principles
- Workshop: Supply planning and capacity alignment exercise
Day Five: Integrated S&OP and Risk Management
- Enterprise risk management within S&OP
- Identifying and categorizing operational and supply chain risks
- Evaluating potential versus realized risks
- Risk mitigation and contingency planning
- Comprehensive S&OP Simulation Exercise: Integrating demand, supply, finance, and risk
- Program review and implementation roadmap
Certificates