Sales and Operations Planning
We don't have a "module" named S&OP because our whole solution is directed toward S&OP already. Smoothie is the solution for S&OP. That's all we do.
Sales and operations planning is a strategic business process that successful companies use to anticipate and synchronize supply and demand, and to achieve focus and strategic alignment among the selling, producing, purchasing, logistics, executive and financial functions within a business. An effective S&OP process aids in the analysis and direction of business strategy, and it assures that the key functions within the business operate synchronously.
People, Process, and Smoothie®
S&OP is a business process and not a specific set of software tools, but it is very much enabled by tools like Smoothie. Functions like sales, production and procurement planning are central to the S&OP process. Smoothie lends precision and visibility to supply as well as sales plans. On the demand side, it produces accurate statistical forecasts and provides an effective architecture for forecast collaboration. From a supply perspective, it aids in the establishment of effective supply policies and synchronizes tactical supply execution with demand and inventory management strategy.
Sales and operations planning is all about synchronization: Synchronizing demand with supply, tactics with strategy, and aligning functions within your business. Smoothie unifies demand and supply in a single, highly visible framework. And, the Pivot Forecasting® in Smoothie enables synchronization by making it possible for different functions in the business to visualize and execute according to their unique perspectives. Some parts of the company are more focused on channels; others on products, production facilities, distribution and suppliers. Along these same lines, Sales and Finance might work with revenue, while production and logistics work with units. Different parts of the company can even work with different units. The plant may manufacture in batches of gallons, tons or hectolitres, while logistics plans and distributes cases, pallets, truck or rail car loads.
Smoothie has powerful functionality for aligning perspectives. It allows for the automatic and synchronous conversion of alternative measures, incorporates supply as well as demand, and it operates on multiple and flexible levels of product and channel aggregation. S&OP can be implemented without tools like Smoothie, but it's very much harder to do and the business benefits that can be achieved are significantly amplified with the effective use of technology.
