Overview

Here you will learn how to set up, schedule, start, and follow up the planning process to control all activities related to planning cycle execution.

Firstly, you need to set up master data, identify the planning steps, their duration, and the persons in charge.

The business units involved must be duly informed and instructed before the planning and forecasting cycle starts.

As a result of the process, the planning process is scheduled and followed up.

Schedule and follow up planning process flowchart

Paths

How to enable planning process management

1. Go to Budgeting and planning → Settings and catalogs and click Planning scenarios under Sales and operations plans.

2. Open the Sales & operations planning scenarios document and go to the Main tab.

3. Select the Planning process management check box to enter sales forecast data by different business units.

4. Go to the Additional settings tab.

5. Select the Record plans in budgeting check box to schedule and monitor the sales planning process.

6. Select a technical budgeting scenario related only to planning process management.

7. Go to the Plan structure tab.

8. Review the list of plan profiles and open them one by one.

9. In each Plan profile document, go to the Main tab.

10. To schedule and monitor the sales forecasting process, select Sales forecast in the Use for: field. The Sales check box is selected automatically. Specify any technical budget flow item.

Paths

How to create budget model for sales and operational planning

1. Go to Budgeting and planning → Settings and catalogs and click Budgeting models under Budgeting.

2. Create a new model specific for sales and operational planning.

3. Go to the Main settings tab.

4. Specify the working name in the Description field.

5. Specify the Validation period.

6. Go to the Budget process tab.

7. Define the planning Frequency.

8. Select automatic or manual options for launching the planning process.

9. Set the Valid status. 

10. Click Save and close.

Paths

How to specify planning process steps

1. Go to Budgeting and planning → Settings and catalogs and click Budgeting process route under Budgeting.

2. Select the Budgeting model.

3. Click Create group.

4. Specify the group Description.

5. Set the planning Schedule.

6. Click Save and close.

7. Select the step group and click Create to generate the planning task (step).

8. Go to the Main tab of the Budgeting step document.

9. Specify the working name in the Description field.

10. Select whether you want to complete the task manually or automatically.

11. Specify the Assignee.

12. Set the Sequence and Duration of the task.

13. Select the Action. 

14. Click Settings actions are unspecified, assign the applicable Scenario, and specify any other information.

15. Add details to the Task description field.

16. Click Save.

17. Go to the Attachments tab of the Budgeting step document.

18. Add source documents or additional instructions for assignees.

19. Go to the Main tab of the Budgeting step document.

20. Click Save and close.

Paths

How to start planning process

1. Go to Budgeting and planning and click Budgeting processes under Budget process.

2. Go to the In progress tab.

3. Click Create. 

4. Choose the budgeting Model and Step group. The system automatically fills in the Period.

5. Go to the Processes (Not started) tab.

6. Check the list of tasks.

7. Click Run.

The system sends tasks to assignees. The assignee sees the list of tasks in the My budget tasks workplace.

Paths

How to follow up planning process

1. Go to Budgeting and planning and click Budgeting process schedule under Budget process.

2. Click Set up to change the report settings.

3. Select the Budgeting model.

4. Select one of the Report options:

• Budget process overview
• Tasks by period
• Tasks by assignees

5. Select a view type:

• Plan
• Actual
• Planned - actual

6. The Actual and Planned - actual views will show the current state of the tasks. Review designations at the bottom of the report.

7. Click Close and generate.

8. Analyze the current state of forecasting process steps.

9. Click Tasks in progress: overdue: to review the list of current process tasks with assignee names, deadlines, and calculated overdue periods.

10. Open the Budget task from the report form.

11. Click Create linked task if changes to tasks or their additional allocation to assignees is required.

Paths

How to follow up plan filling

1. Go to Budgeting and planning and click Planning process management under Tools.

2. Set filters by:

• Planning Scenario
• Monitoring Period
• Person responsible for creating plans

The left side of the workplace displays the structure of the planning process by period and the current state of each plan. Review designations at the bottom of the workplace.

The last stage of the process is the Plan balance. This stage shows the period totals. The starting and final balance helps you to evaluate the balance of plans for a given period.

The right side of the workplace contains a list of items planned for sale, purchase, or production as well as their balances, number of arrivals and expenditures, demand and adjustment, and quantity to change.

The third column of the workplace contains the Planning wizard for managing plans, deficits, and adjustments. The Planning wizard:

• Notifies of initial data updates.
• Enables the most effective recount of plans.
• Helps to count all plans in one click.
• Helps to quickly adjust plans.

3. Analyze the current state of the planning process and make necessary adjustments (create, update or change plans), or create tasks for persons in charge.