Sales & Operations Planning is a decision making process, to balance demand and supply, to align volume and mix, and to integrate financial and operating plans. It is a basic process that aims to balance aggregate supply and aggregate demand, making a vital connection between the market (customers) and the resource pool. The model was formalized and the tool was created in VB .net in association with the Resource Manager and a highly motivated technical resource under the guidance of the COO. The output of the model is a Universal Tracker which has a 12 month rolling forecast ‘universal tracker’ of customer demand and resource availability within the organization.

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Sales & Operations Planning
Model

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Contents
2
3
4
S&OP – An Overview1
5
S&OP Data Collection Process Flow
Inputs required
S&OP Output
Decision Points derived out of S&OP output

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What is S&OP?
• Sales & Operations Planning is a decision making process, to balance demand
and supply, to align volume and mix, and to integrate financial and operating
plans.
• It is a tool for steering the organization to deliver the strategic objectives and
business plan.
• It is a basic process that aims to balance aggregate supply and aggregate
demand, making a vital connection between the market (customers) and the
resource pool.

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Objectives of S&OP
• Identify and improve customer service metrics; maintain service levels; improve
customer service at a lower cost.
• Support operational recommendations with financial metrics: develop better
planning and review process to tie sales, financial planning and resource
planning together.
• Improve supply chain integration: ensure the availability of capacity and tracking
of critical resources.
• Provide a ‘universal tracker’ to develop a 12-month rolling forecast of customer
demand and resource availability

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S&OP Data Collection Process Flow
Master
Data Sheet
Resource
Tracker
Skill Wise
Bench Profile
Consolidated
Bench Profile
Decision Points
Inputs from multiple sources
Output
Output

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Master
Data Sheet
Personal Details
Project Details
Proficiency
Employee Status
Release Dates
Experience Data
Billing Rate
Cost
Input Source
Manpower Sheet
HR Master Data
Employee Self
Service Module
of ERP
Practice Teams
Finance Module
S&OP Data Collection Process Flow
Inputs from multiple sources

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Master
Data Sheet
Resource
Tracker
Input
(from Master Data Sheet)
Skill Set
Billing Rate
Proficiency
Project Details
S&OP Data Collection Process Flow
Inputs from multiple sources
Employee Status

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Master
Data Sheet
Resource
Tracker
Skill Wise
Bench Profile
Input
(from Resource Tracker)
Deployed Resources - Onsite
Deployed Resources - Offsite
Deployed Resources - Offshore
Deployable Resources - Pool
New Recruitments - Deployed
New Recruitments to Pool
Gross Demand – Supply Gap
Total Cumulative Supply
Additional Input – Cumulative Resource Demand
from Sales and Delivery Heads
S&OP Data Collection Process Flow
Inputs from multiple sources

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Skill Wise
Bench Profile
Master
Data Sheet
Resource
Tracker
Consolidated
Bench Profile
Consolidation of the skill wise Bench
Profiles to form a organization wide
Bench Profile
S&OP Data Collection Process Flow
Inputs from multiple sources

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S&OP Data Collection Process Flow
Master
Data Sheet
Resource
Tracker
Skill Wise
Bench Profile
Consolidated
Bench Profile
Output
Total Cumulative
Demand
Total Cumulative
Supply
Gross Demand
Deployed Gap
New Recruitment
Plan
Estimated Bench
Inputs from multiple sources

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S&OP Data Collection Process Flow
Master
Data Sheet
Resource
Tracker
Skill Wise
Bench Profile
Consolidated
Bench Profile
Decision Points
Output
Overall Utilization
Bench Utilization /
Desired Bench
Cost vs. Revenue
Analysis
Productivity
Metrics
Capacity Planning
Recruitment Plan
(Skill wise with
timelines)
Monitoring &
Review
MechanismInputs from multiple sources

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Decision Points
• Overall Utilization
• Bench Utilization / Desired Bench
• The level of bench required at any given point in time based on the Total Cumulative
Demand
• Cost vs. Revenue Analysis
• Productivity Analysis
• Capacity Planning
• Linked with total project cost and revenue
• Recruitment Plan (skill wise with timelines)
• Monitoring & review Mechanism
• For the changes/modifications in the Project requirements, cost and other factors
affecting the overall planning process

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Manav Lalotra
Head – Business Finance & Enterprise Systems
Geometric Limited
https://in.linkedin.com/in/manavlalotra
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https://manavlalotra.com