← Back to glossary Category: Operațional · Acronym: S&OP S&OP (Sales and Operations Planning) Quick answer: A monthly management process aligning the sales plan with operational and supply capacity. Key takeawaysCollecting the demand forecastThe supply/production planDemand-capacity-finance reconciliationThe executive decision meeting What S&OP is S&OP (Sales and Operations Planning) is the recurring process in which sales, supply, production and finance agree on a single balanced plan of demand vs capacity, over a 3-18 month horizon. Why it matters to the board S&OP is the bridge between commercial strategy and operational execution. Without it, sales promise what operations cannot deliver, and finance cannot anticipate working-capital needs. Typical steps Collecting the demand forecast The supply/production plan Demand-capacity-finance reconciliation The executive decision meeting How Azuvio helps Azuvio provides real operational data (demand, stock, lead time, fulfilment capacity) in a single layer, so S&OP meetings rely on clean figures, not manually reconciled exports. Frequently askedIs S&OP the same as budgeting?No. The budget is financial and annual; S&OP is operational, monthly, and balances demand against real delivery capacity.Does Azuvio do S&OP?Azuvio does not replace the decision process, but it feeds S&OP with clean operational data (demand, stock, lead time) that makes the meeting useful. Where Azuvio fitsSoftware OMSConectori ERPSoftware WMS Related termsDemand Forecasting — Estimating future demand per product based on sales history, seasonality and external factors.Capacity Planning — Aligning operational capacity (staff, space, equipment) to forecast demand, to avoid bottlenecks or wasted cost.Reorder Point (ROP) — The stock level at which a new order must be placed to avoid a stockout before goods arrive.Control tower (supply chain) — A single visibility and decision hub that aggregates chain-wide data to detect and resolve issues proactively. Last updated: 2026-07-06