Each month what is the time span of the S&OP process, does it start on day one and end on day 31 or should it be completed (all stages) in week 1of the month?
Most companies start the S&OP process on day one of the month gathering and reviewing data to support demand and supply planning. Generally developing and reconciling the new demand and supply plans, and reviewing them in partnership meetings, and then finally approving them in executive meetings takes two to three weeks within the month to complete. Some companies with many captive or intra-company customers can actually start the process before the end of the prior month, using customer orders, and committed customer delivery schedules. Coca-Cola Midi (a division producing concentrates and beverage bases for Europe and Africa) is able to do this, which then allows them to complete the entire S&OP process by the end of the first week of the new month. Its story is described in greater detail in chapter 16 of my book, Sales & Operations Planning – Best Practices.
