Sales and Operations Planning: Demand Management Fundamentals

Balancing customer demand with operational capabilities is critical for sustainable business growth and supply chain efficiency. This text-based course guides you through the foundational principles of Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) and demand management, giving you the practical clarity needed to synchronize business functions. You will read through the end-to-end planning cycle, discovering how to integrate market forecasts, operational constraints, and financial targets into a unified operational roadmap. What you'll learn: - Understand the core principles, terminology, and key phases of the S&OP process - Apply reliable demand forecasting methods and manage demand variability - Align operational capacity, inventory policies, and supply capabilities with commercial goals - Practice cross-functional collaboration workflows between sales, operations, and finance teams - Evaluate modern demand sensing techniques and performance metrics to track planning accuracy The course begins with foundational concepts and essential terminology before guiding you through structured frameworks, analytical techniques, and implementation best practices through written guides and realistic scenarios. This course is designed for aspiring supply chain professionals, operations planners, sales coordinators, and business analysts with no prior S&OP experience required. Start reading today to build a strong foundation in demand management and integrated business planning.