Certified Anaplan Partner, Beyond Plans has been helping companies across industries regain control of their planning processes for years. And what we’re hearing more and more on the ground is this: “We can’t afford to wait anymore. We need to be able to react. Now.”
But reacting is one thing. Doing it quickly, effectively, and with alignment across teams is another matter entirely.
That’s precisely where Off-Cycle S&OP comes in. And no, it’s not just another buzzword.
Forget monthly routines. Enter dynamic steering.
For years, the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process followed a well-established monthly cadence: data collection, consolidation, reviews, decisions. Structured on paper often outdated in reality.
Why? Because the world moves too fast. A delayed raw material, a supplier default, a sudden strike, a TikTok-fueled spike in demand and the whole process derails.
In this volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment, planning on a fixed calendar is like flying a plane while staring at last week’s dashboard. Not exactly reassuring.
Anaplan offers an alternative: always-on planning like a dynamic GPS. That’s the Off-Cycle approach.
A smart, collective, real-time radar
How does it work? All key supply chain indicators inventory levels, lead times, costs, service rates are monitored continuously. The moment a significant deviation is detected, a tactical review process is triggered. Automatically.
This isn’t just an alert; it’s a collaborative workflow involving operations, finance, sales… Everyone operates on the same data, toward the same goal. Say goodbye to conflicting Excel files. Say hello to a shared, quantified, unified view.
The result: no need to wait for the next S&OP meeting to make decisions. You act immediately, based on scenario simulations aligned with business objectives. It’s smooth, it’s actionable, and most importantly it’s effective.
The winning trio: Off-Cycle S&OP, scenario planning, and AI
What makes this approach even more powerful is the combination of three key building blocks Anaplan enables:
- Event-driven triggers or the adoption of “Always-on S&OP”
- Fast-Track Reviews (S&OE – Sales & Operations Execution) to test and compare responses (cost, service level, margin…)
- Artificial intelligence to detect weak signals, prioritize alerts, and even recommend actions
These capabilities build on two native Anaplan features:
- Workflow: Know who’s doing what, and when without chasing people down
- Anaplan Optimizer : Explore thousands of scenario combinations to find the optimal solution
Imagine: instead of reacting to a crisis, you anticipate it, model it, and respond quickly. This is no longer planning it’s real-time, strategic steering across operational and financial dimensions.
A natural evolution for mature organizations
According to Gartner, organizations with a well-established classic S&OP process are primed to take the next step not to replace it, but to enhance it.
The monthly cycle remains key for setting strategic direction and balance. But it must be paired with a more agile, tactical layer (event-driven planning) this is S&OE. One defines the course. The other adjusts it when conditions change.
Beyond Plans: Turning Off-Cycle into operational reality
Making this transition isn’t about flipping a switch.
It requires a deep understanding of your processes, your internal culture, your constraints. Anaplan workflows must be tailored to your reality. And most importantly, your teams must be brought on board. That’s why our partnership with Lemon Learning is a major asset : fast adoption, immediate autonomy.
At Beyond Plans, our role is to turn the power of Anaplan into a customized, everyday tool your teams actually use.
Want to see it in action?
We offer a full demo of Off-Cycle S&OP combined with “what-if” scenario planning. In under 20 minutes, see how you can trigger a tactical decision collaboratively with all the data at your fingertips.
Contact us today to book your session.
