When Should Advanced Planning And Scheduling Systems Be Used In Sales And Operations Planning?

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore how the context affects successful use of advanced planning and scheduling (APS) systems in sales and operations planning (S&OP) processes, and how individual, technological, and organizational (ITO) dimensions affect this procedure.Design/methodology/approach - This is a qualitative case study of two APS system-supported S&OP processes. The work aims to generate propositions concerning the relationships among the use of APS system, the context, ITO dimensions, and fulfillment of S&OP aims.Findings - Use of APS systems was especially appropriate in support of S&OP processes in complex planning environments and when S&OP aims were ambitious. ITO dimensions were important influences on successful APS system use in most contexts. APS systems were not considered appropriate when having S&OP processes with ambitious aims and low individual and organizational maturities. Use of APS systems was also inappropriate when the extent of technological maturity was minimal. S&OP processes with ambitious aims, operating within a complex planning environment, are difficult if not impossible to implement without the support of APS systems.Practical implications - The suggestions on when APS systems should be used in different S&OP environments will be useful to companies implementing or about to implement APS systems.Originality/value - APS systems offer great potential if they are effectively used to support S&OP, still the use of APS system in S&OP is unexplored. The paper shows how the context and the ITO dimensions affect the successful use of APS systems in S&OP processes.