Supply planning process
Editable supply planning process swimlane from “Collect sales forecast and firm orders” through “Supply covers priority demand?” to a documented outcome. Includes named roles, exception paths and evidence.
What the supply planning process process is
The workflow starts at “Collect sales forecast and firm orders”. The next two steps, “Review capacity, stock and open orders” and “Map supplier lead times and constraints”, establish the information needed for a defensible decision. The chart assigns each handoff to a role and retains the evidence at closeout.
The main gates are “Supply covers priority demand?” and “Plan feasible within capacity and lead time?”. The first branch leads to identify constrained items and allocation choices; the second can require escalate trade-offs or qualify alternate source. Define the planning horizon and who approves allocation when demand exceeds supply.
What this flowchart covers
In this template
- Collect sales forecast and firm orders followed by review capacity, stock and open orders.
- Supply covers priority demand? with a route for identify constrained items and allocation choices.
- Build feasible supply scenarios and balance demand priorities and inventory policy as separate supplier and internal handoffs.
- Plan feasible within capacity and lead time? with escalate trade-offs or qualify alternate source when the decision fails.
- Approve constrained supply plan, publish purchase and production signals and record assumptions and next exception review as the controlled closeout.
When to use this template
- Use it to agree who owns “Collect sales forecast and firm orders” and what information the next role needs.
- Use it when the answer to “Supply covers priority demand?” is unclear or decisions are made outside the record.
- Use it to make “Record assumptions and next exception review” visible in an audit or operational review.
How it works
Assign decision owners
Replace the Demand planning, Production, Inventory, Procurement, Supplier lanes with your actual functions. Keep the owner of “Supply covers priority demand?” separate from the requester where your authority rules require it.
Configure the gates
Define the planning horizon and who approves allocation when demand exceeds supply. Define what evidence is sufficient for “Plan feasible within capacity and lead time?” and who may authorize an exception.
Connect downstream records
Link record assumptions and next exception review to the relevant purchase order, contract, supplier record or operational case. Set retention and review dates under your document policy.
Frequently asked questions
What does the supply planning process template include?
It covers collect sales forecast and firm orders, map supplier lead times and constraints, balance demand priorities and inventory policy, and record assumptions and next exception review, with two labelled decisions and rework paths.
Can the decision rules be changed?
Yes. Define the planning horizon and who approves allocation when demand exceeds supply. Edit the gate labels, swimlanes and return paths before using the chart in your organization.
What evidence should be retained?
Keep the input to “Supply covers priority demand?”, the evidence behind “Plan feasible within capacity and lead time?”, approvals or exception decisions, and the closeout record: “Record assumptions and next exception review”.
Where this process fits
In most operations this process follows Demand planning process flowchart (monthly consensus forecast) and hands off to Material requirements planning process.
Comes before
- Demand planning process flowchart (monthly consensus forecast) — Demand planning process flowchart template: baseline forecast, sales and marketing input, consensus review, gap reconciliation, sign-off and forecast accuracy.
Comes after
- Material requirements planning process — Editable material requirements planning process swimlane from “Load demand and bill of materials” through “Inventory and demand data reliable?” to a documented outcome. Includes named roles, exception paths and evidence.