Too much inventory ties up cash, too little loses sales, and most companies swing between the two because their planning process reacts to last month's numbers instead of anticipating what's coming next. Supply Chain Planning exists to break that cycle, replacing guesswork with disciplined forecasting, coordinated demand and supply alignment, and planning cycles that actually keep pace with the business. The Supply Chain Planning and Optimization Training Course, delivered by the British Academy for Training and Development, is built for supply chain professionals responsible for turning planning from a reactive exercise into a genuine competitive advantage.

This course treats planning and optimization as connected, ongoing disciplines rather than a static annual process. Participants learn how to apply structured planning methods across demand and supply, how to approach inventory optimization in a way that balances service levels against carrying cost, and how accurate forecasting reduces the guesswork that drives both stockouts and excess stock. The course also covers S&OP processes that align sales, operations, and finance around one shared plan, capacity planning that matches resources to realistic demand, and how logistics and scheduling decisions translate planning accuracy into on-the-ground execution. Participants leave with a practical planning framework that reduces both waste and missed demand.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Apply supply chain planning principles across demand and supply functions
• Optimize inventory levels to balance service levels against carrying cost
• Apply forecasting techniques that reduce stockouts and excess inventory
• Run effective S&OP processes that align sales, operations, and finance
• Apply capacity planning methods that match resources to realistic demand
• Coordinate logistics and scheduling decisions with the broader planning cycle
• Identify planning gaps before they result in service failures or excess cost
• Use planning data to guide faster, more confident operational decisions

Target Group

• Supply chain planners and demand planning managers
• S&OP leaders and cross-functional planning coordinators
• Inventory and operations managers responsible for stock performance
• Logistics and scheduling managers working closely with planning teams
• Supply chain analysts supporting forecasting and capacity decisions
• Professionals preparing for leadership roles in supply chain planning

• Foundations of Supply Chain Planning
  • Core principles distinguishing proactive planning from reactive scheduling
  • Understanding how planning accuracy affects cost and service levels
• Inventory Optimization Techniques
  • Applying inventory optimization methods to balance cost and availability
  • Setting stock policies that reflect actual demand variability
• Forecasting for Supply Chain Accuracy
  • Applying forecasting techniques that reduce planning error over time
  • Using historical and market data to improve forecast reliability
• Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP)
  • Running S&OP processes that align sales, operations, and finance
  • Resolving conflicting priorities through a structured planning cycle
• Capacity Planning Fundamentals
  • Applying capacity planning methods that match resources to real demand
  • Avoiding capacity gaps and excess costs from misaligned planning
• Logistics Planning and Coordination
  • Aligning logistics decisions with the broader supply chain planning cycle
  • Coordinating transport and warehousing capacity with planned demand
• Scheduling for Execution Accuracy
  • Translating planning decisions into accurate, executable schedules
  • Reducing the gap between planned and actual operational performance
• Identifying and Closing Planning Gaps
  • Detecting planning gaps before they result in service failures
  • Building feedback loops that continuously improve planning accuracy
• Sustaining Planning and Optimization Long-Term
  • Embedding disciplined planning practices into ongoing operations
  • Reviewing planning performance regularly and adjusting methods over time