For many mid-sized companies, Integrated Business Planning (IBP) sounds like a far-off ideal—something only the big players can afford to do. But that’s a myth.
In reality, IBP isn’t a “go live” moment. It’s a journey. And like any journey, the best way to get there is to take it one step at a time.
At Scott Sheldon, we often guide clients through a Crawl–Walk–Run framework that helps them evolve their planning process intentionally, with a focus on impact, readiness, and ROI.
Here’s what that progression typically looks like—and how to move forward without overextending your team, tech stack, or resources.
Goal: Build a reliable, cross-functional monthly planning cadence that sets the foundation for IBP.
Focus Areas:
• Align demand and supply plans at an aggregated level
• Establish a formal planning calendar and meeting structure
• Introduce cross-functional participation (supply chain, sales, operations)
• Create a single source of truth—even if it’s still Excel-based
• Define clear accountability for inputs and decisions
Key Indicators of Success:
• S&OP meetings happen regularly and result in decisions
• Forecasts are reviewed collaboratively
• Supply and demand plans are reconciled and understood
• Teams trust the process enough to act on it
“IBP maturity starts with a consistent, credible S&OP process. Without that, nothing else sticks.”
— Oliver Wight, Best Practices in IBP
Added Perspective:
At this stage, success isn’t about technology—it’s about discipline. The companies that progress fastest are those that create rhythm and accountability, even before introducing new tools. Reliable data, consistent calendars, and cross-functional participation form the cultural foundation that enables later integration.
Goal: Expand S&OP to include strategic and financial alignment—setting the stage for integrated planning.
Focus Areas:
• Introduce finance as a core stakeholder
• Link plans to budget, revenue targets, and margin goals
• Start building simple what-if scenarios (e.g., supplier disruption, demand shifts)
• Use structured playbooks for common planning decisions
• Begin to digitize key parts of the process with lightweight tools (e.g., scenario templates, constrained planning modules)
Key Indicators of Success:
• Financial targets are reviewed in planning meetings
• Scenarios are used to inform decisions—not just after-the-fact analysis
• Cross-functional teams collaborate beyond monthly meetings
• KPIs are tied to business performance, not just operations
Companies that integrated financial metrics into their S&OP process were 2.5x more likely to hit margin targets.
— McKinsey, “Integrated Business Planning in the Real World,” 2023
Added Perspective:
This is where mid-sized companies begin to connect planning to profit.
Finance becomes more than a reviewer—it becomes a partner. Scenario thinking replaces static planning, allowing leaders to make decisions proactively rather than reactively. At this stage, small digital steps—like scenario templates or automated data refreshes—can unlock significant confidence and speed.
Goal: Fully integrate strategic, operational, and financial planning with end-to-end visibility and agility.
Focus Areas:
• Adopt a planning platform (e.g., Kinaxis, ketteQ) that supports constraint-based, cross-functional planning
• Automate scenario modeling, reconciliation, and reporting
• Extend planning across regions, business units, and product lines
• Link long-term plans (e.g., CapEx, headcount) to tactical execution
• Drive performance discussions based on leading indicators and real-time metrics
Key Indicators of Success:
• Decisions are informed by end-to-end visibility and scenario comparisons
• Planning teams can rapidly adjust to change with confidence
• Executives use planning outputs to shape business strategy
• The planning process drives measurable business performance (e.g., working capital reduction, forecast accuracy, EBITDA lift)
Added Perspective:
At the “run” stage, planning becomes a strategic differentiator. Technology supports—not defines—the process. The most advanced organizations use IBP not just to align plans but to simulate futures, anticipate risk, and guide investment decisions. This is where true agility meets profitability.
Here’s how the journey typically progresses—and what to prioritize at each stage.
| Stage | Primary Goal | Core Focus Areas | Technology Maturity | Organizational Outcomes |
| Crawl | Establish a credible, repeatable S&OP process | Calendar discipline, data alignment, cross-functional meetings | Basic (Excel / shared data) | Process trust, accountability, and visibility begin |
| Walk | Integrate finance and introduce scenario planning | Financial alignment, KPI linkage, scenario playbooks | Light digitization (templates, basic automation) | Decisions become financially informed and proactive |
| Run | Achieve enterprise-level IBP with real-time agility | End-to-end planning, automation, analytics, visibility | Advanced (Kinaxis, ketteQ, or equivalent) | Planning drives strategy, profitability, and resilience |
💡 Tip: Don’t rush to “run.” Each stage builds on the last. Mastering the crawl and walk phases ensures adoption, clarity, and long-term ROI.
Trying to “run” before you crawl leads to:
• Process confusion
• Tool underutilization
• Low adoption
• Executive fatigue
Instead, embrace your stage and build upward with intent. Even “crawling” companies can realize major benefits in service levels, cash flow, and operational stability.
IBP isn’t just for billion-dollar businesses. It’s a **mindset—and a capability—**that any company can build with the right roadmap.
By progressing through the Crawl–Walk–Run model, mid-sized companies can:
• Avoid wasteful implementations
• Build organizational confidence
• Link planning to performance
• Scale maturity at the right pace
Because IBP isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress.
And every step you take toward integration builds a stronger, more agile business ready for what’s next.
