APICS definition of Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP):
Sales and operations planning (S&OP)–A process to develop tactical plans that provide management the ability to strategically direct its businesses to achieve competitive advantages on a continuous basis by integrating customer-focused marketing plans for new and existing products with the management of the supply chain. The process brings together all the plans for the business (sales, marketing, development, manufacturing, sourcing, and financial) into one integrated set of plans. S&OP is performed at least once a month and is reviewed by management at an aggregate (product family) level. The process must reconcile all supply, demand, and new product plans at both the detail and aggregate levels and connect to the business plan. It is the definitive statement of the company’s plans for the near to intermediate term, covering a horizon sufficient to plan for resources and to support the annual business planning process.
Executed properly, the S&OP process links the strategic plans for the business with its execution and reviews performance measurements for continuous improvement. See: aggregate planning, executive sales and operations planning (executive S&OP), production plan, production planning, sales plan, tactical planning.
From the ASCM Supply Chain dictionary: https://ascm.force.com/community/apex/scormanywhere__SCORM_Player?FAqGV66Nj7RqVQmX7Q%2FQyfyTRwQfpbMavclgeCw9ORdUeifhwoVy%2FLhLIEz9U%2B2w%2BqsyzlVgMphlGtJbKdZZvQ%3D%3D
