Consulting package · Six dimensions · Maturity profile
Where does your production planning stand – and where is the greatest potential for improvement?
Effective production planning is not achieved by the right SAP configuration alone. What matters is the interplay of people, processes, data, technology and how the system is actually used.
With the production planning assessment by E&S Swiss Consulting, we analyse your current planning situation in a structured and holistic way.
You receive a clear assessment of where you stand, an evaluation of your maturity level and concrete starting points for developing your production planning further.
When does a production planning assessment make sense?
The assessment is particularly suitable if:
› Production plans often have to be changed at short notice
› Delivery dates and capacities are hard to plan reliably
› Many planning steps are carried out manually
› SAP PP, PP-PI or PP/DS is not used to the extent desired
› Master data and planning parameters lead to unreliable results
› Responsibilities and planning processes are not clearly defined
› An SAP S/4HANA transformation or further development of production planning is coming up
› Improvement measures have so far only been implemented selectively
The assessment helps distinguish symptoms from causes and prioritise improvements in a targeted way.
Six dimensions of effective production planning
Planning problems rarely have just one cause. That is why we look at production planning in six interconnected dimensions.
◉ Dimension 1
1. People
Skills, roles and collaboration
Are responsibilities clear – and do planning, production and materials management really work together?
⇄ Dimension 2
2. Processes
Workflows and planning logic
Do the planning steps mesh, or are there breaks and a high coordination effort?
▣ Dimension 3
3. System usage
Using SAP functions effectively
Is the potential of SAP PP, PP-PI and PP/DS being used – or do Excel lists and manual interventions replace the system?
≡ Dimension 4
4. Data
Reliable planning foundations
Do master data and planning parameters reflect the actual conditions in manufacturing?
⚙ Dimension 5
5. Technology
System landscape and integration
Does the system landscape support the requirements of your planning?
↻ Dimension 6
6. Continuous improvement
Securing planning quality sustainably
Are deviations detected and improvements permanently embedded?
How the assessment works
01
Clarifying goals
Together we define the scope, goals and framework conditions.
02
Analysis and assessment
We analyse your planning situation and assess the six dimensions.
03
Results and recommendations
You receive your maturity profile and prioritised recommendations. We discuss the next steps together.
Your result
What do you receive as a result?
The assessment provides a structured basis for well-founded improvement decisions. Your results at a glance:
▤ Documented assessment of production planning
◔ Maturity assessment of the six dimensions
⬡ Visualisation of the results in a maturity profile
◎ Identified strengths and improvement potential
⇅ Prioritised recommendations
→ Proposal for sensible next steps
The exact scope and form of the results are agreed before the assessment starts.
From assessment to targeted improvement
The analysis is not an end in itself. What matters is deriving realistic and effective measures from the findings.
Depending on the starting situation, the following focus areas may result, for example:
- Improving planning processes and responsibilities
- Optimising the use of SAP PP/DS
- Developing material and capacity planning further
- Improving master data and planning parameters
- Reducing manual planning steps
- Preparing for further development with SAP S/4HANA
On request, E&S Swiss Consulting can also support you with the subsequent design and implementation.
Frequently asked questions about the production planning assessment
Is the assessment only suitable for companies using SAP?
No. The assessment looks at production planning holistically and can also be useful for companies that mainly use SAP PP, other ERP systems or third-party planning solutions. The specific analysis is adapted to the existing system landscape.
Do we need to have defined specific improvement projects already?
No. The assessment is particularly suitable when challenges are known but their causes and priorities have not yet been sufficiently clarified.
How long does the assessment take?
The duration depends on the agreed scope, the number of areas involved and the complexity of production planning. The approach, time required and results are agreed before the project starts.
What happens after the assessment?
You receive a structured evaluation and prioritised recommendations. You can then decide which measures to implement internally or with external support.
Find out where your production planning stands
Would you like to improve your production planning in a targeted way, make better use of SAP potential or plan the next optimisation steps on a sound basis?
Together, the production planning assessment creates a transparent basis for decisions.