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Connected initiative · 6 programs

# Commercial and supply planning.

Growth plans, store allocation, supplier dates and purchasing commitments are maintained separately. Teams discover incompatible assumptions only when a launch, stock position or cash constraint becomes urgent.

[Discuss this initiative](<https://www.thekeating.co/contact/?source=project&landing_path=%2Fsolutions%2Fcommercial-supply-planning%2F&intent=project&cta_page=%2Fsolutions%2Fcommercial-supply-planning%2F&cta_placement=hero&solution=commercial-supply-planning>)  [See how the teams respond](<https://www.thekeating.co/solutions/commercial-supply-planning/#in-practice>)

-   [Supply chain & fulfillment](<https://www.thekeating.co/programs/supply-chain-fulfillment/>)
    -   [Demand & replenishment planning](<https://www.thekeating.co/use-cases/replenishment-planning/>)
-   [Merchandising & commercial planning](<https://www.thekeating.co/programs/merchandising/>)
    -   [Margin-aware markdowns](<https://www.thekeating.co/use-cases/margin-aware-markdowns/>)
    -   [Promotion orchestration](<https://www.thekeating.co/use-cases/promotion-orchestration/>)
-   [Finance & business intelligence](<https://www.thekeating.co/programs/commercial-reporting/>)
    -   [The weekly trading brief](<https://www.thekeating.co/use-cases/executive-trading-brief/>)

Also involves

-   [Growth & acquisition](<https://www.thekeating.co/programs/growth-acquisition/>)
-   [Retail & store operations](<https://www.thekeating.co/programs/retail-operations/>)
-   [B2B sales & account operations](<https://www.thekeating.co/programs/wholesale-b2b/>)

Illustrative scenario

## An expected receipt moves after commitments are made.

Ecommerce demand, store allocation and a wholesale delivery phase draw from the same expected stock.

What changes

The supplier confirms a later receipt date.

1.  ### Supply chain
    
    Verifies the revised receipt and available alternatives before updating the planning source.
    
    -   [Supply chain & fulfillment](<https://www.thekeating.co/programs/supply-chain-fulfillment/>)
    
2.  ### Merchandising and channels
    
    Revises allocation and promotional priorities; stores receive their current executable plan.
    
    -   [Merchandising & commercial planning](<https://www.thekeating.co/programs/merchandising/>)
    -   [Retail & store operations](<https://www.thekeating.co/programs/retail-operations/>)
    
3.  ### Finance and account sales
    
    Updates the cash scenario and routes revised buyer commitments for the authorized account owner to approve.
    
    -   [Finance & business intelligence](<https://www.thekeating.co/programs/commercial-reporting/>)
    -   [B2B sales & account operations](<https://www.thekeating.co/programs/wholesale-b2b/>)
    

## Bring demand, supply, channel priorities and cash into one decision.

We connect commercial assumptions to inventory, purchasing and production constraints, then show the consequences for channels and cash. Merchandising, supply and finance keep their decision rights while working from a reconciled planning view.

How we connect the work

1.  01
    
    ### Agree the planning frame
    
    Define products, channels, horizon and the commercial decisions the plan must support.
    
2.  02
    
    ### Reconcile assumptions
    
    Join demand, stock, supplier or plant dates, capacity, account commitments and financial definitions.
    
3.  03
    
    ### Compare scenarios
    
    Show the effect of alternative buying, allocation, promotion and production choices with assumptions exposed.
    
4.  04
    
    ### Coordinate the response
    
    Route approved changes into purchasing, channel plans, account quotes and store execution.
    
5.  05
    
    ### Revisit actuals
    
    Compare receipts, sales, contribution and cash outcomes with the plan and refresh the next decision.
    

## What we build together.

We work with your engineers, analysts, operators and partners to agree the scope, fit your systems and establish who approves and owns each part.

[Scope this with us](<https://www.thekeating.co/contact/?source=project&landing_path=%2Fsolutions%2Fcommercial-supply-planning%2F&intent=project&cta_page=%2Fsolutions%2Fcommercial-supply-planning%2F&cta_placement=content&solution=commercial-supply-planning>)  [How we work together](<https://www.thekeating.co/working-together/>)

Sample scope Commercial and supply planning

### We build

-   A demand and inventory view with constrained replenishment proposals
-   Markdown and allocation scenarios showing contribution and cash consequences
-   Approved buying and offer changes carried into operating systems
-   A recurring review of forecast error, stock availability and realized contribution

### We’d measure

-   Forecast error and stock availability by comparable product group
-   Contribution, aged stock and cash visibility
-   Time to reconcile conflicting planning assumptions
-   Completed actions and accuracy of channel/customer promises

Baselines agreed before we build.

## The work it connects.

Each piece can start on its own and join the rest as you go.

[All use cases](<https://www.thekeating.co/use-cases/>)

-   Supply chain & fulfillment
    
    ### Demand & replenishment planning
    
    Stock decisions are based on stale forecasts or disconnected spreadsheets.
    
    Demand forecasts, reorder proposals and cash requirements kept current as trading and supply change.
    
    [Demand & replenishment planning](<https://www.thekeating.co/use-cases/replenishment-planning/>)
    
-   Merchandising & commercial planning
    
    ### Margin-aware markdowns
    
    Broad discounts clear stock without showing the margin trade-off.
    
    SKU-level markdown scenarios with stock, demand and contribution trade-offs, followed by approved price updates.
    
    [Margin-aware markdowns](<https://www.thekeating.co/use-cases/margin-aware-markdowns/>)
    
-   Merchandising & commercial planning
    
    ### Promotion orchestration
    
    Offer details and dependencies diverge across teams and channels.
    
    Connected offer rules, briefs and channel tasks that respond to changes and keep approval status visible.
    
    [Identify affected work](<https://www.thekeating.co/use-cases/promotion-orchestration/>)
    
-   Finance & business intelligence
    
    ### The weekly trading brief
    
    Leaders receive dashboards but still have to assemble the narrative and next steps.
    
    A sourced trading brief with decisions, action owners and follow-through.
    
    [Revenue grew; contribution weakened](<https://www.thekeating.co/use-cases/executive-trading-brief/>)
    

Browse by outcome

-   [Improve margin and cash flow](<https://www.thekeating.co/use-cases/?outcome=margin-cash>)
-   [Increase team capacity](<https://www.thekeating.co/use-cases/?outcome=team-capacity>)

## Keep the commercial plan grounded in reality. Connect demand, supply and the decisions ahead.

[Discuss this initiative](<https://www.thekeating.co/contact/?source=project&landing_path=%2Fsolutions%2Fcommercial-supply-planning%2F&intent=project&cta_page=%2Fsolutions%2Fcommercial-supply-planning%2F&cta_placement=closing&solution=commercial-supply-planning>) [**Discuss your planning**15 minutes](<https://cal.com/nkeating/15min>)

We reply within one business day.

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Source: [https://www.thekeating.co/solutions/commercial-supply-planning/](<https://www.thekeating.co/solutions/commercial-supply-planning/>)

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