Why Technology Alone Never Solves Planning Problems 

New software won’t save a disorganized planning process. 
A dashboard won’t align sales and supply teams. 
Automation won’t compensate for unclear roles or missing decisions. 
 
Yet this is still one of the most common mistakes in supply chain planning initiatives. 

The Assumption That Technology Will Fix Everything 

Many companies invest in new planning tools believing the technology itself will resolve long-standing issues. SAP IBP, Anaplan, Kinaxis – the platform changes, but the expectation stays the same. 
 
The thinking is simple: if we implement a better tool, planning will improve. 
 
In reality, the tool only amplifies what already exists. 
 
If the process is unclear, the system reflects that. If inputs are misaligned, the outputs will be too. If ownership is missing, no algorithm will replace it. 

What Actually Happens After Go-Live 

When the underlying process hasn’t been addressed, the same symptoms reappear, just in a more expensive system. 
 
– Planners still don’t trust the numbers 
– Meetings remain reactive instead of forward-looking 
– Forecasts continue to be adjusted offline 
– Decisions are made outside the system 
 
The tool is live, but planning hasn’t improved. 

The Real Problem Was Never the Tool 

In most cases, the failure has nothing to do with the software. 
 
– Processes that are unclear or inconsistent 
– Roles that aren’t defined or enforced 
– Decisions that don’t have clear ownership 
– Behaviors that bypass the system instead of using it 
 
Technology cannot fix these problems. It only exposes them faster. 

Process Before Platform 

A planning system should support how decisions are made, not try to invent them. 
 
– How demand, supply, and inventory decisions are made 
– Who owns which decisions and when 
– Which inputs are trusted and why 
– What meetings are meant to decide versus review 
 
Without this foundation, even the best system will struggle to deliver value. 

Where to Start 

Not every company needs a new tool. Most need clarity first. 
 
If it’s unclear whether the process is ready, not just the technology,  that’s the first signal to slow down and assess before configuring anything. 
 
That’s why we’ve made it simple to take a first step: a short form designed to help identify whether your planning process is ready to support a system, not just install one. 

Final Thought 

Planning problems rarely start in IT. They start in process, behavior, and ownership. 
 
Until those are addressed, no shiny tool will fix what’s broken underneath.