Planning First: Why elho Chose to Build Its Decision-Making Engine Before Replacing Its ERP
At many organisations, ERP selection becomes the centrepiece of transformation initiatives. Processes are redesigned, systems are evaluated and technology roadmaps are developed, often before a clear understanding exists of the decisions the business actually needs to make.
In this session, Maurice Stevens from elho and Veerle Willems from I‑Plan present an alternative perspective: start with planning, decision-making and business outcomes first, then ensure the supporting technology architecture follows.
Presented at S&OP Flavour Day, this real-world case study explores how elho is developing an advanced planning layer that enables teams to evaluate demand, capacity, inventory, service and cost before replacing the transactional ERP system underneath it. Rather than allowing technology choices to dictate future operating models, the organisation is defining the decision-making capabilities that create competitive advantage and business value.
Agenda Overview
During the session, attendees will explore:
- Why ERP systems should support supply chain decisions rather than drive them
- The difference between transactional excellence and decision-making excellence
- How advanced planning capabilities can be developed independently of ERP replacement programmes
- The role of planning technology in balancing demand, capacity, inventory, service and cost
- How organisations can avoid losing competitive advantage through over-standardisation
- Practical lessons learned from elho’s transformation journey
The session provides a pragmatic and experience-based view of how planning and ERP can work together, while maintaining focus on the business decisions that drive performance.
Featured Speakers
Maurice Stevens | elho
Maurice will share elho’s perspective on building planning capabilities that support strategic and operational decision-making. Attendees will gain first-hand insight into the challenges, priorities and rationale behind the company’s planning-first approach.
Veerle Willems | I‑Plan
Veerle will discuss how advanced planning capabilities can help organisations improve decision quality, increase agility and establish stronger alignment between strategy, operations and technology investments.
The wider I‑Plan team, including Jack Cheesbrough, Nick Mackey Jones and Chris Tumelty, will also be attending throughout the event and available to continue discussions with delegates.
Why Attend S&OP Flavour Day?
S&OP Flavour Day is an annual conference focused on Sales & Operations Planning, bringing together supply chain and planning professionals to exchange practical experiences, learn from real-world case studies, explore emerging technologies and discuss the future of integrated planning. The event features keynote presentations, interactive sessions, software demonstrations and peer discussions designed to help organisations strengthen decision-making and improve business performance.
Key Takeaways
By attending this session, you will:
- Understand why planning capabilities should be defined before technology selection
- Learn how decision-making and ERP systems can complement one another
- Discover a practical approach to planning transformation from a leading manufacturer
- Explore how organisations can balance standardisation with competitive differentiation
- Gain ideas for improving agility, alignment and business performance through better planning
- Hear directly from practitioners who are actively delivering this transformation
Whether you’re considering an ERP replacement, improving your S&OP process or defining a long-term planning strategy, this session offers practical insight into how planning-first thinking can help organisations make better decisions and deliver greater business value.
