SAP IBP 2602: Harmonized scenarios elevate operational planning

For organizations managing complex supply chains, disruption is no longer an exception it is part of daily reality. The real challenge is not reacting when something goes wrong, but being prepared before it happens.

SAP IBP-supports this shift through scenario planning. Planners can create tailored scenarios, adjust parameters based on their expertise, and simulate different outcomes in advance. This makes it possible to understand the impact of risks, opportunities, and key business drivers before decisions are made.

In this article, you will read how SAP IBP helps organizations anticipate disruptions, refine their simulations, and translate insights into better, more confident planning decisions.

The move toward harmonized planning

As per release 2508 (What’s New 2508), SAP is innovating towards harmonized planning, combining time-series and order-based planning in one efficient planning area, which allows businesses to align long-term forecast planning with real-time orders in one integrated model.

Release 2602: Combining scenario and harmonized planning

With the most recent SAP IBP release 2602, planners are able to combine both scenario planning and harmonized planning in harmonized scenarios. Not only does it bring these key capabilities together in one integrated setup, it also makes scenario work far more practical for day-to-day planning. Scenarios can now run on top of the latest operational data through controlled shine-through, meaning planners are not working with outdated snapshots but with data that stays aligned to the base version.

At the same time, order data is snapshotted to not disturb the scenario management, but can be synchronized with the press of the “sync” button, allowing planners to isolate their alternative plan and then align it again with reality. Think about quickly simulating the impact of a delayed supplier, inventory buffer consequences, or testing service level trade-offs.

From simulation to smarter decisions

At McCoy, we think this is a big step forward for organizations running SAP IBP: scenario planning becomes more embedded in the operational process, decision cycles become shorter, and the gap between simulation and execution becomes significantly smaller. That is what working smarter looks like in practice. Work smart. Be happy.

Want to see what harmonized scenarios mean for your planning? Let’s connect!