An information structure defines a group of fields and is used for collecting and reducing data from sales or

purchasing. It includes:

 A period unit, giving the structure a time reference

 Characteristics, information with reference to which other information is cumulated

 Key figures, information that is cumulated with reference to characteristics. For example - invoiced
sales, purchase order quantity, range of coverage, target lead time, inspected quantity and Mean
Time to Repair.

The information structure used for Standard SOP cycle is SO76.

The planning data, in Sales & Operations Planning (SOP), in an information structure can exist in one or
more versions.

This lets you enter multiple plans of the same information structure in parallel. For example, you can plan
your data several times using different forecasting techniques or including and then excluding events you
expect.

The active version is A00. The active version is the definitive version. Other versions are inactive.

Steps: -

1. Create the Sales Plan (MC87). This information is obtained from the forecasts
generated on the basis of past sales data. It can be manually fed into the system or
the forecasts can be transferred from the Sales Information System (SIS). The sales
plan should be created in an Inactive Version.

2. Create the Production Plan (MC87). The production plan can be synchronized to
sales or target days supply.

3. Version Management (MC78). The Active Version is A00. The sales plan &
production plan must be transferred to the active version before the requirements
can be viewed in Demand Management.

4. Transfer to Demand Management (MC74). The production plan or sales plan in

Active Version has to be transferred to the Demand Management. Once this is done,
the requirements are displayed in the Stock Requirements List.
If the Production Plan is not synchronous to sales –