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Planning Primitive Dictionary

The reusable building blocks from which all planning models are constructed. Every primitive appears across multiple domains, methods, and industries. Click any primitive to explore its full definition, attributes, domain appearances, and value outcomes.

25 primitives·5 groups·Reusable across all 12 planning domains
Structure6 primitives
Object

A named planning entity with defined attributes, identity, and lifecycle within the planning model.

DemandSupply+3
Dimension

An axis for slicing and aggregating planning data — typically time, location, product, or customer.

DemandSupply+3
Measure

A quantifiable attribute of a planning object or process, expressed in units, value, or ratios.

All twelve planning domains
Time

The planning horizon, time bucket, calendar structure, and cadence that govern when planning calculations apply.

All twelve planning domains
Relationship

A defined link between two planning objects that carries planning logic, constraints, or data flows.

SupplyProduction+2
State

The current condition of a planning object at a point in time, which determines how it is treated in planning calculations.

InventoryProduction+2
Logic6 primitives
Driver

A causal factor that influences a planning measure, used to explain and predict changes in demand, cost, or capacity.

DemandCapacity+1
Assumption

An accepted premise about the future state of a variable that shapes a planning calculation or scenario.

DemandSupply+2
Policy

A standing rule or guideline that governs how planning calculations are performed or decisions are made.

InventoryAllocation & Prioritization+2
Rule

A conditional logic statement applied during planning calculations to enforce business requirements.

SupplyAllocation & Prioritization+2
Constraint

A limit that bounds the set of feasible planning solutions — capacity, material, regulatory, financial, or contractual.

SupplyCapacity+2
Objective

The goal that a planning model or optimization engine seeks to achieve or maximize.

InventoryCapacity+2
Change & Choice6 primitives
Scenario

An alternative set of assumptions, inputs, or decisions used to explore different possible futures or choices.

DemandS&OP / IBP+2
Version

A saved, timestamped state of a plan that can be compared against other versions or used as a baseline.

DemandS&OP / IBP+1
Event

A discrete occurrence — internal or external — that triggers a planning review, adjustment, or replanning cycle.

DemandResponse & Exceptions+1
Exception

A deviation from plan that exceeds a defined threshold and requires human review or action.

Response & ExceptionsSupply+2
Action

A specific decision or intervention taken by a planner or system in response to a plan state, exception, or event.

Response & ExceptionsSupply+1
Trade-off

A recognized tension between two or more competing planning objectives that requires explicit prioritization.

InventoryAllocation & Prioritization+2
Governance4 primitives
Role

A defined planning responsibility assigned to a person, team, or function.

S&OP / IBPDemand+2
Decision

A formal choice made within a planning process that commits the enterprise to a course of action.

S&OP / IBPAll twelve planning domains
Approval

A required sign-off from an authorized party before a plan, action, or scenario is committed or executed.

S&OP / IBPAllocation & Prioritization+1
Accountability

Clear ownership of a planning outcome, KPI, or decision, with defined consequences for performance.

S&OP / IBPAll planning domains
Outcome3 primitives
KPI

A measurable indicator that tracks the performance of a planning process or outcome against a target.

All twelve planning domains
Outcome

The realized result of a planning decision — operational, financial, or customer-facing.

All twelve planning domains
Value

The financial or operational benefit generated by a planning decision or capability improvement.

S&OP / IBPOperational-Financial Reconciliation+1

Primitives are tool-neutral. They exist in every planning system — named differently, but structurally identical.

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