ERP systems both provide a framework for defining the current financial status of a business and capture the transactions that affect the financial status. The benefits of such an integrated data foundation are well documented and accepted in the marketplace.

Planning systems use some of this data to support decisions about future business activities because they can analyze data, simulate scenarios, and develop optimal plans. Since planning requires some ERP data, many companies naturally assume that an ERP installation is a prerequisite for supply chain improvements.

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