In the standard R/3 system, you can perform complex supply chain planning operations from forecasting through production to sales and dsitribution. SCPI complements R/3’s supply chain planning solutions by allowing you to send data from R/3 via open interfaces to external systems for optimization. After optimization, the data is returned to R/3 and channeled to the appropriate applications for further processing.

SCPI comprises the following open interfaces:

• LO-DP/DRP (demand planning and distribution resource planning interfaces)
• PP-POI (production planning interface)
• PP-SOP (sales & operations planning interface)
• SD-TRA-IN (transportation planning interface)

ALE technology and synchronous RFCs are used to effect the transfer of data.

• Forecasting, distribution planning and deployment activities necessary for demand planning and distribution resource planning
• Master data and transaction data necessary for production planning
• Sales and operations planning activities
• Shipment data for transportation planning