nPlan is a cloud-based advanced supply chain planning platform developed by NEO Digital Industries. It connects demand, inventory, capacity, and materials in a single environment for scenario simulation and optimization. The fundamental difference from Opcenter APS lies in the scope of operation: while Opcenter APS focuses on detailed sequencing and fine-tuned production scheduling (shop floor), nPlan operates at the earlier layers—demand planning, inventory sizing, mesproduction planning (MPS), and medium/long-term capacity balancing. In simple terms, nPlan decides "what, how much, and when to produce" at a macro level, while Opcenter APS decides "on which machine, in what order, and at what time" at the operational level. They are complementary, not competing, solutions.

nPlan was designed primarily for planning and operations areas. Its main users are production planners, S&OP analysts, supply chain managers, and production planning and control (PPC) teams. The platform was built to be easy to use and interpret, without requiring technical IT knowledge for daily use. The interface is intuitive, and scenarios can be generated and compared visually and collaboratively. The IT area typically participates in the integration phase with the ERP and other systems, but the daily operation of nPlan is conducted by business teams. This means that the planner does not depend on IT to run scenarios, adjust parameters, or make decisions—the tool was designed to put the decision-making power in the hands of those who plan.

nPlan is a complete Supply Chain Planning solution that covers the entire planning cycle: demand planning (consumption forecasting and analysis), inventory planning (sizing with specific policies per product/material profile), mesproduction planning — MPS (medium-term load and capacity balancing), materials planning (purchasing needs aligned with scheduling), and scenario simulation (impact analysis of demand variations, priorities, production calendars, and inventory policies). The platform allows these processes to run in an integrated and collaborative way in the cloud, unifying data and teams from different areas — sales, operations, purchasing, and logistics — in a single decision-making environment.

Yes, and that's one of nPlan's major differentiators. Unlike enterprise solutions such as SAP IBP or Oracle SCM, which were designed for large corporations and involve lengthy and costly implementation projects, nPlan was created to be accessible to medium-sized industries as well. The platform is cloud-native, meaning it doesn't require investment in server infrastructure, and its implementation is significantly faster and leaner. nPlan is already used by over 100 company of different sizes and sectors, from regional medium-sized industries to large multinationals such as Whirlpool, ArcelorMittal, Grendene, and Mohawk Industries. This demonstrates that the solution scales both upwards and downwards, adapting to the complexity of each operation.

SAP IBP (Integrated Business Planning) and the older SAP APO are robust supply chain planning solutions aimed at large corporations with a consolidated SAP ecosystem. nPlan differentiates itself in several key ways. First, in accessibility: nPlan is considerably faster to implement and more financially accessible, without requiring the SAP HANA infrastructure behind it. Second, in integration flexibility: while SAP IBP is optimized for SAP environments, nPlan integrates natively with multiple ERPs (SAP, TOTVS, Oracle, Dynamics, etc.), making it a viable option for company that do not operate in an SAP environment or that have heterogeneous environments. Third, in speed to value: nPlan was designed to deliver practical results in weeks, not mes. For industries that need an integrated planning solution without the complexity and cost of an enterprise platform, nPlan is a modern and pragmatic alternative.

nPlan was designed for integration with the leading ERPs on the market, including SAP (S/4HANA and ECC), TOTVS (Protheus and Datasul), Oracle, JD Edwards, Microsoft Dynamics, Infor, among others. Being a cloud platform with flexible APIs and connectors, integration can be done via web services, structured files, or direct database connections. In addition to ERPs, nPlan also integrates with APS systems (such as Opcenter APS) and MESsolutions, creating a continuous data flow from strategic planning to execution on the factory floor. NEO Digital Industries handles the configuration and validation of these integrations as part of the implementation project.

One of nPlan's key principles is precisely its speed of implementation. Being a cloud solution with a modern architecture and a focus on usability, the implementation time is significantly shorter than that of traditional enterprise tools. Typical implementations range from 4 to 12 weeks, depending on the scope (number of plants, SKUs, necessary integrations). Simpler projects, with a pilot scope focused on a product line or family, can be delivered in a few weeks. NEO Digital Industries' approach prioritizes delivering incremental value—starting with a key module or process, generating quick results, and gradually expanding—instead of long projects that take mesto deliver the first tangible benefit.

Yes, and this is one of the most powerful combinations in NEO Digital Industries' portfolio. nPlan and Opcenter APS are designed to work in a complementary and integrated way. nPlan operates at the tactical and strategic planning layers—demand, inventory, MPS, and capacity balancing—generating an optimized mesproduction plan. This plan feeds into Opcenter APS, which handles detailed sequencing at the shop floor level, considering machine, tool, operator, material, and setup rule constraints. Together, they form a complete cycle: nPlan ensures the macro plan is balanced and feasible, and Opcenter APS translates this plan into a detailed and executable schedule. The native integration between the two solutions allows data flow to occur automatically, eliminating rework and disconnections between planning and execution.

nPlan operates on a cloud subscription model (SaaS), with significantly lower costs than enterprise platforms like SAP IBP. While solutions like SAP IBP involve licensing on the SAP HANA platform, high implementation costs (which can reach hundreds of thousands of dollars), and long project timelines, nPlan offers a much more affordable total cost of ownership (TCO) — both in monthly licensing and implementation. There is no need for investment in on-premise infrastructure, and the SaaS model allows scaling as the operation grows. For mid-sized industries that previously considered integrated supply chain planning financially inaccessible, nPlan democratizes access to this type of solution. For specific pricing, we recommend contacting NEO Digital Industries for a customized proposal based on your scenario.