Supply chain planning is a process used to effectively and efficiently manage the resources needed for the procurement, production, delivery and customer satisfaction of goods or services. It involves making decisions on purchasing materials, optimizing production, forecasting demand, and strategically shipping orders. All these processes work together to optimize performance and minimize costs in order to reach target service levels while also managing risk. By creating an effective supply chain plan, organizations can ensure that their operations are running as efficiently as possible while delivering maximum value.