Which method in SAP S/4HANA uses past consumption data and future requirements to determine material needs?

Time-phased planning in SAP S/4HANA leverages historical consumption data alongside future requirements to generate a detailed view of material needs. This method is particularly advantageous as it allows organizations to forecast demand more accurately over specific time periods, accounting for trends and variances observed in past data.

By analyzing historical consumption patterns, time-phased planning can create a supply plan that aligns with anticipated future usage, ensuring that materials are procured or manufactured exactly when they are needed. This approach helps in maintaining optimal inventory levels, reducing excess stock, and minimizing the risk of stockouts.

Other methods listed, like just-in-time planning, reorder point planning, and manual planning, may lack the robust analytical foundation provided by the combination of past and future data that time-phased planning offers. While they each serve specific purposes in the supply chain management process, time-phased planning is the method that systematically integrates both past consumption and future needs for a comprehensive material requirements strategy.