Integrated Business Planning (IBP) is a process for translating desired business outcomes into financial and operational resource requirements, with the overarching objective of maximizing profit and/or cash flow while reducing risk. IBP is a next step for companies that already have a Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process in place, as it integrates the financial planning cycle into this cross-functional process. The process involves aligning a companys business goals with its finance, supply chain, product development, marketing, and other operational functions. The most mature IBP processes try to mathematically optimize all aspects of a plan, with the help of prescriptive analytics tools. IBP can significantly improve coordination and reduce the number of surprises, and it enables organizations to optimize resource allocation across different functions. An effective IBP process consists of five essential building blocks: a business-backed design, high-quality process management, accountability and performance management, the effective use of data, analytics, and technology, and specialized organizational roles and capabilities.