Planning is a primary function of management that focuses on achieving objectives. It involves decision-making and is a continuous and pervasive process. According to Henry Fayol, planning is deciding the best alternatives to perform managerial operations and achieve predetermined goals. The planning process includes constructing premises, forecasting outcomes, determining objectives, searching for alternative plans, evaluating alternatives, and environmental scanning. Planning provides direction, promotes team spirit, estimates resources, allows for better decision-making, and minimizes risk and uncertainties. However, it can be time-consuming, expensive, and lead to inflexibility if the environment changes. The main types of plans are objectives, strategies, policies, procedures, programs, rules, and budgets.