text: Army Methodologies Used for Planning Activities
  Table A-6. Step 6: Course of action approval
  STEP 7: ORDERS PRODUCTION, DISSEMINATION, AND TRANSITION
  A-53. The staff turns the approved COA into the OPLAN or OPORD with a clear, concise concept of
  operations and supporting information. The COA statement becomes the concept of operations for the
  OPLAN or OPORD. The CEMA section is responsible for the publishing of the final Appendix 12 of Annex
  C of the OPLAN or OPORD. The CEMA section assists the G-6 or S-6 with Appendixes 1 and 6 of Annex
  H as appropriate.
  A-54. Before the commander approves the OPLAN or OPORD, the staff ensures its consistency and that it
  is nested with the higher commander’s intent through plans and orders reconciliation and crosswalk. The
  staff conducts a plan and orders reconciliation by conducting a detailed review of the entire OPLAN or
  OPORD and all attachments, ensuring all staff members are in complete agreement. During reconciliation,
  the staff explicitly compares the commander’s intent, mission, and CCIRs against the concept of operations
  and the different schemes of support, including the scheme of cyberspace operations and EW. Any
  discrepancies or gaps in planning receive corrective actions.
  A-55. The staff conducts the plans and orders crosswalk by comparing the OPLAN or OPORD with those of
  the higher and adjacent commanders to achieve unity of effort and ensure the plan meets the highest
  commander’s intent. As with reconciliation, crosswalk also identifies discrepancies or gaps in planning that
  require corrective actions. Step 7 bridges the transition between the planning activities and the preparations
  activities of the operations process. The final function of Step 7 is the approval of the OPLAN or OPORD
  by the commander. The commander signs the OPLAN or OPORD, the G-3 or S-3 disseminate the approved
  OPLAN or OPORD to the subordinate headquarters, and the commander and staff begin the transition to the