Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 2, 2023

The Company focused primarily on retail planning and wanted to extend its capabilities into a consumer products manufacturing solutions offering. A model outside of lead time is tactical, whereas a model within lead time is operational, and a model within the order duration is an executional signal. Models Matter.

Supply and Demand 372

Supply and Demand Modeling Demand Planning Supply Chain Planning Software 372

Logistics Viewpoints

APRIL 1, 2021

In a previous post , I made a case for how the Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO) and Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) are smarter together. Accordingly Supply Chain and Procurement will need continuous collaboration. By aligning supply chain and procurement, spend can be considered more holistically.

Optimal Sourcing 205

Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Analytics Procurement Solutions 205

ToolsGroup

APRIL 13, 2020

Kathleen: What business challenges were you seeking to solve by using [the ToolsGroup] solution? Rafael: It has been a really helpful tool with which to go through this crisis. If you do the math there, you have to make 748,000 inventory decisions per month. We don’t know what’s going to happen.

Supply Chain Planning Software 296

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Forecasting Software Supply Chain Optimization 296

Logistics Viewpoints

MAY 11, 2023

The concept of digital twins has emerged as a powerful foundational tool to drive improvements in warehouse productivity and efficiency. In the warehouse context, a digital twin can be created to represent the physical layout, inventory, equipment, and workflows of a warehouse. Physical change (i.e.,

Modeling 255

Modeling Analytics Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimization Software 255

Logistics Viewpoints

MARCH 8, 2021

When companies implement enterprise software solutions, they often label that implementation as being part of their company’s digital transformation. But implementing new software does not digitally transform anything if the people that are supposed to use that software cannot do so effectively.

Supply Chain Design Software 273

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Transformation Modeling 273

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 23, 2020

” Or, “If you need an answer, implement my solution.” Orbit Chart for Ecolab at the Intersection of Inventory Turns and Operating Margin Versus the Chemical Industry for the Period of 2010-2019. The analyst mindset is to track software evolution by taxonomy where like solutions are grouped, named and tracked.

Supply Chain Design Software 292

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Analytics Software Optimization Software 292

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

I know that your primary focus is procurement. If S&OP efforts were that effective, don’t you think that we would have made more progress against inventory levels, margin, and growth? In part, this results in increasing swings in inventory in response to shifts in consumer demand as one moves further up the supply chain.

Supply and Demand 384

Supply and Demand Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Demand Planning 384

Logility

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

Demand forecasting plays a crucial role in business success, as it helps predict customer demand and plan inventory effectively. Fortunately, with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), demand forecasting software has undergone a significant transformation. However, traditional forecasting methods often fall short in accuracy.

Forecasting 174

Forecasting Forecasting Software Demand Planning Software Modeling 174

Logistics Viewpoints

JUNE 9, 2022

This warehouse runs at a perfect optimum with fixed capital in the form of inventory balanced perfectly with sales and purchasing, and all the items perfectly distributed to the various storage areas of the warehouse. Logistics software is your ace in the hand, before, during and after the peaks.

Logistics Network Optimization Software 240

Logistics Network Optimization Software Analytics Software Optimization Software Forecasting Software 240

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 1, 2015

In parallel, I have been hard at work on a report on multi-tier inventory optimization for the last two weeks. In the research for my inventory optimization report, the lowest level of satisfaction with multi-tier inventory optimization is with clients of the SAP inventory solution (previously purchased from SmartOps).

Supply Chain Design Software 150

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Network Design Software Optimization Software 150

ivalua

FEBRUARY 25, 2021

Are ERP systems better than best-in-class supply chain solutions for managing healthcare supply chains? That’s the question we set out to answer in our recent panel discussion with Procurement and Supply Chain experts. This could be why, according to Forrester, 82% of organizations regret their software selection within 12 months.

Supply Chain Planning Software 221

Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Predictive Analytics Software Supply Chain Software 221

The Logistics & Supply Chain Management Society

FEBRUARY 15, 2021

The right technology solutions allow supply chain operations to make data-driven decisions and provide a competitive advantage, particularly if an organization’s competitors are slow to adopt the latest technology advancements. Still, there are several technologies that are transforming supply chains for the organizations that adopt them.

Supply Chain Planning Software 298

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Prescriptive Analytics Software Predictive Analytics Software 298

Logility

AUGUST 31, 2023

In most cases, their legacy ERP or supply chain solutions cannot support the real-time, frequent forecasting and inventory planning needed to get ahead of margins pressures, rising costs, and shifts in consumer demand. Batch manufacturing is more controlled and optimized, improving inventory turns and production scheduling efficiency.

Consumer Goods 183

Consumer Goods Network Optimization Software Optimal Sourcing Inventory Reduction 183

ToolsGroup

AUGUST 1, 2022

Retail returns occur when a customer returns the purchased items to a seller in exchange for a refund, store credit, or a similar product. Returns come with plenty of challenges around logistics, inventory, and predicting volatile sales trends. 84% of buyers read the return policy before making an online purchase.

Retail 296

Retail Optimal Sourcing Purchasing Skills Procurement Solutions 296

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 29, 2014

Here are the three questions that I would like people to ask: Table 1: Comparison of Results for Best of Breed Solution Providers to ERP Expansionists in Supply Chain Planning. The first evolution of technologies were built by best-of-breed solution vendors. This new solution was favored by the Information Technology (IT) organization.

Supply Chain Planning Software 311

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Demand Planning Software Optimization Software 311

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 21, 2014

Companies are stuck at the intersection of inventory turns and operating margin. In companies, there is no standard model for demand processes. Let’s start with these: Demand Sensing: The reduction of time to sense purchase and channel takeaway. The purchase of a product by a customer in the channel. It is evolving.

Supply and Demand 326

Supply and Demand Modeling Demand Planning Software Forecasting 326

The Logistics & Supply Chain Management Society

AUGUST 20, 2020

A digital workforce weaves together disconnected automation tools – Robotic Process Automation (RPA), AI, and machine learning – to think, act and analyse the way a human worker would, and work alongside humans. Procurement. Purchase Order Management. Inventory Management.

Supply Chain Software 246

Supply Chain Software Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Agile and Lean Supply Chain 246

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 3, 2015

As an analyst in the battered supply chain software market for a decade, it is fun to watch you grow. Clients buy your software because you make it real. I always start the discussion of all software acquisitions with the same statement: the acquisition of software is seldom a good deal for the buyer/user of software.

Supply Chain Design Software 0

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Network Design Software Supply Chain Software 0

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

<Bear with me… > Here I share a nine-step process in an attempt to help companies unravel the process for buying supply chain planning software. They center on how to make a good decision in the purchase of supply chain planning solutions. Most have purchased software, but are dependent on Excel spreadsheets.

Supply Chain Planning Software 233

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain Software 233

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 23, 2024

The industry is awash with technologists and consultants focused on selling solutions. As companies consider purchasing new solutions based on better planning engines—machine learning, rules-based ontological frameworks, narrow AI, pattern recognition, large language models, and sentiment analysis— I ask for the use of caution.

Supply Chain Planning Software 260

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning Agile and Lean Supply Chain 260

ToolsGroup

JUNE 17, 2021

Demand modeling systems look at the specific factors driving demand at a granular and daily level for individual SKU-Locations. Right-sizing inventory. Avoiding inventory overages and shortages begins with a better forecast, but also requires a smarter inventory strategy. Smarter purchasing to outpace competitors.

Forecasting 295

Forecasting Forecasting Software Modeling Supply Chain Planning Software 295

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 21, 2024

Venture capitalists are high on Artificial Intelligence (AI), and over-exuberant professors with shiny new models are jockeying into position to get rich. Building a software company is hard work. Most of the business networks were hollowed out by venture capitalists or purchased by opportunists. Ask for use cases.

Supply Chain Planning Software 365

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Software Modeling Supply Chain Network Software 365

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 21, 2024

When I was an analyst at AMR Research (purchased by Gartner in 2010), I used the framework shown in Figure 2, as a framework to discuss supply chain excellence. Organizations are not aligned because of the focus of planners to optimize functional metrics. What Drives Value? Does this mean that planning is not important?

Procurement Analytics 346

Procurement Analytics Metrics Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Planning Software 346

Logistics Viewpoints

AUGUST 1, 2024

In this scenario, by adopting an adaptive supply chain, the retailer uses real-time data analytics to identify emerging trends and collaborate closely with suppliers to quickly adjust production and inventory levels to meet customer demand. Optimize Carbon (Scope 3): Adaptive supply chains prioritize sustainability.

Modeling 263

Modeling Network Optimization Supply Chain Design Software Material Savings 263

ToolsGroup

JULY 30, 2024

Leading beauty retailer choose ToolsGroup to optimize inventory and automate omnichannel supply chain planning across multiple countries. This move automates their omnichannel supply chain planning and shifts them from a supply-driven to a demand-driven model.

ToolsGroup 156

ToolsGroup Modeling Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software 156

Kinaxis

DECEMBER 3, 2014

Reason #4 Making key decisions by modelling the supply chain in Excel. Reason #6 Not effectively managing inventory. One example that I’ve seen several times is around inventory targets. The result is a lower inventory level, but much higher expedited costs and reduced customer service. There can be multiple reasons.

Expense Reduction 250

Expense Reduction Procurement Analytics Cost Reduction Strategies Metrics 250

AIMMS

NOVEMBER 12, 2019

Supply chain software is changing. So should the purchasing process. . RFIs tend to work well for certain industries (like government) or for purchasing equipment and industrial assets, bu t t hey often fall short in helping supply chain teams select a new software vendor. Are there limits to the number of models?” “Can

Procurement Solutions 156

Procurement Solutions Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Software Supply Chain Software 156

Supply Chain Game Changer

AUGUST 30, 2022

Many businesses use some form of Total Cost of Ownership model to support their Procurement and sourcing decisions. In fact these models are not just used casually, but they often are designed to inform and make optimal sourcing choices. What is a Total Cost of Ownership Model? Where do these TCO Models break down?

Optimal Sourcing 103

Optimal Sourcing Purchasing Skills Manufacturing Procurement Negotiating Skills 103

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 10, 2023

I was working on a report on the Multi-Enterprise Inventory Management (often termed MEIO) and I challenged Pete. The software never expanded in scope to manage multi-tier inventories. The basic taxonomy of supply chain planning–the framework for a series of optimization engines– has not changed. The reason?

Supply Chain Planning Software 259

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Forecasting Software Supply and Demand 259

ToolsGroup

MARCH 3, 2021

Demand for fashion products also has complex characteristics, with hard-to-predict, sporadic demand, high volatility and impulsive purchases. Hybrid models (i.e. This picture is further complicated with the adoption of omnichannel models. line, family, model, item, item/warehouse). 1) [link]. (2) 2) [link].

Supply and Demand 296

Supply and Demand Modeling Demand Planning Supply Chain Planning Software 296

Logistics Viewpoints

MARCH 4, 2021

Digital commerce efficiently requires the digitalization of many customer-facing operations and sourcing and procurement. Ensure that, somewhere along the way, data diagnostic tools will be used to check for missing and inconsistent data automatically. . Accurate and timely reconciliation of purchase orders with receipts.

Supply Chain Planning Software 274

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning Modeling 274

Logistics Viewpoints

DECEMBER 14, 2021

To keep customers like my dad satisfied, RGD and Quick-commerce companies need to invest in new technologies to optimize the supply chain and logistics operations. Inventory Optimization. Inventory Optimization involves decisions about the inventory level, the location, and the mix of products.

Supply Chain Planning Software 210

Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimization Software 210

Logility

OCTOBER 6, 2023

Let’s break down the trade-off between an on-premises and a cloud environment, what it means for your business, and how you can realize the optimal potential of a cloud investment. Cost Competitiveness How does the cost of a cloud-based platform – compared to on-premises software – make the cloud a more competitive choice?

Supply Chain Planning Software 191

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Software Supply Chain Network Software Optimization Software 191

ToolsGroup

AUGUST 18, 2022

From digitalization and changing workforces to trend reversals and inventory overloads, distributors have their hands full when it comes to tackling the latest supply chain challenges. Inventory: In the US, inventory (coupled with accounts receivable and accounts payable) has tied up $1.1

Optimization Software 156

Optimization Software Modeling Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Optimization 156

Precoro

DECEMBER 24, 2024

Traditionally, procurement has been a process weighed down by manual tasks, fragmented systems, and endless paperwork. Today, procurement is undergoing a transformation. While procurement teams have long worked to add strategic value, Artificial Intelligence (AI) amplifies their impact.

Price Reduction 87

Price Reduction Sourcing Strategies Cost Reduction Strategies Expense Reduction 87

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 3, 2015

When it comes to the management of inventory in value chains, frustration abounds. Executive, after executive, lament, “They have purchased many technologies and sponsored many projects to reduce inventories, but they are not seeing results.” Inventory is the culmination of many business decisions.

Inventory Reduction 150

Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Inventory Management Software 150

Enterra Insights

MAY 26, 2022

Although retailers still talk about the digital path to purchase as an alternative to the traditional shopping journey, the lines between paths to purchase have blurred. With all generations getting more comfortable on the digital path to purchase, most retailers have adapted to this new reality and are pursuing omnichannel strategies.

Procurement Solutions 130

Procurement Solutions Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement Predictive Analytics Software 130