Without question, one of the most crucial tools available to supply chain professionals today is information technology (IT). IT can be the glue that helps the supply chain deliver real value to organizations; however, an incorrectly configured system or poor choice of technology can bring their own problems. Here we review 6 things your supply chain IT system must offer.
1. Efficient transaction management
Having simple standard transaction processes, for example how to generate a purchase order, supported by a user-friendly user interface is a must – make it easy for users to enter data once and then use it again and again within the system. Pay close attention to processes that can lead to data integrity issues: make sure your transactions capture the key information you need to monitor your business, and look to automate repetitive, non-value-adding activities where possible.
2.Business intelligence
A proper business intelligence or management reporting solution is often the cornerstone of any business; for the supply chain, that’s equally true: knowing where your assets are, accurate and timely inventory information, supplier performance, and tight cost control should all be easily a click away. of a mouse Search to make sure everyone in your organization has access to the data they need when they need it.
3. Business integration
Linking the supply chain both internally and externally is no longer a pipe dream. Tools like XML and intelligent transaction processing systems allow different companies spread across different geographies to collaborate in real time: share order books, asset information, or collaborate on bids or tenders. make sure your system is capable of sharing data with your partners.
4. Workflow
Your system should allow you to flow activity within the system to your user hierarchy: you need to get an order approved, do it electronically with workflow, your warehouse rejected a delivery, send automatic alerts to quality control, run out for a inventory, flag it to your materials management team for action, look into using your system to manage by exception.
5. Forecast
Having the right planning tools will get you where you want to be tomorrow and highlight your business risks before they bite: you need to plan your inventory costs for the next 5 years, you need to understand your staffing needs across your electrical products – make sure you that your solution has proper planning and forecasting out of the box.
6. Cooperation
Collaboration generates ideas: it can save money and brings the company closer. Get the benefits of having design and procurement work closer together to share and work with the same data. Do you need design and procurement to work on a bill of materials? Having the right collaboration tools can offer real value.
