Traditionally, Supply Chain Management (SCM) software has been on-premise and managed by IT teams that keep systems running from a central location. This approach allows teams in an organization to create tools for each step of a traditional, linear supply chain. However, this approach often creates data silos, which limits the visibility and transparency of the process. Consequentially, the entire supply chain is not able to quickly adjust to supply and demand variability.
Your organization probably has a great ERP tool, as well as systems like WMS and TMS among many others, which means that you already have tons of data. But what happens when you encounter unexpected variability and need to analyze the data while working with different teams? Our instincts and current tools drive us to create spreadsheets and find other creative ways to put all the information together. However, due to the lack of communication between processes in the traditional supply chain, each team has to create separate reports; usually using different sets of data. As we all know, these efforts are often manual and extremely time-consuming, which makes this approach prone to error, unreliable, and unsustainable for your business.
Customers are making decisions faster than ever and e-commerce companies keep raising the bar on customer expectations. The looming uncertainty about trade policies is creating even more variability in an already complex landscape. Today, supply chains need to be more connected, flexible, and scalable to keep up with the market’s rapidly-changing conditions.
To overcome this problem, organizations need to move away from data silos and linear supply chains towards dynamic, integrated networks within the company; enabling teams to share consistent information quickly and securely. Traditionally, this would require large time and money investments on both technology and human resources.
This is where a cloud-based application like Anaplan comes into play. Anaplan is usually faster to implement and easier to customize than traditional approaches, and it is highly scalable and globally accessible from any web browser (Daugherty, 2018). In addition, Anaplan’s Connected Planning platform allows you to connect your supply chain with key teams in the organization to make more informed decisions, all while creating a single source of information for everyone in the organization.
Furthermore, the Anaplan platform puts all your pertinent data in the cloud which enables real-time “what-if” scenarios and complex models, allowing you to spend less time wrangling data and more time analyzing it. Allowing for a true connected planning platform, that includes benefits such as (Anaplan, 2018):
Automating integration of supply chain data from any source with a simple interface
Maintaining a single repository of supply chain data, drivers, hierarchies, and metrics
Leveraging a visual representation of data integration flows to correct problems
Collaborating with suppliers and customers in real time to gain true network visibility
Let our team help you make your supply chain more connected, flexible and scalable with Anaplan, so you can take full advantage of the benefits of the cloud.
Anaplan. (2018). 3 steps toward achieving a connected supply chain.
Daugherty, R. (2018, March 21). Why you should get your supply chain in the cloud. Retrieved from Supply Chain Dive: https://www.supplychaindive.com/news/why-you-should-get-your-supply-chain-in-the-cloud/519636/
Founded in 2018, Spaulding Ridge is a top management consulting firm, dedicated to client success and helping organizations implement and adopt best-in-cloud technology to solve their most pressing challenges. We provide the office of the CFO financial clarity to Sales and Operational complexity by integrating financial and sales SaaS Platforms.
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