Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 10, 2013

This week I interviewed Robert Byrne, Founder of Terra Technology , on the results of their fourth benchmarking study on forecasting excellence. The work done by Terra Technology, in my opinion, is one of two accurate sources of benchmark data on forecasting in the industry. Background on the Study.

Supply and Demand 252

Supply and Demand Forecasting Forecasting Software Modeling Software 252

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 19, 2015

Benchmarking is a measurement of the quality of an organization’s policies, products, programs or strategies against standard measurements. Today, I am going to share five insights that I have gleaned from our work on Supply Chain Planning Benchmarking. Benchmarking is not Benchmarking. Business Dictionary.com.

Supply Chain Planning Software 150

Supply Chain Planning Software Benchmarking Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning 150

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 26, 2025

Example 1: Retail Example 2: Food Ingredients Example 3: Medical Device After mapping the demand flows and identifying market data, latency, and forecastability, the class then designs bi-directional orchestration activities. The one-size-fits-all, tight integration of APS to ERP degrades the forecast and accelerates the bullwhip effect.

Material Savings 221

Material Savings Waste Reduction Cost Reduction Strategies Price Reduction 221

ivalua

JULY 1, 2025

Segmentation enables differentiated supplier management strategies , such as focusing risk mitigation efforts on sole-source vendors or negotiating long-term value with strategic suppliers. Centralizing data enables better sourcing decisions and improves collaboration across procurement, legal, and business other units.

Material Savings 130

Material Savings Sourcing Strategies Cost Reduction Strategies Vendor Strategies 130

ivalua

JULY 1, 2025

Segmentation enables differentiated supplier management strategies , such as focusing risk mitigation efforts on sole-source vendors or negotiating long-term value with strategic suppliers. Centralizing data enables better sourcing decisions and improves collaboration across procurement, legal, and business other units.

Material Savings 130

Material Savings Sourcing Strategies Cost Reduction Strategies Vendor Strategies 130

ivalua

MAY 21, 2025

Digital procurement streamlines workflows and unifies data, enabling faster sourcing, better collaboration, and improved accuracy. AI and automation boost procurement’s strategic impact, helping teams reduce risk, ensure compliance, and forecast spend.

Optimal Sourcing 130

Optimal Sourcing Procurement Solutions Procurement Analytics Analytics Software 130

Logistics Viewpoints

DECEMBER 2, 2024

We have benchmarked our SCI (Supply Chain Intelligence) solution; we looked at all the solutions in the industry. Advanced demand forecasting based on machine learning, for example, is a classic example of the use of AI in supply chain management. It started out as a traditional control tower.

Supply Chain Planning Software 286

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain Software Supply Chain Network Software 286

The Logistics of Logistics

MARCH 18, 2025

Mike is the Head of Intermodal Solutions at SONAR, the leading freight market analytics tool and dashboard, aggregating billions of data points from hundreds of sources to provide the fastest data in the transportation and logistics sector. Mike Baudendistel and Joe Lynch discuss the CPG supply chain.

Supply Chain Design Software 146

Supply Chain Design Software Analytics Software Logistics Network Optimization Software Forecasting Software 146

ToolsGroup

JULY 26, 2016

Most CPG companies have hit a demand forecasting ceiling. And complexity creates a challenge of how to forecast accurately when faced with new items, new channels and demand shaping. Recent evidence strongly suggests that traditional forecasting techniques in this environment have reached their limits and hit a ceiling.

Forecasting 120

Forecasting Supply and Demand Optimal Sourcing Inventory Reduction 120

Logistics Viewpoints

FEBRUARY 28, 2022

Machine Learning, a Form of Artifical Intelligence, Has Feedback Loops that Improve Forecasting. A supply chain planning model learns when the planning application takes an output, like a forecast, observes the accuracy of the output, and then updates its own model so that better outputs will occur in the future.

Optimal Sourcing 355

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning 355

Logistics Viewpoints

MARCH 4, 2021

Digital commerce efficiently requires the digitalization of many customer-facing operations and sourcing and procurement. Supply chain planning involves interaction with different types of information based on internal and external data sources. These data sources are often spread across multiple platforms and come in various formats.

Supply Chain Planning Software 284

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning Modeling 284

ivalua

JUNE 12, 2025

This blog offers a clear, practical overview of what spend analysis is, how it supports strategic sourcing, and why it matters for both direct and indirect procurement. When done right, spend analysis enables cost savings, supplier optimization, risk reduction, and more strategic sourcing decisions.

Cost Reduction Strategies 130

Cost Reduction Strategies Material Savings Expense Reduction Negotiating Skills 130

ivalua

MAY 30, 2025

AI is reshaping the way organizations source, manage suppliers, and drive value today. AI agents offer a smarter, faster way to manage sourcing, risk, and spend across the entire procurement lifecycle. For example, agentic AI can analyze supplier data, evaluate contracts, manage purchase orders, or recommend sourcing strategies.

Optimal Sourcing 130

Optimal Sourcing Procurement Solutions Procurement Analytics Negotiating Skills 130

ivalua

MAY 30, 2025

AI is reshaping the way organizations source, manage suppliers, and drive value today. AI agents offer a smarter, faster way to manage sourcing, risk, and spend across the entire procurement lifecycle. For example, agentic AI can analyze supplier data, evaluate contracts, manage purchase orders, or recommend sourcing strategies.

Optimal Sourcing 130

Optimal Sourcing Procurement Solutions Procurement Analytics Negotiating Skills 130

Logistics Viewpoints

APRIL 1, 2021

Building optionality in the supply chain through collaborative sourcing: Supply chain teams can proactively identify choke points within the existing network by leveraging emerging technologies such as digital twins and advanced analytics, and modeling their end-to-end supply chains.

Optimal Sourcing 287

Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Analytics Procurement Solutions 287

Precoro

JUNE 2, 2025

Definition: Financial forecasting is a projection of the company's future financial performance based on historical data, market research, and business needs. The forecasts act as a guide, which you can use to make strategic decisions on resource allocation and define clear, attainable goals.

Forecasting 45

Forecasting Forecasting Software Expense Reduction Procurement Solutions 45

SCMDOJO

FEBRUARY 15, 2025

These include alternative sourcing strategies, backup transportation routes, and emergency inventory reserves. Businesses that depend on a single supplier or a limited number of vendors are at higher risk if production delays, raw material shortages, or geopolitical issues impact their primary source.

Supply Chain Planning Software 91

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Modeling Inventory Reduction 91

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 21, 2023

The company’s focus on item proliferation resulted in 40% of items moving into a non-forecastable category. Since the company does not measure forecastability, the team continued to use traditional methods for forecasting, increasing the bullwhip effect and driving internal supply chain disruption.

Gartner 424

Gartner Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning 424

Supply Chain Shaman

AUGUST 7, 2019

” Or alternatively, “Is there data that could be sourced to help?” Determine Forecastability and Forecast Value Added (FVA). I am often asked to benchmark demand. Executives will ask, “What is a good target for forecast error?” Then analyze Forecast Value Added (FVA).

Supply Chain Design Software 271

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Supply Chain Design 271

ivalua

MAY 10, 2025

This guide breaks down the key procurement technologies in use today and the trends reshaping the future, such as AI-driven sourcing, predictive risk management, and deeper integration across the supply chain. What Is Procurement Technology? Here are some of the most important tools teams are already using.

Procurement Solutions 130

Procurement Solutions Sourcing Strategies Optimal Sourcing Analytics Software 130

Supply Chain Shaman

AUGUST 14, 2016

The network senses, translates, and orchestrates market changes (buy- and sell-side markets) bidirectionally with near real-time data to align sell, deliver, make and sourcing organizations outside-in. It is about much, much more than Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI ) or Collaborative Forecasting and Replenishment. Use of Channel Data.

Material Savings 246

Material Savings Inventory Reduction Price Reduction Vendor Strategies 246

Talking Logistics

JANUARY 31, 2017

There is a significant amount of angst in the transportation marketplace lately in regards to freight spend forecasts. In other words, if a planner receives multiple spot quotes for a load, the best he or she can do is a comparative analysis between the quotes without a benchmark. Technology vs. Manual Benchmarking Approach.

Benchmarking 100

Benchmarking Negotiating Skills Cost Reduction Strategies Resource Reduction 100

ToolsGroup

JANUARY 8, 2019

At last year’s Gartner Supply Chain Executive Conference analyst Tom Enright summarized the essence of successful demand forecasting with the following statement: “ Demand forecast accuracy depends on your ability to recreate the environment in which historical demand occurred.”.

Supply and Demand 149

Supply and Demand Modeling Demand Planning Software Forecasting 149

The Logistics of Logistics

SEPTEMBER 11, 2024

Their services can be categorized into three main areas: Assessment and Analysis Freight Planning and Forecasting: Loadsmart helps businesses predict future freight needs. Rate Analysis and Benchmarking: Loadsmart helps clients compare freight rates. FreightIntel AI: Their AI-powered platform provides real-time data and insights.

Logistics Network Optimization Software 244

Logistics Network Optimization Software Optimization Software Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing 244

ToolsGroup

JULY 6, 2023

FeaturedCustomers 2023 Market Leader in Demand Forecasting Software MAY 2023 – FeaturedCustomers has named ToolsGroup a Market Leader in the Demand Forecasting Software category in its Spring 2023 Customer Success Report. ToolsGroup has also been named a FeaturedCustomers 2023 Top Rated Software and Hot 100 Vendor.

ToolsGroup 295

ToolsGroup Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Optimal Sourcing 295

ToolsGroup

DECEMBER 17, 2020

Cloud has evolved to provide the ideal infrastructure and platform for hosting multiple supply chain partners to collaboratively offer optimized services including planning, logistics, sourcing, procurement and service parts management. Check out our primer on probabilistic forecasting here. Who can provide them? Not at all!

Supply Chain Planning Software 275

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Modeling Software Forecasting Software 275

TransAudit

JUNE 24, 2025

Inconsistency Across Sources Carriers may use different naming conventions, billing formats, or rate structures. However, this data often suffers from: 1. When done right, auditing isn’t just about catching errors — it’s about transforming raw carrier billing into clean, enriched, and structured data.

Real-time Visibility 61

Real-time Visibility Negotiating Skills Optimal Sourcing Cost Reduction Strategies 61

Logility

DECEMBER 15, 2023

Planting the Seeds of Resilience Most companies understand that accurate forecasts are critical to minimizing inventory, maximizing production efficiency, streamlining purchasing, optimizing distribution, minimizing waste, and projecting future performance confidently.

Optimal Sourcing 176

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Planning Software Optimization Software Supply Chain Software 176

Logistics Viewpoints

AUGUST 9, 2022

Having that SKU-level inventory visibility across the entire supply chain is critical to the ability to more accurately forecast supply and demand, and compress the time needed for all parties to make any necessary adjustments. Is it sitting at the warehouse yard, or has it reached the store? Integration with other key systems.

Inventory Management Software 261

Inventory Management Software Inventory Management Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software 261

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 27, 2015

Last week, I interviewed Robert Byrne, founder of Terra Technology on his demand planning benchmarking study. I enjoy creating the podcast series, and Rob’s findings in his benchmark study are always thought-provoking. Traditional approaches like consensus forecasting can make this bias even worse. Need for Demand Sensing.

Supply and Demand 150

Supply and Demand Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Supply Chain Software 150

Logistics Viewpoints

SEPTEMBER 13, 2022

Otherwise, it provides only a historical view but does not enable firms to forecast future performance or adapt to an evolving regulatory framework. Understanding the data, metrics and benchmarks can help the organization collaborate with suppliers to set meaningful, actionable and quantifiable goals.

Cost Reduction Strategies 261

Cost Reduction Strategies Supply Chain Planning Software GEP Supply Chain Network Software 261

Supply Chain Opz

NOVEMBER 9, 2014

Whether you''re a manufacturing company in China, a sourcing agent in London or a world''s leading company in Silicon Valley, we''re all in a global supply chain networks. Research from APQC’s Open Standards Benchmarking in procurement shows that organizations without formal SRM programs report 121 percent longer supplier lead times.

Waste Reduction 274

Waste Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software Cost Reduction Strategies Inventory Reduction 274

Supply Chain Brain

AUGUST 21, 2020

What does best-in-class forecasting and inventory management look like? Now in its ninth year, E2open’s 2019 Forecasting and Inventory Benchmark Study is the most consistent, comprehensive and useful study of its kind.

Forecasting 40

Forecasting Benchmarking Study Inventory Reduction 40

Supply Chain Shaman

AUGUST 26, 2015

As the markets plummet, it is time to remind ourselves that demand is not a forecast. Traditional forecasting approaches are not adequate in a time of market volatility. In the real world, companies operate with a Mean Absolute Forecast Error of 24-60%, and have a bias of 9-40%. Markets drive supply chains.

Supply and Demand 150

Supply and Demand Forecasting Modeling Forecasting Software 150

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 6, 2015

I am currently working on an in-depth study on supply chain planning benchmarking (publishes in August), and working with the team to analyze supply chain planning adoption. In my analysis of the supply chain planning benchmarking data, I can see it. As a result, we can push and push on forecasting processes and not drive improvement.

Supply Chain Planning Software 150

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Forecasting Software Demand Planning Software 150

ToolsGroup

JULY 11, 2017

For instance, a Gartner industry benchmarking shows that a 1% increase in forecast accuracy typically achieves: 2-7% reduction in the value of total inventory as a percentage of sales (working capital). 4-9% decrease in the value of obsolete inventory as a percentage of total stocked goods (product costs).

S&OP 92

S&OP Supply and Demand Inventory Reduction Price Reduction 92

Precoro

SEPTEMBER 6, 2021

As both sourcing and procurement are related to obtaining supplies for the organization, confusing these two terms is easy. Understanding their distinction can help you ensure the coordination between the responsible teams and adopt the right strategies for improving both sourcing and procurement. Procurement. Contains fewer steps.

Optimal Sourcing 97

Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Purchasing Skills Procurement Solutions 97