Procurement Academy

APRIL 24, 2025

When you look behind the scenes of a global business operation, procurement strategy and supply chain management are usually top priorities, though theyre not always working in sync. This blog explores procurement vs supply chain strategy and looks at how aligning the two leads to operational excellence.

Optimal Sourcing 52

Optimal Sourcing Negotiating Skills Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 52

DELMIA Quintiq

NOVEMBER 17, 2020

From raw material procurement to final product sales, these supply chains’ ability to minimize inventory through product life cycle controls and facilitate prompt product supply is every bit as important as product differentiation strategies. The establishment of efficient global supply chains has become critical to competitiveness.

Optimal Sourcing 296

Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Optimization Supply Chain Planning Software 296

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

Given your expertise, I’d love to hear what alternatives you recommend for better demand forecasting and real-time visibility beyond what’s commonly adopted today.” I know that your primary focus is procurement. The issues are largely rooted in politics and the lack of clarity on supply chain excellence.

Supply and Demand 431

Supply and Demand Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Demand Planning 431

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

MARCH 24, 2025

Introduction Gardner, (1954) and Huntzinger, (2007) define Purchase price variance (PPV) as a metric used to measure the effectiveness of cost-saving efforts by calculating the difference between the planned cost (standard pricing) allocated for purchasing activities and the actual cost incurred.

Purchasing Skills 69

Purchasing Skills Negotiating Skills Negotiate Pricing Procurement Analytics 69

Jaggaer

MARCH 24, 2025

Top 3 Procurement Technologies to Embrace in 2025 Staying ahead of key procurement technology and advancements is essential for CPOs who want to improve spend cost reduction, drive strategic value, and navigate the increasingly complex procurement landscape.

Optimal Sourcing 52

Optimal Sourcing Procurement Analytics Procurement Solutions Waste Reduction 52

Logistics Viewpoints

APRIL 14, 2022

Experts from North Carolina State University and GEP conducted a survey on supply chain, procurement and IT leaders to determine their challenges and priorities, focusing on examining gaps in the supply chain. The study found that these leaders considered the largest gap to be between supply chain and procurement, citing it as a major issue.

Supply Chain Planning Software 284

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Forecasting Software Procurement Solutions 284

RFgen

DECEMBER 27, 2024

JD Edwards EnterpriseOne: This platform specializes in discrete manufacturing , excelling in areas like shop floor control, quality management, and detailed product costing. It excels in project management, project accounting, regulatory compliance management, and other industry-specific requirements.

Supply Chain Planning Software 98

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Manufacturing Procurement Inventory Management Software 98

Supply Chain Shaman

AUGUST 18, 2022

At the end of a long day of a strategy session on supply chain excellence with a client, I needed to fill up some time in an agenda. This large food manufacturer used a popular technology to forecast monthly using orders as an input. They had never been in the same room to discuss demand holistically from sales teams to procurement.

Supply and Demand 259

Supply and Demand Demand Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing 259

Logistics Viewpoints

DECEMBER 14, 2021

Millions of shoppers, like my Dad, are not going back to their old habits because there are now faster and more convenient ways for buying daily household needs. It excels on a union of E-Commerce mobile apps and last-mile delivery innovations. I have to forecast my avocado sales, including seasonal patterns and promotional effects.

Supply Chain Planning Software 288

Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimization Software 288

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 3, 2024

similarly, over 95% of manufacturers invested and implemented supply chain planning, but their primary tool today is Excel. This technique has been very useful for retail store inventory and MRO where demand is lumpy, latent, and difficult to forecast. ” Does the Dog Hunt? Makes sense. And, then there is a discussion of data.

Supply Chain Planning Software 369

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Modeling Software Forecasting Software 369

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Initially, the output was published to procurement to design strategic buying strategies. Procurement became an island–isolated from the demand signal except for MRP. Procurement: Purchase price variance and procurement cost. Demand Planning: Forecast Value Added (FVA) and shifts in baseline demand.

Supply Chain Planning Software 355

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply and Demand Procurement Analytics 355

SYSPRO Smarter ERP

MARCH 15, 2023

Manufactures are continuously faced with the challenge of forecasting how much (raw material) to purchase and how much (finished goods) to produce. To manage this delicate balance of demand and supply, manufacturers often use statistical forecasting techniques to predict future demand by looking at historical sales data.

Forecasting 105

Forecasting Forecasting Software Demand Planning Software Modeling 105

SCMDOJO

APRIL 11, 2025

Understanding how your Procurement and Supply Chain KPIs are performing isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s essential for survival and growth. Why You Need Visibility of Supply Chain and Procurement KPIs? Running procurement and supply chain without metrics is like driving blindfolded. Are materials arriving when needed?

Pricing Training 72

Pricing Training Optimal Sourcing Purchasing Skills Negotiating Skills 72

SCMDOJO

DECEMBER 5, 2024

Various strategic steps and procurement procedures are incurred to make informed decisions about inventory production. The 7 Stages of the Inventory Life Cycle Procurement Acquiring necessary goods and materials before starting a business is essential. Read More about How to Improve Forecasting Accuracy?

Inventory Reduction 98

Inventory Reduction Inventory Management Software Optimal Sourcing Inventory Management 98

SCMDOJO

APRIL 11, 2025

Today, their functionality has increased, and businesses are leveraging CRM systems for demand forecasting, buyer behavior analysis, and more intelligent inventory management. This real-time visibility translates into faster issue resolution, enhanced forecasting, and vendor coordination. Check out this course by Vera Rozanova!

Supply Chain Planning Software 84

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Forecasting Software Inventory Management Software 84

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 3, 2013

At a time that marketplace offerings were super-hyped, I forecasted the doom of ten e-marketplace providers. In the height of the e-commerce craze, the marketplace offerings started with a focus on e-procurement. The widely-held view was that the e-procurement market would fuel the next generation of marketplace applications.

Supply Chain Design Software 321

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement 321

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 8, 2016

As an analyst in the supply chain market for 15 years, I have written many articles on best-of-breed technology companies purchased by a larger company. The initial software product release name was Real-Time Forecasting. DS replaced rules-based forecast consumption with better math (statistics and pattern recognition).

Supply Chain Planning Software 150

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Network Software Forecasting Software Demand Planning Software 150

AIMMS

NOVEMBER 12, 2019

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. There is valuable time and effort put in by both the supplier and the purchasing party.

Procurement Solutions 252

Procurement Solutions Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Software Supply Chain Software 252

Jaggaer

MAY 8, 2025

I am a big believer in procurement getting involved as early as possible in new product development based on all the market knowledge available. The worst-case scenario is product engineering developing a new product, selecting a supplier and then telling procurement to get on with negotiation. Do you give suppliers accurate forecasts?

Optimal Sourcing 52

Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Analytics Procurement Solutions 52

The Logistics of Logistics

OCTOBER 30, 2023

He is a board member of the Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME) and a contributor to the Forbes Technology Council , Manufacturing Today, WardsAuto , Supply Chain Brain, Industry Today, Aerospace Manufacturing and Design, ASSEMBLY , and more. Richard previously founded and led Factory Logic, Inc. acquired by SAP).

Optimal Sourcing 278

Optimal Sourcing Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Design Software Manufacturing Procurement 278

Precoro

OCTOBER 6, 2022

With the global market expansion and deepening supply chain complexity, the roles of procurement leaders have evolved from tactical to strategic. Nowadays, procurement departments not only focus on the day-to-day buying operations but also search for the most efficient ways to go about them. From whom are we buying?

Manufacturing Procurement 98

Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Solutions Procurement Analytics Pricing Training 98

RFgen

DECEMBER 4, 2024

Supply chain efficiency is the cornerstone of success and involves the effective management of processes, resources, and technologies from procurement to production, transportation to warehousing. Let’s break down these key components: Procurement: This is where it all begins.

Sourcing Strategies 96

Sourcing Strategies Waste Reduction Inventory Reduction Expense Reduction 96

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 25, 2024

My definition of a network is the bi-directional information exchange of manufacturing, procurement, quality, and transportation signals across multiple tiers of trading partners in a many-to-many trading partner information exchange with minimal latency. Likewise, simplistic sensing of disruptions, to improve resilience is not a network.

Supply Chain Network Software 359

Supply Chain Network Software Manufacturing Procurement Inventory Reduction Purchasing Skills 359

Supply Chain Shaman

AUGUST 12, 2024

Forecastability. Today, due to the increase in the long tail of the supply chain and changing customer dynamics, less than 50% of items are forecastable at an item level. The only products that can be efficiently outsourced with long lead times are in the “forecastable” column. Let me explain. Not so today.

Waste Reduction 195

Waste Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Sourcing Strategies 195

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 8, 2019

The focus is on the role of supply chain finance in driving supply chain excellence. The design of the conference includes tours of several modern warehouses and centers of excellence. The budget is not sufficient and is often a detrimental input for supply chain forecasting. The supply chain forecast is a rolling forecast.

Supply Chain Design Software 207

Supply Chain Design Software Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting 207

Silvon Software

NOVEMBER 14, 2024

Using POS Data for Improved Sales & Demand Planning By leveraging POS data, companies can additionally (and accurately) forecast future sales, which is crucial for demand planning. Improved Forecast Accuracy Since POS data reflects real consumer purchases, forecasts based on this data are more accurate.

Inventory Reduction 59

Inventory Reduction Price Reduction Resource Reduction Optimal Sourcing 59

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

Tight coupling of the supply chain forecast to the financial forecast will improve value. Demand latency is two-eight weeks delayed from consumption purchase to translate to an order. Even when I proved that the process was degrading the forecast by 35-60%, companies still clung to a wrong number. Don’t believe me?

S&OP 195

S&OP Supply and Demand Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement 195

SCMDOJO

APRIL 11, 2025

This makes demand patterns difficult to forecast, particularly for non-essential goods. Here are key strategies businesses can implement: Improve Demand Forecasting and Planning for Uncertainty Accurate demand prediction becomes significantly more challenging yet critically important during economic uncertainty.

Supply Chain Planning Software 69

Supply Chain Planning Software Inventory Reduction Waste Reduction Supply Chain Design Software 69

Precoro

FEBRUARY 26, 2025

Within this setup, an ERP procurement module helps companies make purchases and manage suppliers. Numbers speak louder: According to Procurement Tactics’ top procurement trends in 2025 , 83% of CPOs prioritize digitization.   Keep reading to learn: What Is ERP in Procurement?

Procurement Solutions 45

Procurement Solutions Optimal Sourcing Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement 45

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

Supply Chain Opz

NOVEMBER 9, 2014

Research from APQC’s Open Standards Benchmarking in procurement shows that organizations without formal SRM programs report 121 percent longer supplier lead times. This causes a misalignment of actions, such as suppliers not making the right item at the right time due to forecast inaccuracy. These are three examples: Rule 3.1:

Waste Reduction 274

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

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 29, 2022

Concurrent macro forces–material shortages, war, shifts in consumer buying patterns, logistics constraints, inflation/recession, and climate change– are reshaping today’s reality necessitating the need for a supply chain reset button. Supply chain excellence happens when leaders manage complex non-linear flows.

Supply Chain Design Software 259

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Pricing Training 259

Precoro

JULY 15, 2024

The chief procurement officer (CPO) is a senior executive responsible for developing and implementing their organization’s procurement policies, procedures, and strategies. Making sure these purchases are of high quality and compliant with relevant laws and regulations also falls under the CPO’s responsibilities.

Negotiating Skills 105

Negotiating Skills Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Analytics Procurement Solutions 105

Supply Chain Insights

JULY 27, 2017

In groups of 5, each team member is given a different role: Finance, Sales, Marketing, Production, and Procurement. The beer game requires purchasing, manufacturing, and distribution quantities to be set with no communication amongst the people assigned to the functions, aside from an order quantity. Screenshot of SCI IMPACT!

Inventory Reduction 77

Inventory Reduction Material Savings Cost Reduction Strategies Resource Reduction 77

ThroughPut

MAY 20, 2025

In addition, poor visibility, unpredictable demand, and disjointed systems worsen the situation further and lead to inefficient procurement, misplaced stock, and emergency orders. In asset-intensive industries, this challenge has only intensified with the growing complexity across supply chains.

Inventory Management Software 52

Inventory Management Software Inventory Reduction Prescriptive Analytics Software Supply Chain Planning Software 52

ThroughPut

JUNE 2, 2025

To stay ahead of the curve, industry leaders are turning to data-driven strategies and artificial intelligence (AI) to transform how they manage inventory, forecast demand, and optimize the entire spare parts lifecycle. This lack of transparency hampers accurate demand forecasting, procurement efficiency, and inventory optimization.

Sourcing Strategies 52

Sourcing Strategies Inventory Reduction Cost Reduction Strategies Vendor Strategies 52