Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 27, 2022

Supply chain excellence is easier to say than to explain. At each company, there is a relationship between the metrics of growth, margin, inventory, customer service, and asset strategy. For the purpose of this article, I will use Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) as the proxy metric to discuss asset utilization.) The reason?

Procurement Analytics 369

Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 369

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Next Steps: Start to model demand based on market data to align the organization on baseline demand. Resist the temptation to place deeper analytics on top of existing data models. Instead, rethink the model and the approach. Out of desperation, they turned to the use of descriptive analytics. Next Steps.

Supply Chain Planning Software 355

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

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 11, 2020

Today, supply chain excellence matters more than ever. As an industry, we struggle to embrace new ways of thinking. Until there are clear answers, business leaders should avoid buying software from companies with deep investments by venture capitalists. Kinaxis Purchase of Rubikloud. Kinaxis Purchase of Rubikloud.

Supply Chain Design Software 362

Supply Chain Design Software Procurement Solutions Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software 362

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 9, 2024

How Do You Define Excellence? As an old gal, with over forty-years of supply chain experience, writing this report for ten years taught me many lessons. In retrospect, I find that technology is an enabler, but only if we are clear on what defines supply chain excellence. The industry struggles with groupthink. I admit it.

Supply Chain Planning Software 386

Supply Chain Planning Software Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Planning Gartner 386

Procurement Academy

JANUARY 16, 2025

Looking to improve operations and achieve cost savings within your procurement processes? Perhaps you already have a process audit report, or are interested in discovering how it could benefit you and streamline your operations. What is the Purpose of a Process Audit Report?

Procurement Analytics 52

Procurement Analytics Sourcing Strategies Optimal Sourcing Negotiating Skills 52

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 5, 2018

At the Supply Chain Global Summit 2018 , Francois discussed the impact of digitalization, Industry 4.0, The award, based on beating the industry peer group on rate of improvement on the key metrics of growth, operating margin, inventory turns, and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) while outperforming their peer group, is tough to achieve.

Case Study 329

Case Study Inventory Reduction Study Agile and Lean Supply Chain 329

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 3, 2013

The solution solved a relevant industry issue. 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. They are industry-specific niche offerings.

Supply Chain Design Software 321

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

Silvon Software

MAY 6, 2025

Analytics and business intelligence (BI) are no longer optionaltheyre essential. They integrate, align, and activate data across the business to drive better, faster decisions unlike legacy reporting tools that can’t. Flexible Delivery Options Interactive dashboards, scheduled reports, alerts, mobile access, and more.

Prescriptive Analytics Software 89

Prescriptive Analytics Software Analytics Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 89

SCMDOJO

DECEMBER 29, 2024

Decoding the Procurement Department: A Comprehensive Guide to Roles and Responsibilities This supply chain article provides a comprehensive overview of the procurement department within an organization. Read In Detail About Procurement Department Here 2.

Negotiating Skills 95

Negotiating Skills Purchasing Skills Purchasing Training Buyer Training 95

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 10, 2025

In May 2025, one in seven home-purchase agreements fell through resulting in the cancellation of 56,000 purchase contracts. Ask a procurement or transportation professional if they have a good demand signal and expect a laugh. The ripple effects are pervasive. This creates waste and destroys human potential.

Supply Chain Planning Software 195

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

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

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

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 13, 2024

How aligned do you believe your organization is to drive these metrics? Observations on What It Takes In the Mea Culpa post, I wrote that I used to believe that excellence in S&OP was a ratio of 60/30/10. (60% It preceded the crazy M&A activity in the process industries. Who makes the decisions on the trade-offs?

S&OP 393

S&OP Supply and Demand Inventory Reduction Expense Reduction 393

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. As companies across industries have discovered, a well-optimized supply chain can drive significant improvements throughout their operations.

Sourcing Strategies 96

Sourcing Strategies Waste Reduction Inventory Reduction Expense Reduction 96

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 13, 2023

I know that your primary focus is procurement. Unfortunately, the industry is full of a lot of Anna(s) and her friends, the doubting Thomas (s). In the industry, supply-centric techniques reign with lots of bravado and messaging on control towers, Demand-driven Materials Requirements Planning (DDMRP), and generative AI.

Supply and Demand 431

Supply and Demand Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Demand Planning 431

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

I will share insights as we go along) The Word Salad Shuffle In the industry, I feel that there is a lot of word salad–consultants and technologists spinning words with little meaning to drive leads. I see a preponderance of reports and white papers that have lots of pages but say little. The average purchased order changes 3.5

Supply Chain Planning Software 392

Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Waste Reduction 392

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 21, 2022

So, I smile, catch my dinner partner’s eye and ask, “In our prior conversations, you mentioned the lack of clarity on the definition of supply chain excellence in your current deployments and how this is a barrier to implementing supply chain planning properly. As shown in Figure 1, the reporting relationships vary.

Supply Chain Planning Software 376

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimal Sourcing Modeling 376

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 30, 2025

Aptean is orchestrating the Blue Yonder/E2open/Infor playbook of buying undervalued assets and milking the maintenance and Software-as-a-Service contracts with existing customers. following the reporting of fourth-quarter results. This is despite the strengths of the recent purchase of Optimity. Manhattan Associates.

Supply Chain Planning Software 221

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Modeling Modeling Software 221

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 7, 2023

So, my question for the President’s task force is, “If the industry is not clear, and you don’t have a definition, how can you deliver your mission?” For example, change the business models so that Ariba must interoperate with GT Nexus, E2Open with Elemica, MPO (Kinaxis) with Nulogy, etc.

Supply Chain Design Software 395

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Supply Chain Software 395

Precoro

OCTOBER 24, 2022

Procurement is a complex and dynamic process involving strategic planning and several stages of execution, from sourcing to paying and reporting. Supply chain management, purchase requisitions and orders, budget management, and three-way matching – all these processes are integral to procurement as a whole.

Procurement Solutions 98

Procurement Solutions Procurement Analytics Analytics Software Optimal Sourcing 98

SCMDOJO

DECEMBER 11, 2023

In the realm of efficient procurement management, understanding the various types of procurement reports becomes paramount. These reports serve as navigational tools, offering insights into different facets of the procurement process.

Procurement Analytics 21

Procurement Analytics Optimal Sourcing Procurement Solutions Material Savings 21

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. With the pandemic, consumer loyalty started bleeding in almost every industry.

Supply Chain Planning Software 288

Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Software Supply Chain Design Software Modeling Software 288

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 14, 2014

I think about this discussion with Keith often as I work on the Supply Chain Index and edit the chapters of Metrics That Matter. Our current processes and dependencies on Excel spreadsheets cannot get us to our goal. Across the industries, this is the case. I think that this industry is poised for a tipping point.

Manufacturing Procurement 345

Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Procurement Analytics Modeling 345

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 29, 2014

The consulting team pitches a theme–vision of supply chain best practices, big data analytics, or demand-driven value networks– to the executive team, and a new project is initiated. I feel that the industry is engaged in ‘Group Think’ No one in this meetings is going to ask tough questions. The answer is no.

Supply Chain Planning Software 379

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Demand Planning Software Optimization Software 379

Logistics Viewpoints

JUNE 8, 2023

To remain competitive, retailers and carriers must excel in the crucial last-mile delivery stage. Sustainability: Reduce the carbon emissions impact of last-mile operations by adopting green fleets and implementing emissions reporting. And what are the comparative costs of building versus buying?

Modeling Software 273

Modeling Software Optimization Software Supply Chain Network Software Logistics Network Optimization Software 273

Logistics Viewpoints

MAY 11, 2023

How the digital twin concept drives benefit By using advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms, digital twins can provide real-time insights and recommendations to optimize operations, reduce costs, and increase productivity. Do they purchase a 3D warehouse simulation and modeling tool? come with any of them.

Modeling 307

Modeling Analytics Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimization Software 307

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 4, 2018

For the past five years, the team at Supply Chain Insights identified Supply Chains to Admire Award Winners by analyzing performance by peer group on the key metrics of growth, operating margin, inventory turns and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC). Diversified Industry Performance For the Period of 2010-2017.

Supply Chain Software 30

Supply Chain Software Case Study Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 30

SCMDOJO

OCTOBER 23, 2024

Pricing Structure Affordable pricing, with annual access to purchased courses and practical resources through Pro Plan. Expert-Led Courses Courses are led by experienced supply chain professionals with industry knowledge. A general platform covering various subjects, including supply chain. SCMDOJO doesn’t just offer video courses.

Supply Chain Planning Software 93

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Course Supply Chain Software 93

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 20, 2014

The implementations were longer, the purchase costs were higher, and the functionality was less robust and lacking flexibility. All of the results are reported in aggregate. Demand planning is less industry specific than supply. The models are industry specific. I did not see it. What Should You Do?

Supply Chain Planning Software 366

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning Supply and Demand 366

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

ivalua

OCTOBER 13, 2022

A new report, “Data-Enabled Supply Chain Transparency” has revealed that 77% of respondents indicated their organization considers supply chain transparency to be critically or highly important. Redwood City, CA, 13 October, 2022. About the research.

Procurement Analytics 130

Procurement Analytics Procurement Solutions Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing 130

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 29, 2020

Cash-to-Cash Metrics. Cash-to-cash is a compound metric: (Days of Receivables+Days of Inventory)-Days of Payables=Cash Conversion Cycle. The impact of the elongation of payables on receivables varies by industry, but on average across the industries increased eighteen days when comparing the past five years to the pre-recession years.

Optimal Sourcing 299

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Design Software Waste Reduction Inventory Reduction 299

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 23, 2023

I never republished the report, because not enough has changed to warrant it.) The report centers on the concept of moving from inside-out to outside-in technologies. At the time, one of the people (let’s call him Noel) that I great respect for in the industry called me to say, “Lora, I don’t get it.

Supply Chain Planning Software 369

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning Modeling 369

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 14, 2022

I wrote my first report on Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) while sitting on the floor in the Atlanta airport in 2005 when I was an AMR Research analyst. I wrote many reports on airport floors in those days–electrical plugs were just too scarce.) Sales and Operations Maturity Model from 2005-2008. My challenge?

S&OP 195

S&OP Supply and Demand Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement 195

Logistics Viewpoints

SEPTEMBER 20, 2022

This means we need more agile, flexible, and scalable planning platforms to process and consolidate new data sources, drive insights using advanced analytics such as AI/ML to drive autonomous decisions, and expand collaboration within and outside our organizations. We need planning platforms to keep up with all the changes.

Supply Chain Planning Software 286

Supply Chain Planning Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Planning Forecasting Software 286

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 252

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain Software 252

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 7, 2021

AMR Research was an industry analyst firm in Boston. Gartner purchased the firm in 2010.) Driving Improvements in Supply Chain Excellence. I did not think that anyone had a clear definition of supply chain excellence. I argued for industry collaboration to define and drive process innovation.

Gartner 221

Gartner Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Eliminating Excel in Purchasing 221