ToolsGroup

AUGUST 20, 2019

More and more businesses are hopping on the outsourcing bus and letting the experts take the wheel to drive supply chain planning processes. Several years ago ToolsGroup pioneered business process outsourcing (BPO) as an alternative to in-house supply chain planning (SCP). versus $4.84 per $1000 of revenue).

Supply Chain Planning Software 136

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Gartner Supply Chain Software 136

ToolsGroup

SEPTEMBER 25, 2019

September 26, 2019) A new study by ToolsGroup, a global leader in supply chain planning software, and Spinnaker, a supply chain services company, has found that only 7% of companies are reaping the benefits of digital transformation of supply chain planning. BOSTON, Mass. and HOUSTON, Tex.

Supply Chain Planning Software 136

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Software 136

ToolsGroup

SEPTEMBER 30, 2019

By George Fowler, group vice president, Spinnaker Supply Chain. ToolsGroup and Spinnaker recently partnered up on a digital transformation study, and we found that only 7% of responding companies are reaping the benefits of digital transformation of supply chain planning. What’s driving you, or holding you back?

Supply Chain Planning Software 168

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning Agile and Lean Supply Chain 168

ToolsGroup

SEPTEMBER 22, 2020

Supply chain practitioners know trends like product line proliferation, shorter product life cycles, increased complexity, massive amounts of data and ever more demanding and unpredictable customers are accelerating. When social media product promotions overwhelm supply chains.

Supply and Demand 156

Supply and Demand Gartner Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software 156

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 3, 2015

As an analyst in the battered supply chain software market for a decade, it is fun to watch you grow. For those who are new to reading the Supply Chain Shaman blog, let me begin my analysis with a disclaimer. Here are five recent relevant posts that can add clarity: Wanted: Supply Chain Architects.

Supply Chain Design Software 0

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Network Design Software Supply Chain Software 0

ToolsGroup

JUNE 8, 2021

A proof of concept (POC) is an increasingly common method to select the best supply chain software vendor for your company, yet many supply chain practitioners still lean on the traditional RFI (request for information) tool. If you’ve been through a supply chain project before, you know that’s not always the case. #2

Supply Chain Planning Software 245

Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Software Supply Chain Software Optimization Software 245

ToolsGroup

SEPTEMBER 20, 2022

AI technology is continually revolutionizing how equipment and humans operate on the manufacturing shop floor as well as improving the behind-the-scenes supply chain planning operations. At the same time, consumer demands keep changing depending on product qualities, pricing , and supply chain constraints.

Manufacturing Procurement 156

Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Design Software Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Planning Software 156

ToolsGroup

MARCH 3, 2022

Targeting favorable weather time periods and regions/markets enable companies to capture sales from receptive audiences and improve ROAS (return on advertising spend) and other key metrics.

Forecasting 156

Forecasting Forecasting Software Procurement Analytics Retail 156

ToolsGroup

MAY 24, 2016

Most companies segment their supply chain by breaking it down according to operational and logistical metrics. But there is another way to segment supply chains that begins with the customer. This is important since complexity is intensifying in most supply chains.

Supply Chain Segmentation 159

Supply Chain Segmentation Optimal Sourcing Gartner Supply Chain Optimization 159

ToolsGroup

MARCH 5, 2019

Supply chain planning in emerging markets is different. Now supply chain professionals have another different set of challenges on how to get product to the entire country where consumer-oriented outlets (i.e. Growing domestic demand can also cause supply chain strategies to change. Here’s what we found: 1.

Supply Chain Planning Software 159

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain Design Software Scenario Planning 159

Supply Chain Insights

JANUARY 18, 2018

For the purposes of clarity, in this article, the term digital supply chain is the transformation of the atoms and electrons within the supply chain to unleash new levels of value. Here are my predictions for 2018: Supply Chain Excellence as We Know It Is Redefined. Supply Chain Planning Redefined.

Prescriptive Analytics Software 197

Prescriptive Analytics Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Predictive Analytics Software 197

ToolsGroup

NOVEMBER 27, 2018

Unsurprisingly, the highest percentage of respondents in Gartner surveys continue to select demand variability and forecast accuracy as top barriers preventing them from reaching their broader supply chain goals. How much can you realistically expect to improve your forecast accuracy each year?

Forecasting 214

Forecasting Forecasting Software Supply and Demand Modeling 214

ToolsGroup

DECEMBER 16, 2021

The impact of lean retail on supply chain management. The impact of lean retail practices can be felt throughout the supply chain. Set clear objectives and KPIs for the metrics we discussed above, and make swift moves to meet them. How lean retail impacts business goals and revenue targets.

Agile and Lean Supply Chain 156

Agile and Lean Supply Chain Lean Retail Supply Chain Planning Software 156

ToolsGroup

NOVEMBER 15, 2016

In 2016, it seemed as if everyone in supply chain was looking to improve their forecasting performance. According to Ben, who oversees Chainalytics’ Demand Planning Intelligence Consortium , many companies take last year's forecast accuracy metric and simply add a few percentage points to establish the coming year’s goals.

Forecasting 120

Forecasting Forecasting Software Supply and Demand Modeling 120

ToolsGroup

APRIL 26, 2023

This is why ToolsGroup is excited to announce significant enhancements to our JustEnough Dynamic Retail Planning & Execution solution. has fundamentally shifted the narrative on what is possible with ToolsGroup’s retail planning solution. Debuting ToolsGroup JustEnough Officially announced in January, v2023.1

ToolsGroup 156

ToolsGroup Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning 156

ToolsGroup

FEBRUARY 6, 2018

Financial executives measure inventory health with metrics like inventory turns because they view the firm from a financial viewpoint - such as how much working capital is being tied up. The problem that the supply chain leaders often struggle with is that the definition of what the right inventory levels should be.

Inventory Reduction 159

Inventory Reduction Inventory Material Savings Gartner 159

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 17, 2013

Or will companies stumble on the path by mistakenly implementing supply-centric processes and calling them demand-driven initiatives? As a writer of research on demand-driven supply chains for over eight years, I find many amusing. Supply chain leaders feel stuck. They are piling up on my desk. It is still early.

Supply Chain Design Software 257

Supply Chain Design Software Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software Supply and Demand 257

ToolsGroup

APRIL 25, 2019

In fact, supply chain executives put demand forecasting and supply chain planning at the top of the list of how they initially plan to use AI. Without baseline metrics on what you want to improve on and why, how can you be confident your strategy is working? weather, social media).

Supply and Demand 227

Supply and Demand Demand Planning Modeling Supply Chain Planning Software 227

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. It is a story of supply chain innovation. The products of Terra Technology are unique, but poorly understood by the mainstream supply chain team.

Supply Chain Planning Software 150

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

ToolsGroup

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

This foundation has been the basis for automated replenishment systems for many years, but like everything in supply chain today, it’s more complex than that, and the traditional replenishment approach has a lot of “noise” in how it’s calculated. The answer comes with being able to identify and track each causal effect.

Supply and Demand 159

Supply and Demand Demand Planning Software Forecasting Forecasting Software 159

ToolsGroup

APRIL 1, 2022

Will the supply chain ever catch a break? With every link of the supply chain impacting businesses both large and small, keeping up with the globally disrupted supply chain evolution is a recipe for whiplash. Raw Material Shortages Are Affecting a Challenged Supply Chain.

Material Savings 207

Material Savings Purchasing Skills Supply Chain Planning Software Manufacturing Procurement 207

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 8, 2017

I know of few areas in supply chains discussion that raise as much dialogue or ire. ” At the other end of the continuum is the argument that “ Forecast error is the most important metric to improve.” Most supply chain leaders can easily conceive supply flows, but not those of demand.

Supply and Demand 158

Supply and Demand Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Software 158

ToolsGroup

OCTOBER 11, 2017

Gartner says that you shouldn’t just pitch forecast accuracy to your executive management, but translate your plan into business metrics. So don’t get caught of the trap of thinking, “If only we could only do a better job of demand forecasting, our supply chain problems would go away.”

Forecasting 180

Forecasting Supply and Demand Forecasting Software Optimal Sourcing 180

ToolsGroup

JANUARY 9, 2018

In addition, “supply chain modeling” has become the highest priority in Gartner’s Market Ranking of S&OP Capabilities , displacing “collaboration support with internal stakeholders”. It also ensures that “demand planners cannot generate and deliver a plan that is impossible based on supply constraint," the report said.

Modeling 179

Modeling Scenario Planning Optimization Modeling S&OP 179

ToolsGroup

JULY 11, 2017

Finance speaks a different language than supply chain. But by monetizing Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP), supply chain planners can speak the language of finance while developing S&OP into a more mature process. Gartner’s research is echoed by Lora Cecere of Supply Chain Insights.

S&OP 92

S&OP Supply and Demand Inventory Reduction Price Reduction 92

ToolsGroup

APRIL 27, 2022

For example, as of March 2022, 81% of Americans say the supply chain is a significant source of stress. As Tom Derry, CEO of the Institute for Supply Management, shared in PBS , “It’s been the hardest year for logistics and supply chain managers,” Pafford said.

Sourcing Strategies 296

Sourcing Strategies Supply Chain Strategy Price Mitigation Strategies Strategy 296

ToolsGroup

DECEMBER 16, 2021

Retailers should consider augmenting it with other metrics, such as inventory turnover, sales to stock ratio, SKU behavior, and strategy forecast accuracy by demand point (stores and warehouses). Some industry observers consider traditional open-to-buy to be a shortsighted process due to the monthly nature of the process.

Supply Chain Planning Software 156

Supply Chain Planning Software Retail Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning 156

ToolsGroup

JANUARY 22, 2020

These are great metrics to hold a vendor accountable and ask for some compensation, but they require that something happens and that humans must track down and enact some remedy. I get asked a lot for the ability to somehow know the impact vendors are having on service goals to customers.

Optimization Software 199

Optimization Software Inventory Reduction Forecasting Software Supply Chain Planning Software 199

ToolsGroup

MARCH 1, 2016

Today we interview Bob Ferrari, executive editor of the blog Supply Chain Matters ( www.theferrarigroup.com/supply-chain-matters ) and founder and managing director of the Ferrari Consulting and Research Group. What originally got you interested in supply chain? How is SCP different from 20 years ago?

Supply Chain Planning Software 120

Supply Chain Planning Software Predictive Analytics Software Analytics Software Supply Chain Software 120

ToolsGroup

MAY 3, 2016

If you (or your boss) are measured by your company's Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) or a similar metric, then you want to turn assets into cash. Most companies have some form of supply chain systems to manage inventory from production through delivery. Inventory optimization is one proven way to do it.

Optimal Sourcing 120

Optimal Sourcing Modeling Inventory Reduction Optimization Software 120

ToolsGroup

MARCH 9, 2021

In episode seven of Be Ready for Anything, industry insider Bob Ferrari discusses the pivotal factors affecting global supply chain revitalization in the coming year. Discover how to pinpoint your investments in supply chain management and regain your balance, even in a shifting marketplace. Take a listen!

Predictive Analytics Software 156

Predictive Analytics Software Supply Chain Planning Software Predictive Analytics Supply Chain Design Software 156

ToolsGroup

MARCH 18, 2019

Therefore, traditional push-driven supply chains are wholly unfit for this situation. 1] Mohawk sought to profit from the resurgent demand for ‘ analog experiences ’ by owning the fine paper space and transforming its extended supply chain. They also cut inventory levels, grew sales and resolved capacity issues.

Supply Chain Planning Software 228

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning Agile and Lean Supply Chain 228

Enterra Insights

MARCH 8, 2018

“By the end of 2020,” asserts the editorial staff at Material Handling & Logistics (MH&L), “one-third of all manufacturing supply chains will be using analytics-driven cognitive capabilities, thus increasing cost efficiency by 10% and service performance by 5%.”[1] What does that mean?

Prescriptive Analytics Software 100

Prescriptive Analytics Software Analytics Software Predictive Analytics Gartner 100

ToolsGroup

JUNE 2, 2023

But then, supply chain disruption became the rule instead of the exception, consumers changed their tastes as often as their socks, and global competition started playing hardball. Supply chain is fickle. Once upon a time, the world of manufacturing was a relatively stable place. Let’s take a closer look.

Real-time Visibility 294

Real-time Visibility Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Inventory Reduction 294

ToolsGroup

AUGUST 29, 2017

Gartner measures supply chain analytics maturity across seven different dimensions. There are supply chain and demand analytics models that describe the type of analytics being deployed (e.g., Gartner reports a strong correlation between supply chain organizations that use analytics and improved business performance.

Modeling 189

Modeling Prescriptive Analytics Software Analytics Software Modeling Software 189

ToolsGroup

JANUARY 4, 2018

The annual Gartner Supply Chain Technology User Wants and Needs Study is one of the most comprehensive studies of supply chain users. But they suggest that technology outranks the other four factors in impact on supply chain maturity: Nearly all Stage 1 maturity supply chains are Stage 1 or Stage 2 users of technology.

Gartner 168

Gartner Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Study 168

ToolsGroup

SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

This foundation has been the basis for automated replenishment systems for many years, but like everything in supply chain today, it’s more complex than that, and the traditional replenishment approach has a lot of “noise” in how it’s calculated. The answer comes with being able to identify and track each causal effect.

Supply and Demand 24

Supply and Demand Demand Planning Software Forecasting Forecasting Software 24