Supply Chain Management (SCM) Features and Functions
Supply chain management (SCM) features and functions help coordinate the movement of products and services from suppliers to customers (including manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers). Typical SCM features and functions include supply chain optimization, supply chain event management, warehouse management, radio frequency identification (RFID), and transportation management. Many SCM systems also include features and functions for international trade and logistics, demand management. supplier relationship management, and service parts planning. To find the best SCM system for your business, it's important to understand which features and functions you need before you compare SCM solutions.
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Demand Management
If your business primarily needs forecasting, marketing, merchandising, simulating, and planning support, you will find vendors in the demand management knowledge base offer solutions focused on these issues.
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Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
A warehouse management system (WMS) should provide database and user-level tools in order for a company to optimize its storage facilities while at the same time providing user level task direction and activity support. The WMS should enable warehouse operators to optimize pick, put-away, and replenishment functions by employing powerful system logic to select the best locations and sequences.
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Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Evaluation Center covers criteria for tags and storage devices, readers, wireless hubs and servers, and the middleware necessary for evaluating an RFID system deployment. RFID systems are used in different situations that require the tracking of unique items. RFID tags, in the context of enterprise resource planning and supply chain management, make items visible from manufacturing through distribution. RFID tags may be used to carry basic information such as an address, to more complex information used at different stages of an assembly line.
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Transportation Management Systems
Transportation management systems should provide the basic components of a shared information system to support collaboration, rates, routes, roles, transaction sets, documents, and information exchanged to facilitate the booking, execution, and settlement of transportation movements.
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Supplier Relationship Management (SRM)
Criteria in this knowledge base pertain to managing supplier, manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, and customer business processes. Addressing demand management, warehouse management, international trade logistics, transportation execution, and many other issues for a complete solution, this knowledge base will support your evaluation of an SCM suite.
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Point of Sale (POS) Systems
A point of sale (POS) system helps retailers automate transactions. POS solutions are used in retail stores where sales associates must enter sales, refunds, layaways, transfers, etc. TEC's model of POS systems facilitates the selection process with research on vendors that support inventory management, register management, price management, transaction management, and other capabilities.
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Merchandising Systems
Merchandising systems are the enterprise back and front-office software solutions upon which the majority of retailers rely to manage and support their daily tasks. These systems typically record product performance, which allows buyers to purchase merchandise according to that information and to make accurate merchandise decisions. Moreover, retail systems have capabilities for tracking inventory, capturing sales data, and managing retail prices.
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ERP - Distribution
Enterprise resource planning (ERP)—distribution software is designed for companies in the distribution and logistics industries. Traditional distribution businesses focus on moving goods through a supply chain, and the distribution software market has developed products to meet these needs. The software solutions developed for ERP for distribution includes functionality for supply chain management (SCM), distribution process management (DPM), and retail and commerce.
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Supply Chain Management (SCM)
Criteria in this knowledge base pertain to managing supplier, manufacturer, wholesaler, retailer, and customer business processes. Addressing demand management, warehouse management, international trade logistics, transportation execution, and many other issues for a complete solution, this knowledge base will support your evaluation of an SCM suite.
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Software Evaluation Features and Functions
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