Establishing an accurate, real-time “information supply chain” for greater agility and resilience
Supply chain management is about the flow of goods, from materials sourcing through component warehousing, shop floor production, and final shipping. The goal is streamlined efficiency.
Unfortunately, many manufacturers struggle to direct an equally smooth flow of real-time information to those responsible for proactively managing the supply chain. This can be especially problematic for mid-sized businesses, where complexity may be increasing faster than the budget and technical expertise available to tame it.
And that was before COVID-19, which transformed the supply chain field almost overnight. As the pandemic emerged, many companies relying on just-in-time (JIT) strategies experienced problems when links in their supply chain faltered. This happened at the same moment that customer behavior shifted radically, throwing most demand forecasts out the window as well.
Now, a function once dedicated almost exclusively to cost-savings—sourcing the cheapest materials, limiting inventories and accelerating products to consumers—is suddenly being tasked with boosting resilience against local, regional and global disruption. Supply chain managers are rapidly building in more buffers, partnering with an increasingly diverse selection of vendors, and readying operations to pivot on a dime.
Engineering Internal Information Flow with ERP Mobile Apps
Selecting and implementing a manufacturing ERP system like Epicor is a natural step forward in supply chain management. These powerful systems provide end-to-end visibility into the manufacturing process and facilitate better planning.
While their features are of great value, nearly all monolithic ERP software applications have the same downsides. Loaded with functionality, ERP systems aren’t terribly user-friendly. They’re fine for supply chain analysts who spend hours on them each day, but tougher for employees with other roles in the company.
What’s more, most manufacturing ERP applications run only on full PCs or have very limited mobile interfaces. They simply don’t offer the flexibility manufacturers need to efficiently digitize processes that happen in receiving docks, at warehouses and on the shop floor.
This is how manufacturers avidly embracing technology still find themselves piling up purchase order receipts, ticking off inventory counts on paper and managing quality assurance with written forms. And there’s generally a lot of walking around to shared kiosks to manually type in all of this information.
Fortunately, robust mobile ERP solutions can overcome these issues. A flexible ERP mobile platform can serve as a secure interface to access and update ERP data. Customizable, modular apps for smartphones, tablets and wearable devices can then deliver to each employee precisely the functionality they need, in a clear, easy-to-use format.
Using such tools on top of the ERP system, manufacturers can design an internal “information supply chain” that might look something like this:
For the team working the receiving dock, a purchase order tracker would allow instant data access related to all incoming materials.
For the warehouse, an app to issue materials would update inventory as it moves to production.
For production personnel, a tailored app would record each individual’s completed and scrap quantities by product or job.
For shipping department workers, another app would monitor available finished goods and their locations to facilitate pick-and-pack and update quantities.
Especially when barcode-enabled, these apps can reduce most data entry to a quick scan and a few screen taps. And since employees are recording information throughout the regular course of the workday, supply chain managers have access to up-to-the-minute data in the ERP.
That way, inventory shortages are recognized immediately and contingency plans can be put into effect. If a materials order is delayed, production planners can quickly revise the schedule to minimize downtime. Or if employee availability is affected by natural disaster or public health emergency, companies can update capacity estimates based on exactly what’s coming off the line.
Expanding Beyond Your Four Walls
With internal information flowing freely, manufacturers can turn attention outward to improve communications beyond their four walls.
Better data improves predictive power, so sourcing professionals are aware of potential shortfalls and can collaborate with suppliers in enough time to find a resolution. Even integrated barcoding opens doors to supplier partnerships to label materials for easier tracking. Similar advantages can be seen downstream with customers as well.
The key is to see the ERP system as the cornerstone of supply chain management but not the entire edifice. Radiating out from the central ERP application, a cluster of secure, mobile apps tailored to your manufacturing processes can capture real-time supply chain data and make the ERP even more valuable.
Fortunately, the development of a comprehensive library of mobile ERP apps can be accomplished in a staged manner, one process at a time. Have about two hours? You could take a piece of your information supply chain mobile right away. Here’s how.