Supply Chain Consultants debuts performance management module to provide daily view of supply chain, early warnings of potential hiccups
Wilmington, DE — May 8, 2006 — Solution provider Supply Chain Consultants (SCC) has debuted performance management software designed to provide managers with a daily view of an organization's supply chain using detailed metrics for demand, supply and financial performance.
Zemeter said its Performance Management module builds on SCC's Zemeter software to create a tool that gathers and monitors data within a supply chain, while also analyzing the reasons for monitoring the data and determining what actions can be taken in response to the measurement.
Performance Management uses a dashboard manager to track metrics and key performance indicators that can help identify imbalances and trends in the supply chain, allowing managers to make adjustments before a problem develops, according to SCC.
Early Warnings
Early Warning Indicators in Zemeter Performance Management signal an alert on the dashboard when metrics or key performance indicators move outside of defined limits. Users can select from a number of predefined metrics or define unique key performance indicators that can be easily adapted as business conditions change. Each metric provides the ability to drill down to additional detail and see trends over time.
For example, if an organization historically needs to open or ship approximately 70 percent of orders by a specific day each month in order to make the monthly forecast, the Early Warning Indicator alerts a manager if orders fall below the acceptable range at 52 percent. Graphs can be generated to compare how shipments and open orders historically track to how they are currently tracking.
These data can tie into the organization's sales and operations planning (S&OP) process. The S&OP process can direct the sales force to identify reasons for the slow order rate and proactively address any concerns before they become a problem. By isolating the cause early, corrective measures can be implemented that can help keep the organization's financial goals on track.
Checking the Supply Chain's Health
Performance Management can also produce data used to determine regional shipping performance. A drilldown button displays the forecast by region, along with the actual and expected forecast percentage for the date of the report. Using further drilldown, the region's product family, with accompanying forecast and percentages, can be examined to determine the specific region, products and customers that are below forecast for the month.
"The Zemeter Performance Management module addresses the need for an out-of-the-box tool that provides a daily, comprehensive view of a supply chain's health, while enabling the entire company to use the same set of measurements to track results," said Sujit Singh, vice president of supply chain solutions for SCC. "With the use of Early Warning Indicators and detailed, yet easily accessible, reporting features, Zemeter Performance Management provides a window into the present to help companies control the future of their business."
Zemeter Performance Management is available immediately, with pricing starting at $20,,000 depending on size of the organization and number of users.
Additional Articles of Interest
— Supply chain executives are discovering new ways to apply technology and innovative processes to the challenge of managing uncertainty. Read more in "Rethinking Risk," cover story in the August/September 2005 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive.
— Developing business continuity strategies and embedding business continuity processes into an organization's procurement process can enhance the organization's ability to actively assess and monitor vendor capabilities. To learn more, read "Integrating Business Continuity Criteria into Your Supply Chain," only on SDCExec.com.
Wilmington, DE — May 8, 2006 — Solution provider Supply Chain Consultants (SCC) has debuted performance management software designed to provide managers with a daily view of an organization's supply chain using detailed metrics for demand, supply and financial performance.
Zemeter said its Performance Management module builds on SCC's Zemeter software to create a tool that gathers and monitors data within a supply chain, while also analyzing the reasons for monitoring the data and determining what actions can be taken in response to the measurement.
Performance Management uses a dashboard manager to track metrics and key performance indicators that can help identify imbalances and trends in the supply chain, allowing managers to make adjustments before a problem develops, according to SCC.
Early Warnings
Early Warning Indicators in Zemeter Performance Management signal an alert on the dashboard when metrics or key performance indicators move outside of defined limits. Users can select from a number of predefined metrics or define unique key performance indicators that can be easily adapted as business conditions change. Each metric provides the ability to drill down to additional detail and see trends over time.
For example, if an organization historically needs to open or ship approximately 70 percent of orders by a specific day each month in order to make the monthly forecast, the Early Warning Indicator alerts a manager if orders fall below the acceptable range at 52 percent. Graphs can be generated to compare how shipments and open orders historically track to how they are currently tracking.
These data can tie into the organization's sales and operations planning (S&OP) process. The S&OP process can direct the sales force to identify reasons for the slow order rate and proactively address any concerns before they become a problem. By isolating the cause early, corrective measures can be implemented that can help keep the organization's financial goals on track.
Checking the Supply Chain's Health
Performance Management can also produce data used to determine regional shipping performance. A drilldown button displays the forecast by region, along with the actual and expected forecast percentage for the date of the report. Using further drilldown, the region's product family, with accompanying forecast and percentages, can be examined to determine the specific region, products and customers that are below forecast for the month.
"The Zemeter Performance Management module addresses the need for an out-of-the-box tool that provides a daily, comprehensive view of a supply chain's health, while enabling the entire company to use the same set of measurements to track results," said Sujit Singh, vice president of supply chain solutions for SCC. "With the use of Early Warning Indicators and detailed, yet easily accessible, reporting features, Zemeter Performance Management provides a window into the present to help companies control the future of their business."
Zemeter Performance Management is available immediately, with pricing starting at $20,,000 depending on size of the organization and number of users.
Additional Articles of Interest
— Supply chain executives are discovering new ways to apply technology and innovative processes to the challenge of managing uncertainty. Read more in "Rethinking Risk," cover story in the August/September 2005 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive.
— Developing business continuity strategies and embedding business continuity processes into an organization's procurement process can enhance the organization's ability to actively assess and monitor vendor capabilities. To learn more, read "Integrating Business Continuity Criteria into Your Supply Chain," only on SDCExec.com.
- More articles about Supply Chain Consultants.
