Collaborative Inventory Management (i-Supply) Features
i-Supply optimizes inventory levels between buyers and suppliers by providing the visibility to minimize risk and disruptions, and improve predictability. Manufacturers can provide their suppliers with real-time visibility into component inventory level, including on-hand, forecast, usage, orders, shipments and receipts, as well as real-time notification exceptions.
- Inventory and Shipment Dashboards
Real-time summary views of inventory, shipping, receiving and related data. Filter, sort, and drill-down into forecast demand, supplier capacity, projected inventory, actual usage, authorization history, and critical inventory. Inventory at multiple facilities can be monitored from a single dashboard.
- Real-time Inventory Status
Quickly identify problems indicated by color-coded inventory status bars. View interactive forecast, usage, and projected inventory graphs.
- Multiple Inventory Replenishment Models
i-Supply supports both traditional inventory push models, as well as inventory pull models, such as Kanban, min-max, consumption-driven, schedule-driven and discrete order processes. Inventory is replenished automatically regardless of model, and intelligent agents with configurable formulas can support replenishment based on forecast demand or actual use. Users can also review, approve and audit changes.
- Supplier Performance Ratings
A comprehensive rating system covers multiple levels, including the plant and supplier’s facility, down to the level of part number or event detail.
- Lean Order Scheduling
Lean Order Scheduling determines whether delivery from suppliers is required, and if so, offers a suggested quantity. In the simplest case, i-Supply can notify a single supplier whether a single delivery for the day is required. For more complex cases, i-Supply can determine if multiple items from multiple suppliers are required.
- Shipping and Receiving
Detailed information regarding all promises, shipments in transit, ETAs, receipts and projected inventory levels are displayed, as well as complete shipping and receipt histories and discrepancies.
- Integration—Internally and With Partners
Open and consistent data interface is compatible with virtually any ERP or production system. Support for industry standard EDI message formats such as 830 (forecast) and 862 (shipping authorization) enable two-way electronic data transfer between buyer and supplier facilities.
- Web-based Architecture
User access from any Web browser. Interface with all trading partners through an array of inbound and outbound communication capabilities including EDI, XML, middleware technologies, or simple e-mail and fax alerts.
- Internationalization
i-Supply is used in 41 countries and is available in 11 languages, including Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), English, French, German, Korean, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Romanian and Spanish.
- Support
24×7 TradeBeam-managed EDI and application support. Experienced TradeBeam implementation support offers Business Process, Min-Max Strategy, and Messaging setup and training.
