In a context of globalization of trade and increasing instability of supply chains, respecting deadlines in the upstream supply chain has become a strategic issue.
Supply management must deal with increasingly complex flows, including multiple stakeholders, from production to final delivery, knowing that any difference in service rates can have repercussions on marketing capacity and therefore a direct financial impact.
e-SCM Solutions offers a robust digital solution designed to ensure detailed, real-time tracking of key dates in the upstream logistics process. Thanks to an intuitive interface and an intelligent calculation algorithm, the platform enables proactive lead time management and seamless coordination between suppliers, logistics services, freight forwarders, and warehouses.
Depending on the chosen incoterm (FOB, EXW, DDP, etc.), the expected date of receipt in the warehouse and the settings specific to each product universe, an e-SCM algorithm makes it possible to deduce the forecast dates of all the configured milestones and therefore define the critical milestones to follow.
From the expected date of receipt in the warehouse, a retroplanning is automatically calculated taking into account all intermediate deadlines such as pre-production checks, production, preparation of shipments, transport, customs clearance, warehouse reception, etc. Thus the established provisional schedule sets the deadlines to be followed daily by the different actors throughout the life cycle of the purchase order.
Real-time updates and dynamic adjustments
In daily operations, each milestone is tracked, and as soon as an unforeseen event impacts or threatens to impact the forecast schedule, an alert is generated. Any potential or observed delay results in a recalculation of the expected warehouse receipt date. Users, informed of the discrepancy between the expected and planned schedule, can take corrective measures to offset the impact.
This operation provides up-to-date visibility for all stakeholders in the chain, limiting the “domino effects” linked to unanticipated delays.
e-SCM therefore allows the management of critical stages of the flow from the placing of the purchase order with the supplier to the receipt of the products in the warehouse:
All these elements can be configured in e-SCM, which allows for a global and up-to-date view of the logistics planning.
The tool is based on so-called "exception-based" management. This means that the user is only informed of what is not normal or consistent with the forecast schedule. Thus, it focuses only on exceptions that automatically generate alerts in the event of:
Customizable dashboards allow each stakeholder (supplier, logistician, freight forwarder) to track their own milestones and thus focus on their priorities. They are able to react as quickly as possible to make decisions with anticipation based on reliable and traceable data.
According to a McKinsey study (source: McKinsey & Company, 2022), 80% of logistics delays in manufacturing companies are caused by poor synchronization of upstream flows, often linked to a lack of visibility on actual production, transport and reception dates.
In addition, the digitalization of logistics monitoring is now a key factor in resilience: companies capable of recalculating lead times in real time react twice as quickly to unforeseen events, significantly reducing supply disruptions.
In summary: the benefits of tracking dates with e-SCM
Do you want to make your deadlines more reliable and optimize your upstream supply chain?
Contact our experts now for a personalized e-SCM demonstration.
