Supply Chain Management Software: What is It and Why is It Important?

Quick Summary: Managing a supply chain can be complicated for businesses, involving numerous suppliers, manufacturers, and distributors. However, supply chain management software can help streamline the process and improve efficiency. This blog delves into the importance of SCM software, the different types available, cost considerations, and more. By the end of this read, you'll gain valuable insights for optimizing your supply chain and boosting performance.

An effective supply chain is the lifeblood of a flourishing business that ensures a smooth flow of goods. However, traditional supply chains that heavily depend on human resources are slow, time-consuming, and error-prone. Therefore, advanced software plays a critical role in supply chain management (SCM) today, ensuring seamless movement of products from manufacturing to distribution.

With the right supply chain software development services from a seasoned vendor, businesses can perform various tasks at a faster speed and store data digitally that is easy to access and process. The use of such software solutions is increasing in supply chain management at a great speed.

As per Statista, the global supply chain management software market size is expected to reach US$24.19 billion by 2028. Keep reading to dig deeper into the fundamentals of supply chain management software.

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A Quick Snap on Supply Chain Management, SCM Software, and More

Supply chain management refers to the process of moving goods, raw materials, and services from the first purchase to the final end-user. It involves synchronizing different operations, including procurement, production, warehousing, and distribution, to minimize disruptions and maximize efficiency. To make the best of SCM, modern businesses today use sophisticated software, either ready-made or customized.

SCM software is a tool that businesses use to optimize their supply chain operations. This platform enables organizations to efficiently manage stock levels, track the transportation of goods, coordinate with suppliers and factories, and centralize all the supply chain processes.

Supply chain management software development becomes crucial for any business for several reasons. Firstly, it helps companies to reduce their expenses by making operations more effective and minimizing waste. This can result in significant cost savings and increased revenue.

In addition, SCM improves visibility and control over the supply chain. It enables monitoring and tracking of the flow of goods and inventory levels and quickly responds to any disturbances or problems. This helps eliminate or reduce delayed production and, therefore, lessen the risk of stockouts, which is essential for buyers.

What Are the Different Types of Supply Chain Management Software?

Since the supply chain is the sum of various activities that turn raw materials into products and transport them to customers, there are various software used along the course. The following is a list of different software solutions used in supply chain management.

Inventory Management Software

IMS or Inventory Management Software is used to handle various aspects of inventory. The software helps to track inventory, handle sales, returns, orders, control stock levels, and more. Key features of the software are forecasting the demand, automated ordering of materials, tracking inventory, etc.

Order Management Software

Receiving and fulfilling orders is the primary function of order management. It involves accepting orders, processing orders, packing, generating invoices and labels, and after-sales service. An OMS (Order Management System) is a kind of software that is utilized to manage and fulfill orders. It comes with various features like tracking orders, passing entries, inventory management, analytics, and more.

Warehouse Management Software

Warehouse management software is a digital solution that businesses use to control and manage their storehouse operations. It automates inventory management, packing, shipping, and storage processes. The warehouse management system help companies maintain and optimize inbound and outbound stockroom operations.

Supplier Management Software

It’s a software platform that consolidates supplier data and tracks suppliers. This software solution helps organizations in their supplier relationship management strategy. It handles various aspects like processing invoices, managing vendor deliverables, and more in a quality and cost-effective way.

Transportation Management Software

Reliable transportation is vital for an efficient supply chain management system. It ensures smoother delivery of goods from their origin to destination. Organizations leverage robust transportation management system to efficiently manage and optimize their transportation operations, meeting the logistics requirement of their business. It refines routes and loads, tracks freight, automates time-consuming tasks, and more.

Enterprise Resource Planning

ERP software for supply chain management plays a critical role that enables organizations to manage all essential aspects of businesses. ERP is used to manage business activities like project management, procurement, compliance, and risk management, as well as other supply chain operations.

Demand Planning Software

This software is used in forecasting demand and enables organizations to optimize their inventory levels according to that demand. It analyzes historical data and demand trends to predict future demand.

Procurement Management Software

Finding the right suppliers is important for a robust supply chain. Procurement management software helps organizations streamline their procurement processes that involve searching, negotiating, contracting, and invoicing suppliers.

Logistics Management Systems

It is comprehensive software that is used to manage multiple dimensions in the supply chain. A logistic management system combines the power of an inventory management system, order processing, transportation, returns, and more.

Advantages of Supply Chain Management Software

The following benefits show the importance of supply chain management software for a business.

• SCM software helps businesses automate routine tasks and remove bottlenecks that increase operational efficiency.
• Organizations can have better control over different parts of their supply chain with a computer-based platform.
• Organizations have greater visibility of the supply chain with SCM software that enables them to respond quickly to any disruption.
• A supply chain management system software helps organizations minimize their costs with improved inventory management, payment tracking, and reduced waste.
• SCM software offers supply chain analytics to get real-time data about varied operations. It helps in monitoring and tracking activities for informed decision-making.
• With built-in compliance, supply management software eliminates the chances of human error in regulatory compliance.

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How to Choose a Suitable Supply Chain Management Software?

As all businesses are unique per se, so are their requirements and constraints. Therefore, supply chain management isn’t always the same for every business. Moreover, it becomes crucial to choose the best-suited software solution to get maximum ROI.

An organization has two methods to choose software for supply chain management: Off-the-shelf and custom software. Off-the-shelf software is one that is readily available in the market and can be deployed right away to get the relevant benefits. Such software is designed to cater to a large number of businesses in a specific domain.

Popular examples of off-the-shelf SCM software include NetSuite, SAP SCM, Netstock, Shippabo, and Oracle SCM. These are the best options for supply chain management software for small businesses and enterprises.

Nevertheless, most enterprises have bigger requirements, and they need tailor-made software to meet their needs. Off-the-shelf software offers a one-size-fits-all solution that doesn’t properly match an enterprise’s unique requirements. So, custom software development is what they rely on for creating a solution to meet their special needs.

Organizations can build custom solutions with supply chain software development services. You can find a reliable software development partner like Radixweb to develop scalable and standards-compliant supply chain management software.

The following are some benefits of building custom software for supply chain management:

• Fulfills all specific business needs with tailored functionalities.
• Fully compatible with your business operations and ecosystem.
• Full control of the software and easy to manage from the backend.
• Accessible from various devices and digital platforms.
• Highly scalable and flexible.

How Much Does Custom Supply Chain Management Software Development Cost?

The possible range for SCM software development cost in USD is $50,000 – $300,00. However, this is not the final estimation because the cost of supply chain management software can vary due to factors like complexity, features, type, and location of the development team. Developing custom software involves many aspects that can affect the cost. For example, if you need more customization, the cost will rise with every feature implemented additionally.

What The Future Holds for Supply Chain Management Software?

New advancements in supply chain management software are happening regularly, making them more efficient and powerful. The integration of machine learning and AI into supply chain management software enhances its capabilities. The software can learn user behavior and offer personalized experience. With regard to supply chain management, AI can analyze data and offer predictions that prevent disasters and improve processes.

IoT (Internet of Things) is another technological trend in supply chain management. It is a network of devices that exchange data with each other. The connection between these devices is known as IoT and they collect data via sensors, process it, and transfer it to other devices. This helps establish communication between devices to perform functions upon input from other devices.

Another advancement in supply chain management software is the use of cloud platforms. Today, businesses can get more scalable and flexible software by choosing cloud deployment. Cloud-based supply chain management software uses an optimized infrastructure that provides the best performance and features. Further, by opting for cloud-based software solutions, businesses can reduce costs as they can avoid expenses related to hardware management and maintenance.

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To Wrap UpSupply chain management software is essential for businesses to optimize their supply chain processes, making them smoother, long-lasting, and more profitable. The software not only helps reduce costs but also adjusts the processes to cater to the market's demands. Companies are recommended to analyze their current SCM methods and identify areas that can be optimized using software to take advantage of these benefits.You should explore the available options in the market or consider developing custom software tailored to your specific business needs. If you want to create custom solution for SCM, Radixweb is the ideal supply chain software development company for you. We have experience developing trailblazing software solutions for a wide range of businesses across the globe.Call us to discuss your needs and build the right software solution.