Inventory
Why is an online inventory management system better than using spreadsheets?
Excel sheets allow you to change data without any objectivity and using Excel sheets is prone to human errors. In addition, using Excel for forecasting and demand planning is labour intensive, doesn’t allow you to focus on the right things, and it’s therefore more difficult to achieve the perfect balance between working capital, operating costs and the optimal service level.
Why is an online inventory management system better than using ERP?
An ERP system is a generic system and not specialised in inventory management. Using an add-on allows you to use the ERP as a source for master data and transactional data, and the inventory management system can be used to do all the calculations from forecasting to purchaseing, leading to exactly the right amount of stock to service your customers.
Where is the Slim4 software based on?
Our vision is that you need to focus on exceptions, that’s why Slim4 is based on a “Management by Exceptions” philosophy. The system will tell you if there is an exception and if it is an urgent and/or important exception. In this way, you can focus on what’s really important.
Does Slim4 provide a dynamic calculation of safety stock?
To provide the desired service level for unexpected demand, the correct buffer (or safety stock) has to be calculated for every product. Slim4’s exceptional capabilities enable businesses to optimise their inventory through regularly:
- Differentiating service levels and buffer stock, and taking in to account the delivery times, optimal order quantities and ordering times
- Distinguishing between presentation stock, ring-fenced inventory and all other types of inventory
- Automatically optimising purchase orders for 1,000s of SKUs across all locations
- Optimise replenishment based upon dynamic MIN / MAX rules
- Responding to developments in local demand at both an article and location level
- Optimise Phase-in and Phase-out of items based upon product lifecycle management
Does Slim4 calculate the optimal order size?
Order sizes have a significant impact on both order and stock costs. Following the formula of Camp, Slim4 calculates the optimal order size based on the average demand, ordering costs, price and inventory costs, as well as several other factors:
- Order by box, pallet or to fill a truckload
- Optimised order quantities are driven by forecasts with seasonal influencers taken into account
Does Slim4 help to see what purchase order may be delayed and thus where the action is required?
By calculating optimal purchase orders, companies can increase their profitability. Once an order is placed at a supplier, it’s vital that the right amount is delivered on time. The order book management module within Slim4 is specifically developed to enable companies to know what purchase orders may be delayed and thus where the action is required. Slim4 supports businesses to achieve the following:
- Gain a clear overview of purchase orders with alerts
- Distinguish between different types of purchase orders
- Scheduling future purchase orders and proactively manages with interim change
Does Slim4 select the best supplier, with more sources as a purchasing option?
Often the same article can be ordered from different suppliers. Slim4 can automatically advise and select the most suitable supplier for each order. This saves businesses time and money, but also leads to increased availability.
- Deal with each supplier’s different price breaks, delivery times and order quantity restrictions
- Automatically selects the best supplier based on company-specific decision-making rules
Does Slim4 anticipate on special promotions from suppliers?
Some items are available on a seasonal basis during certain periods of the year. Additionally, suppliers periodically offer special promotions or temporary price reductions. Slim4 enables companies to take advantage of this by:
- Temporarily recalculating economic order quantities based on seasonal availability or price promotions
- Enabling analysis of special offers from specific suppliers
Can we work in the Cloud with Slim4?
Yes, Slim4 can be installed either in the cloud or on premise. This depends on your company’s preference.