Companies angling to help retailers streamline supply chains and
bolster the bottom line announced a number of solutions yesterday
at the Retail Systems 2002 Conference in Chicago.
SAP announced new merchandise management, planning, and forecasting
functionality for its mySAP Retail technology. Syncra Systems and
Manhattan Associates also unveiled supply chain technology tailored
for the retail industry.
The enhancements to mySAP Retail aim to enhance the core
merchandising functionality to improve inventory management,
allocation, planning, and pricing optimisation, said Hunter Harris,
vice-president of retail business development at SAP.
"We're offering solutions that allow the retail industry to solve a
very immediate need with a rapid ROI," Harris said. "Stores may
need to change data, merchandisers may need to change data [or]
when prices change or the replenishment process changes, all of
that can be done very fast."
In addition, the new functionality is designed to allow retailers
to fully integrate the planning activities within the overall
inventory management process.
Retailers understand the difference that an effective IT strategy
can make in improving their operating performance and are embracing
solutions that offer robust core merchandise management and
planning functionality, said Andrew White, research director at
Gartner.
Vendors who can offer sophisticated inventory management and
merchandising capabilities are helping retailers boost operating
efficiencies and IT ROI, he added.
In related news, SAP announced a new modular forecasting and
replenishment solution designed to allow retailers improve on-shelf
availability, reduce inventory, and optimise the supply chain.
The solution, which will be embedded in mySAP Retail, pairs SAP's
business application development with SAP's automated forecasting
technology.
Syncra Systems rolled out the next generation of its supply-chain
visibility and collaborative platform.
Syncra XtTM Version 4.0. offers improvements in both scalability
and core functionality designed to support large-scale deployment,
according to company officials.
It includes a multi-dimensional, ad hoc analysis and reporting tool
and exception management capabilities. Version 4.0 also integrates
Syncra's replenishment planning and demand modules to provide
collaborative order planning and demand forecasting.
Hayes Shimp, manager of sales technology and e-commerce at
Georgia-Pacific, said the enhancements will help his company as it
rolls out the solution to more of its retailers' trading partners
by speeding up the collaborative process.
Finally, Manhattan Associates introduced PkMS, the latest version
of its supply-chain execution system designed to provide even
greater control to those companies who rely on the technology to
manage distribution centres.
PkMS will also allow organisations to improve collaboration with
their partners and customers through tighter integration with
complementary enterprise applications, company officials
said.
Major enhancements include an improved yard management system to
allow distribution centres to expand inventory tracking beyond the
centre.