SAP

SAP SCM Functionalities like Demand Planning, Supply Network Planning, Production Planning & detailed scheduling and Global Available to promise have been around for quite some time now. These  functionalities have matured over  years, there is a large implementation base, and currently  the incremental functionality changes in these modules with each product release is limited.  Rather,  there is a focus now on additional modules and functionality in SAP SCM like EWM, TM, SNC which needed some catch up with the competing best of the breed modules in market. 

There are sessions this year on Extended warehouse management  (EWM) and Transportation Management (TM) customer implementations, in case you are looking to learn from completed implementations. EWM is the module in SAP SCM for decentralized warehouse management and provide additional capabilites like complex crossdocking, detailed packaging & shipping, 3PL services etc. SAP TM is the end to end solution for transportation process like Order Management, Planning & Optimization, Transportation Execution, Freight Cost Management, Carrier Collaboration etc. Supply network collaboration (SNC) is another module within SAP SCM which has seen a lot of product functionality enhancements in recent past, especially in the supplier collaboration scenarios. There some SNC sessions including ASUG influence council discussion that you can use to learn more at the event.

Personally speaking, I am looking forward to hear about customer experiences on Inventory Optimization and Supply Chain Response Management solutions. Smart ops Inventory optimization, which enables Multi Echelon Inventory Optimization,  has been around for a while  but SAP Supply Chain Response Management is a new solution extension that enables what-if analysis, and last minute adjustments to the demand and supply plans. Sales & Operations Planning is an area where customers have hoped for more than on offer from SAP and this is again something that I would be looking out  at the event.

What is it that you as a Supply Chain Practitioners are looking for at the event ? I would love to hear from you while I will continue my posts on Sapphire next week and during Sapphire.