Blog – TPSynergy

Manufacturing Bottlenecks vs. Constraints

When talking about problems in the supply chain, manufacturing bottlenecks and constraints are often used interchangeably to indicate problems with in the manufacturing process. However, these two terms indicate very different issues and need to be addressed in different ways. Manufacturing Bottlenecks A bottleneck in manufacturing occurs when a sudden increase in production causes a necessary resource, such as a machine or personnel, to be overloaded. This leads to a wide variety of problems across the manufacturing process, including a [...]

June 10, 2019 By wp_admin Uncategorized 0 Comments

Extending ERP to the Supply Chain

ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is an in-house system that sits behind the company firewall which houses all the core data needed for the day to day operation of the company. In most supply chains, the data, external trading partners, and the data is outside of this firewall. This disconnect means all the vital data isn’t readily available when it’s needed.. Integrated Supply Chain and Visibility Connecting the in-house ERP system to the external supply chain creates the perfect integrated supply chain. [...]

April 29, 2019 By wp_admin Uncategorized 0 Comments

A Guide to Electronic Kanban (E-Kanban)

Problems With Traditional Inventory System (MRP) In a traditional inventory system, materials are restocked when inventory runs low. While this may work in an optimal situation, any minor errors can lead to massive delays and bottlenecks down the line. In addition, heavy reliance is placed on manual checking and reordering of inventory levels, which means that by switching to an electronic system, valuable employee time could be saved What is Kanban? Kanban is a Just in Time (JIT) concept where orders for [...]

April 22, 2019 By wp_admin Uncategorized 0 Comments

Handling High Order Volume Using EDI

As order volume increases, business need to work with more suppliers and vendors to meet their increasing demand. This is especially true today, when each supplier has their own unique data management system. Having to manually enter data that matches with each supplier is not only incredibly inefficient, but is also prone to errors due to typos, etc. How EDI Can Benefit Your Business Once businesses begin to grow, they have to deal with increasing numbers of proprietary data systems. [...]

April 15, 2019 By wp_admin Uncategorized 0 Comments

EDI Transaction Sets

An EDI transaction set is a standardized document that business use to communicate. Any EDI set needs to adhere to a set of rules, put in place by the ANSI X12. For example, EDI 810 is a set that covers invoices being sent and received. Using a Transaction Set To fully utilize an EDI transaction set, it has to be translated from computer code into human readable information. From here, the report is either sent to the company’s ERP system for [...]

April 15, 2019 By wp_admin Uncategorized 0 Comments

Why Companies Need a Vendor Portal

A vendor, or supplier portal, is an interface in which suppliers and other members of the supply chain can easily communicate between each other. A few of the benefits gained by introducing a vendor portal include: Broader Supplier Enablement A comprehensive portal enables suppliers to automate routine supply chain execution transactions including purchase orders, ship notices and commercial invoices. Although EDI (electronic data integration) can achieve many of the same effects, smaller businesses struggle to find the resources, budget and in-house expertise [...]

April 8, 2019 By wp_admin Uncategorized 0 Comments

Control Towers in a Supply Chain

In any supply chain, there are many moving parts that all need constant and rapid communication to ensure that the system is running smoothly. Warehouses, customers, transportation, and suppliers all need constant updates to factor for unexpected changes, and all information needs to be synced with the company’s ERP system. Problems Within the Supply Chain In a supply chain without a proper control tower, many problems can arise, including: Suppliers not receiving purchase orders Suppliers not receiving changes to order size [...]

April 1, 2019 By wp_admin Uncategorized 0 Comments

Collaboration Across the Supply Chain

In every aspect of a supply chain, there are areas of collaboration. It’s important to understand each type of collaboration, its use in the supply chain, and when a business needs to use it. Some common areas of collaboration include: Purchase Orders Shipments/Receipts Inventory/ Forecast Invoice/Payments Purchase Order Collaboration Some traits of businesses that need purchase order collaboration include: Companies with a small group of strategic suppliers, and where most items are single or dual sourced Companies that have frequent small volume purchase orders to the [...]

March 25, 2019 By wp_admin Uncategorized 0 Comments

Dropshipping with Large Suppliers

Many dropshippers now rely on an outdated network of emails and phone calls to manage their system and coordinate the delivery between suppliers and customers. While this system may work for the time being, there are a variety of benefits associated with switching to an electronic (EDI) system. In addition, in order to do businesses with many large suppliers, businesses need to be fully EDI complaint along a variety of formats. Large Suppliers Many large suppliers like Royal Canin, Grainger and [...]

March 18, 2019 By wp_admin Uncategorized 0 Comments

3PL/Warehouse Process in Supply Chain

In most supply chains, warehouses and 3pl (third party logistics) providers are an essential part in ensuring that products arrive on time and are accounted for properly. Many businesses today rely on paper documents to convey information to and from warehouses, which takes time and is prone to errors, both of which slow down your supply chain. However, modern technology allows businesses to use EDI messages, which come with a variety of benefits, including: Collaboration: Some benefits of having electronic data [...]

March 4, 2019 By wp_admin Uncategorized 0 Comments