Supply Chain Collaboration Software
MetaCX is a multi-stakeholder platform that enables organizations to build value networks that align internal and external stakeholders across the supply chain on shared initiatives.
MetaCX is a multi-stakeholder platform that enables organizations to build value networks that align internal and external stakeholders across the supply chain on shared initiatives.
Strategy execution is difficult. To be successful, organizations must align various functional areas as well as work collaboratively with the external supply chain. Capitalizing on the value each internal and external stakeholder contributes to further strategic initiatives is crucial, yet many organizations do not have a framework to support the holistic, value-driven collaboration needed to succeed.
The reason for the disconnect is complex and multifaceted, but one of the main drivers comes down to ineffective technology. For decades, enterprise software has been built to manage the workflows of a single department resulting in disconnected, siloed systems that get in the way of creating the alignment needed across many stakeholders to create value. That is until MetaCX.
Onboarding a new vendor or supply chain partner requires several time-consuming steps. For this reason, it’s imperative to ensure that the vendor delivers the value that you are looking for throughout the course of the partnership. Unfortunately, this rarely happens in enterprise business. That’s where supply chain collaboration software can help.
What is supply chain collaboration software?
It is a growing solution that allows organizations to effectively collaborate with their suppliers upstream and customers downstream. Suppliers and buyers can establish goals, share information, and craft action plans within the software to keep everyone on the same page.
Above all else, the purpose of supply chain collaboration software is to track the desired outcomes of the partnership. The technology improves communication and alignment between partners and facilitates improved collaboration that ensures better supply chain performance.
Why is supply chain collaboration important? There are many key benefits of supply chain collaboration including:
A subset of supply chain collaboration software is supply chain visibility software. Supply chain visibility technology serves as a central hub for all key stakeholders in a specific value chain. All users can connect to review and exchange information. Additionally, real-time supply chain visibility provides the opportunity for supply chain players to remedy any issues that may cause slow downs or interrupt value delivery.
Value chain transparency is vital for achieving an optimized supply chain. It’s also crucial for high environmental and ethical standards. By helping partners quickly share data and ensure transparency, supply chain visibility software can help you improve several aspects of your business.
The supply chain visibility market often overlaps with collaboration software, but it is not quite the same. The purpose of visibility software is to define and monitor the processes you want to improve. You must outline an actionable solution—for instance, reduce excess inventory in 8 months. The next step is to connect systems, allowing you to access all of your data at once from a central location. Supply chain visibility software automatically integrates all of the technology involved in your supply chain.
Once the software integrates your value chain systems, you can instrument any application, system, or digital endpoint and surface insights from these sources as a means to monitor value creation and delivery. Many supply chain visibility technology options automatically create visual reports.
With newfound visibility, underlying issues in your supply chain are easy to spot and you can make the appropriate changes. These changes may involve communicating with your suppliers.
The supply chain visibility software market size continues to grow. You can use supply chain visibility software without the collaboration aspect, however, the best supply chain collaboration tools include supply chain visibility technology to ensure the most effective collaboration possible. Ultimately, the supply chain visibility software market greatly overlaps with the audience looking for value chain collaboration. For this reason, the best tools include visibility and collaboration capabilities.
There are several different types of collaboration in supply chain management. Here are a few capabilities to keep in mind as you search for the perfect solution.
There are many different value chain software options on the market. Here are some supply chain collaboration examples:
SAP digital supply chain software is a customer-centric product aimed to help you bring products to market faster and for less. It includes a wealth of SAP supply chain features including product lifestyle management, product profitability management, collaborative supply chain network, inventory optimization, and more. They also offer the SAP learning hub, which can help team members gain the necessary SAP software skills they need to leverage the supply chain software.
More specifically, Ariba is a well-known supply chain management solution from SAP. The SAP Ariba overview highlights include:
FourKites is a global supply chain visibility platform that many brands use. They track over 2 million shipments daily and ensure real-time visibility in your value chain. FourKites provides real-time shipment updates and seamless collaboration.
The top features of FourKites include:
Project44 is another software option for increasing visibility and communication along the value chain. Their goal is to provide seamless supply chain collaboration at every touchpoint. Project44 automates key processes to increase collaboration and performance. Enjoy an easy-to-use format for viewing automated actionable data while also counting on their excellent standards of data privacy.
MetaCX brings suppliers and buyers together to align on expected value and track value realization over time. As the next generation of enterprise software, it was created to serve both sides of the partnership. MetaCX helps you optimize the entire value chain by connecting vendors, buyers, partners, and entire teams in a shared system of record for value creation.
Since Supply Chain Collaboration Ariba is one of the most well-known platforms for value chain collaboration, it’s worth taking a more in-depth look at the Ariba meaning to see if it’s the right tool for you.
Let’s dive deeper into the pros and cons of this solution as well as a great alternative many companies are not aware of.
Benefits
Disadvantages
While Ariba is a well-known supply chain collaboration tool, it is far from the only option. One of the best alternatives to Ariba is MetaCX. Much like Ariba, MetaCX aims to enhance supplier/buyer relationships via digital collaboration.
Within MetaCX, collaboration is facilitated through co-owned digital spaces where two or more companies can come together to define and collaborate on desired business outcomes. Everyone invited into the shared space has equal opportunity to create, edit, and track the goals, milestones, metrics, and action plans necessary to unlock the full potential of the relationship.
To track the desired outcomes documented in the shared space, MetaCX provides a real-time data integration layer that allows buyers and suppliers to instrument any application, system, or digital endpoint and to surface insights from these sources as indicators of health and progress of the relationship.
How You Benefit