Microsoft has been a pioneer in the ERP space, having come a long way in the past two decades. What began as Dynamics GP soon transformed into NAV, AX, and then the very popular Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations. Keeping up with the pace of change has always been a core prerogative for Microsoft. Hence, the company has now split Dynamics 365 for Finance and Operations into two new applications—Dynamics 365 Finance and Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management. Both these platforms provide organizations with flexibility in terms of new and improved capabilities as and when they need them.
What is Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management?
Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management is a software solution that assists businesses in managing their operations. As the manufacturing landscape becomes increasingly complex, Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management empowers organizations to build an extremely agile, connected, and resilient supply chain. With several AI and IoT-enabled features that help streamline planning, production, inventory, warehouse, and transportation, Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management aids in maximizing operational efficiency and enhancing product quality and profitability. With Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, organizations can:
- Improve workforce performance, efficiency, and safety through intelligent guidance and recommendations.
- Proactively detect and resolve issues and increase product quality and yield.
- Gain end-to-end visibility into warehouse operations and optimize supply chain efficiency.
- Efficiently manage capacity and consumption of raw materials and improve overall equipment effectiveness.
Key Features of Dynamics 365 for Supply Chain
Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management delivers a gamut of new and improved features that help organizations enhance manufacturing operations, modernize warehouse management, optimize production performance, streamline the supply chain, and maximize the life of assets. Let’s look at some of its unique capabilities:
1. In-Built AI, ML, and IoT
Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management is built using several cutting-edge technologies, such as IoT, AI, and machine learning, enabling organizations to build connected factories and drive smarter operations. This also helps proactively manage shop floor and equipment operations while boosting uptime, throughput, and quality.
2. Automation Capabilities
Using Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management, organizations can drive automation across all their discrete, lean, process, and mixed-mode manufacturing processes. They can scale warehouse management to optimize the use of space, from stockrooms to distribution centers. They can also automate field service operations and reduce downtime of critical assets by having the right resources available for maintenance at the right place at the right time.
3. Low Downtime
The Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management algorithm keeps users updated on sales activity, stock levels, and potential sales opportunities. Real-time data management ensures users stay informed, empowering data-driven decisions. With its Intelligent Distributed Order Management feature, it helps organizations turn order fulfillment into a competitive advantage.
4. Predictive Insights
Using Dynamics 365’s predictive insights, organizations can identify potential equipment issues before they occur and avoid costly maintenance costs. This aids in improving product quality and customer satisfaction in the long run.
5. Planning Optimization Add-In
Using the Planning Optimization add-in, manufacturers can carry out production planning in real-time while accounting for changes in customer demand, material availability, and capacity constraints across different sites and warehouses. The add-in also help inventory management and rightsizes inventory levels based on changing customer demand and capacity constraints, ultimately improving cash flow.
6. Field Service Integration
Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management comes integrated with Dynamics 365 Field Service, allowing organizations to automate and improve resource management across any workload. They can also seamlessly track and manage their workforce, machines, and tools, and drive higher levels of field service efficiency.
7. Power BI Analytics
Embedded Power BI analytics empowers organizations to speed up inbound and outbound processes such as put-away and pick-pack-ship. They can enable mixed-mode manufacturing such as make-to-stock, make-to-order, and configure-to-order. Power BI also delivers real-time intelligence into the heart of warehouses as well as end-to-end visibility into inventory, receiving, picking, and shipping operations.
8. Asset Management Add-In
The asset management add-in enables organizations to plan, predict, and proactively perform various types of maintenance. This includes predictive, corrective, condition, and preventive maintenance, helping manufacturers extend the life and performance of their equipment.
Drive Intelligent Manufacturing Operations with Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management
In a world where manufacturers are struggling with a gamut of operational challenges, Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management helps automate and streamline the supply chain, improve workforce efficiency and productivity, and improve cash flow. Built using IoT and machine learning-based technologies, it helps modern manufacturers achieve visibility into processes, maximize the life of assets, and enhance the movement of finished goods.
