[FR] APS software: do you need this tool?

Managing a company’s stock levels and supplies can sometimes be like betting on the future. How do you know whether your sales are going to continue as they are, or whether you’re going to run out of stock?

Thanks to APS software, you don’t need a crystal ball to ensure an optimal planning and supply process!

Find out here about the benefits of APS software, and the criteria for selecting yours.

What is APS software?

APS software, an acronym for Advanced Planning System, is advanced production planning software.

In practical terms, this production management software for logisticians makes it possible to monitor a company’s production capacities and resources in real time, so that decisions can be made about its manufacturing and supply processes.

APS software helps you to anticipate variations in your company’s performance, and to plan which resources to allocate to which locations. Ultimately, APS software helps you to optimise storage and the use of human resources throughout your supply chain.

In short, this software analyses your company’s current and potential profitability, to optimise the organisation of its logistics resources.

How does APS software work?

APS software is based on your company’s historical data (stock data, supplier constraints, lead times, etc.) and a forecasting algorithm.

Using these elements, it can then suggest ways of optimising production and/or stocks, based on current or future demand.

With APS software, you can also optimise your workload and supply planning, and generate useful alerts about the life of your stock (for example, in the event of a risk of overstocking or stock shortages).

What are the advantages of APS software?

If you are a logistics manager in charge of your company’s supply chain management, APS software can help you increase your productivity and profitability.

Some of the key benefits of APS software include

Optimisation of the entire supply chain, from production to the transport of goods, thanks to the analysis of tangible data.
Anticipating the future, by automating procurement and managing stock levels to avoid overstocking or stock-outs.
Improving the company’s responsiveness to fluctuations in demand, to improve the day-to-day management of operations.
Improving quality and service levels, by offering better product availability to your customers.
Reduced logistics costs thanks to better stock management, particularly in relation to the seasonal variations your company may face.

The result of all these advantages? With APS software, your competitiveness increases. An essential point in a world of ever-increasing competition!

Do you need APS software?

Not all companies need to acquire an Advanced Planning System to manage their supply chain.

You may need one if :

You experience significant fluctuations in demand, particularly as a result of seasonal variations.
You buy your products or raw materials from suppliers whose constraints are variable – for example, raw materials whose prices are subject to stock market fluctuations.

In both of these cases, given that your company is subject to external fluctuations, it may be worth forecasting these fluctuations and automating your procurement strategy, to optimise the resources you need to deploy.

However, it should be noted that integrating APS software into your logistics information system is a significant investment, the ROI of which you will only be able to measure if you really do have to make significant improvements to your supply chain.

How do you choose your APS software?

There are a number of APS software packages available on the logistics software market. To select the one that will help you optimise your strategy, you first need to find the one that has the features you need.

Check whether theAdvanced Planning System you are considering offers the following features:

Management of supply rules
Management of product life cycles
Management of seasonal constraints
Management of purchase prices for goods or raw materials
Management of product sales trends
Management of delivery dates
Management of safety stocks
Calculate your net and gross storage requirements
Automate supply management
Track stock movements

You should also check that the software is adapted to your sector of activity and its specific features, and that it is flexible and scalable. Your APS must be able to adapt to your company’s growth, and keep pace with the different stages in the life of your organisation.

You should also take a look at the hosting and data protection provided by the service provider who sells your software. It must be able to guarantee the security and confidentiality of your logistics data at all times, especially if it is SaaS software (i.e. hosted in the Cloud).

Ask yourself what level of technical support is included in your contract. Does your service provider take care of integrating your software into your company? Does it take care of software maintenance? Does it train your employees to use it?

Finally, if necessary, opt for APS software that can be integrated with your other logistics software (particularly your ERP or logistics WMS, if necessary).

It’s up to you: gain in productivity and profitability with an Advanced Planning System that simplifies your supply chain management and enables you to forecast the future with greater accuracy!