SynQuest Inc. next week will begin shipping the latest upgrade to its namesake supply chain planning software.
SynQuest 7.0 addresses each phase in the supply chain planning process by enabling companies to address common business goals like profitability and customer service levels, across multiple functions like sourcing, manufacturing and logistics.
The upgrades Business Strategy Planning module allows companies to make strategic business decisions regarding their supply chains by modeling and assessing income, expense and balance sheets. The Profit Margin Planning module determines which sales and marketing and resource allocation plans will maximize the supply chains margin contribution, officials said.
Inbound Logistics Planning determines how to organize the flow of inbound materials from suppliers and into assembly operations. A Complex Order Planning component determines how to promise and coordinate orders across a multi-tiered or virtual supply network. Manufacturing Planning determines how to plan, execute and control orders in a real-time production environment, said officials, in Norcross, Ga.
A new feature termed Calibration has been added to the SynQuest suite. This enables companies to baseline their existing supply chain operational and financial performance to quantify and track optimization technology.
The new Contingency Planning feature, which also has been added to the suite, allows companies to react to disruptions or dramatics shifts in the supply chain.
SynQuest, which last year was rumored to be an acquisition target of Ariba Inc. , boasts customers the likes of HON Industries Inc., Hayward Pool Products Inc, Ford Motor Co. and Honda Express ltd.