Share via

Resilient supply chains

Microsoft for Manufacturing helps customers build resilient, sustainable supply chains with data-driven planning tools that connect demand, supply, production, inventory, and transportation data with sales, marketing, operations, and finance.

Warehouse operations are evolving through the adoption of innovative, autonomous solutions that help optimize inventory allocation and support reliable fulfillment. By bringing together supply chain, customer, and market data, organizations can develop predictive and prescriptive planning models that improve decision-making and responsiveness. This always-on supply chain intelligence enables businesses to act quickly, minimize disruptions, and maintain smooth operations.

Manufacturers boost customer satisfaction with warehouse automation and intelligent fulfillment while tracking and reducing their carbon footprint.

The following scenarios offer a set of solutions that help manufacturers build resilient supply chains.

Unlock supply chain intelligence

In today's complex and interconnected global supply chain, the need for end-to-end supply chain visibility and risk management has never been greater. Organizations must be able to quickly predict, identify, and mitigate supply chain disruptions, such as natural disasters, geopolitical events, and pandemics, to ensure continuity of operations and maintain customer satisfaction. Supply chain intelligence solutions provide real-time monitoring and analysis of supply chain data. They help organizations identify potential risks, generate actionable insights with machine learning and artificial intelligence, manage risks and compliance, and take proactive steps to mitigate them. With these solutions, organizations can optimize their supply chain operations, reduce costs, and improve overall business performance.

The top supply chain intelligence use cases supported by Microsoft include:

  • Supply chain orchestration is the coordination and management of end-to-end processes within a supply chain, aimed at optimizing efficiency, enhancing visibility, and driving better decision-making.
  • Track and trace supports end-to-end tracking of goods and materials across the supply chain, enabling real-time visibility, risk mitigation, and faster time to market.
  • Risk management provides a systematic approach to digital supplier performance management, enhancing resilience and ensuring business continuity.

The key Microsoft technologies that support supply chain intelligence use cases are:

Microsoft AppSource also hosts a rich ecosystem of ISVs that specialize in supply chain intelligence.

Leverage predictive and prescriptive planning

Without accurate forecasts and effective planning strategies, manufacturers risk overproduction, excess inventory, and costly supply chain disruptions. In today's fast-paced global market, manufacturers need real-time data and analytics to make informed decisions and optimize operations. Using machine learning, predictive analytics, and real-time data, manufacturers accurately forecast demand, plan production, and optimize inventory to reduce costs, improve delivery performance, and increase customer satisfaction.

Effective predictive and prescriptive planning solutions let manufacturers use supply chain, customer, and market data to build demand-forecasting models and optimize supply planning. They can generate optimized plans for demand, supply, procurement, inventory, and production from a consensus demand plan shaped through sales, finance, and product supply teams. Manufacturers also continuously optimize inventory levels to fulfill customer orders and keep stock in the right place at the right time.

The top predictive and prescriptive planning use cases supported by Microsoft include:

  • Demand Planning uses historical data and predictive analytics to estimate demand for a product or service in a future period, enabling manufacturers to optimize inventory levels and reduce lead times.
  • Inventory Optimization uses advanced analytics to analyze historical production data, demand, and supply chain dynamics to optimize production planning, reduce waste and downtime, and increase operational efficiency.
  • Integrated Business Planning aligns supply and demand at both the operational and strategic levels, facilitating cross-functional collaboration, more accurate forecasting, and more optimal inventory levels.

The key Microsoft technologies that support predictive and prescriptive planning use cases are:

The following partner solutions certified for Microsoft for Manufacturing support the predictive and prescriptive planning use cases described earlier and are available on Microsoft AppSource:

These solutions are certified with the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program and meet the Microsoft standards of data accessibility specific to the manufacturing industry. To learn more about the Microsoft for Manufacturing certified partner solutions and the Microsoft AI Cloud Partner Program, see Appendix: Certified partner solutions for Microsoft for Manufacturing.

Can't find your solution? Go to Microsoft AppSource for a full list of ISV solutions.

Enhance autonomous warehousing and logistics 

As manufacturers face increasing demand for faster delivery times, they need efficient autonomous warehousing and logistics  solutions to keep up with customer expectations. Digital warehousing solutions provide a safe, secure storage environment for raw materials, work in progress, and finished goods. Fulfillment solutions enable timely delivery of products to customers. To achieve operational excellence, manufacturers need real-time visibility into their inventory levels, order status, and delivery performance, as well as the ability to track and manage their supply chain partners.

The top autonomous warehousing and logistics use cases supported by Microsoft include:

  • Warehousing, Fulfillment and Automation uses automation, robotics, and control systems to drive efficiency and accuracy, and to optimize order fulfillment through smart logistics that reduce costs and improve customer service.
  • Supply Chain Sustainability uses digital twins for sustainability to optimize carbon footprint.

The key Microsoft technologies that support autonomous warehousing and logistics are:

Microsoft AppSource also hosts a rich ecosystem of ISVs that specialize in supply chain autonomous warehousing and logistics.