ERP solutions for supply chain management can give small businesses complete visibility of their operations no matter where activities take place. Using a system like Microsoft Dynamics NAV allows companies to monitor their supply chain as inventory movement occurs in the warehouse and on the road.

Cloud-deployed mobile ERP systems are ideal for warehouse workers who can’t sit down at a desk. If a company uses voice controlled add-ons or other wearable solutions, it’s even more convenient. As fleets make deliveries or bring in shipments from suppliers, they can see the same data as inventory managers to protect against mistakes and plan the most effective tasks. Here are other advantages ERP solutions can deliver and supply chain risks they can avoid:

The benefits of ERP software
Allowing each employee, location and business task to operate with the same source of information creates a sense of consistency necessary to ensure the entire business moves forward together. Supply chain management is often a matter of distributing available resources evenly while providing special adjustments for stores with high demand or warehouses facing unique challenges.

The Loyalty360 blog detailed how the Dollar Store implemented ERP solutions to make sure each of its 3,100 locations had the inventory necessary to satisfy customer demand. After the ERP integration into its usual supply chain activities, sales for the retailer increased by 7.7 percent with a same-store rise of 2.8 percent. The company said a primary driver of success was the business intelligence provided by its new ERP system allowed for accurate demand forecasting.

Advanced BI is just one of the features offered by the latest version of Microsoft Dynamics NAV. The Microsoft Dynamics information resource listed flexibility, scalability and automation as some of the most popular attributes of its ERP solutions. Users can simplify order creations with templates and workflows, accurate inventory counts allow for lean stock levels, communication features help with supply partnerships and automated functionality eliminates busy work from warehouse employees’ daily tasks.

Overcoming supply chain obstacles
Bad weather can stop shipments, closed roads prevent deliveries and miscommunications lead to redundant inventories. Mistakes and risks in the supply chain are not just costly, they can bring business to a standstill. Supply Chain Management Review said companies that manage supply chains need ERP solutions to properly create contingencies and allocate emergency resources.

With the right data and BI features, businesses can map risks by referencing historical data and current information. Managers should create projections and alternative plans easy to pull up through cloud-deployed ERP solutions. Mobile technology allows every user to check for back up plans when problems occur.

When things go wrong – and Murphy’s law says they eventually will – supply chain traceability prevents errors from spiraling out of control. If companies use ERP solutions to track product movements and supervise warehouse and shipping activities, they stand a better chance of spotting problems before they reach consumers. Should a bad product make it to market, data oversight allows businesses to communicate exact details to regulators and the media to show how resolution activities will fix the mistake and prevent it from happening again.

ERP implementation in a mobile environment
Truck drivers on the road need mobile solutions to check on order details and report delivery progress. Supply Chain 24/7 suggested accessing ERP solutions through smartphones or other convenient computing technology improves operations in an effective and cost-efficient way.

Add-ons that integrate with Microsoft Dynamics NAV allow supply chain employees to scan packaging, take electronic signatures and print receipts. When third-party solutions work with a centralized ERP system, it helps businesses track activities and update supply chain plans based on real-time data. This is better than just guessing what’s happening on the road.