ERP Technology Helps Green Your Supply Chain

Want to trim your organization's greenhouse gas2. Follow the paper trail to green success
(GHG) emissions? Perhaps you're simply interested inReducing your organization's reliance on paper is good
cutting fuel use to boost your bottom line. Eitherfor the environment. Paper-centric organizations are
way, good supply chain practices make smartalso less efficient, more prone to errors and have
business sense. And enterprise resource planningslower decision-making cycles. Good ERP software
(ERP) software can help you accomplish your goals -minimizes traditional paper trails and drives better
whether your mission is to go green or keep thecross-functional visibility for improved decision making
green flowing to your bottom line.at all organizational levels. ERP solutions can eliminate
ERP software is the technology of choice for millionsthe need for paper reports, sales orders, purchase
of organizations interested in streamlining theirorders, picking slips, invoices, shipping and
processes for better efficiency and profitability. Alongconfirmation notices, and other business documents.
the way, companies are realizing that ERP featuresPaperless business is less expensive, more efficient
can help accomplish green goals like reducing CO2and gives everyone the ability to access all the
emissions and landfill waste.information they need with a click of a mouse.
Good ERP distribution solutions are naturally "green"3. Tap green warehouse features to reduce packing
because they are designed to streamline businesswaste and improve worker productivity
processes beginning on the supplier floor and endingSome ERP solutions allow workers to combine orders
with order delivery to the customer. In betweenduring a pre-cartonization process that helps
those two points, some of the best ERP solutionsemployees build a better box - literally. Dynamic ERP
help distributors burn less fuel, and the dollars that gosoftware analyzes product dimensions against
with it.available carton sizes, then instructs employees on
Some ERP solutions offer sophisticated shipping andthe most efficient packing method. Pre-cartonization
containerization features that allow distributors totakes the guess work out of the pick-and-pack
combine purchase orders for more efficient cargofunction to improve employee efficiency, reduce the
planning. Other functions include warehousing tools toamount of landfill-clogging materials that end as
help employees use less landfill-clogging packingwaste, cut down on the number of cartons used and
materials, and fewer boxes, to ship orders. Still morereduce shipping costs.
features contained in retailer compliance modules help4. Use ERP to reduce retailer chargebacks and your
streamline data sharing, including advanced shipcarbon footprint
notices (ASNs), through electronic data interchangeRetailer compliance issues are painful enough on
(EDI), and warehouse processes through wirelessemployees and your bottom line. But chargebacks
devices and radio frequency identification (RFID), toleave a legacy of another kind - a bigger carbon
improve business accuracy while reducing the needfootprint due to product returns and re-ships and a
for traditional paper documents.red footprint on your P&L. The right ERP
And then there is sales. Consumers are increasingsolution can help you manage complex retail
their demand for green products, and retailers arecompliance issues. When you use ERP to automate
beginning to follow the trend. Deciding to take acompliance processes, you minimize unnecessary
position ahead of the curve, rather than playingreturns, while enabling the capture, validation, dispute
catch-up, could lead to higher sales and higher profits.and recovery of chargebacks to reduce the drain on
Ready to learn more? Follow these five steps toyour bottom line. Adding Wireless Warehouse EDI
sustainable ERP success and create your own greenand RFID to your ERP system gives you a
legacy:completely automated, paper-free process that
1. Use DRP to reduce fuel costs and CO2 emissionsimproves accuracy, productivity and the bottom line.
More efficient fuel strategies start with excellent5. Use ERP to improve reporting features, drive
forecasting and planning tools that allow distributorsintelligence and reduce paper waste
to optimize purchase orders for full-containerERP software allows distributors to integrate data
shipments. Without flexible vessel management tools,throughout the enterprise, producing detailed reports
distributors pay a high price for shipping partialfor better business intelligence and decision making.
container loads. Better demand planning thatThe best ERP solutions give distributors user-friendly
incorporates real-time visibility into point of sale (POS)tools and deep database mining capabilities to
data saves fuel too. That's because flexibleproduce, store and retrieve business information
organizations can react faster to changing demandwhen and how they need it. Reliable reporting
and plan better for the optimal shipment of goods.functions also eliminate the need to print paper
The more nimble your supply chain and the morereports and palletize and store reams of hardcopy
integrated and sophisticated your DRP, the less likelyoutputs, further reducing costs and minimizing paper
you'll be hit with rush orders and costly air freightwaste.
charges. Other fuel-saving strategies begin with smartIn short, successful ERP implementation is good for
route management solutions for the optimal deliverythe environment, good for business and good for the
of goods to retail trading partners. ERP solutions thatbottom line. Greening the supply chain through ERP
can build more efficient route schedules experiencecan optimize your efficiencies, position your business
better fuel economy as well as driver efficiency.for future growth and save you money.