Supply Chain Management (SCM) optimizes the flow of information and materials from your customer's initial order through to delivery to their front door. This process requires the coordinated efforts of your suppliers plus workers in Order Entry, Inventory, Manufacturing, Shipping, Purchasing and Billing. Even your Web Store can be involved. Your company's competitiveness depends directly of how well you optimize your SCM business process. With GNU Enterprise SCM, you will have a good head start.
Order Entry receives the order from the customer. This can be over the telephone or via e-commerce. From Order Entry, the order goes to Shipping or Manufacturing. When the order has been shipped, the order goes to Billing.
Inventory controls the company's goods and materials until they are used up or sold. Purchasing issues Purchase Orders to replenish stock. Receiving receives the physical goods and verifies their quantity and quality. Shipping and Manufacturing withdraw items from Inventory.
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Shipping receives orders directly from Order Entry if there is no manufacturing involved or from Manufacturing if there is. It's function is to assemble the goods and materials to satisfy the order, package them and select transportation to satisfy the customer's due date.
Purchasing receives Purchase Requisitions for staff and from Manufacturing. It issues Purchase Orders to replenish stock and obtain other goods necessary for the company's operations. Receiving (which is part of Purchasing) receives the physical goods and verifies their quantity and quality. Purchasing's two main objectives are to obtain the best price for the goods required and to expedite the delivery of goods so that shipment to customers is not delayed.
Billing receives orders which have been shipped and delivers an Invoice to the customer. This can be in the form of a printed document or a transaction sent through e-commerce.