The Supply Chain Technology Landscape
What ERP, APS, WMS, TMS, procurement and analytics each do, and where the management layer sits.
By SupplyChain.management · Last updated
Definition
The supply chain technology landscape is the set of systems that record transactions, plan flows, execute operations and analyse performance.
Why it matters
Understanding which system owns which decision prevents expensive overlap and the belief that new software will fix a process problem.
Example
An organisation running ERP plus WMS added a planning system rather than a second ERP module, because the gap was in scenario planning rather than transactions.
How to interpret it
Systems answer narrow questions. Cross-functional decisions live in the analytics and management layer above them.
How to improve it
Map decisions to systems before buying, fix master data first, and integrate around a clear system of record.
Common mistakes
Buying software to compensate for undefined process ownership.