Top 3PL Software Solutions in Review

Third party logistics (3PL) providers rely on advanced software platforms to manage all aspects of their clients' supply chains. From streamlining communications to keep track of inventory, 3PL software is vital tool for success in managing logistics.

There are constant new advancements in today's 3PL software platforms. Whether you're looking to upgrade your existing system or introduce a new platform for your logistics operations, below are three top 3PL software solutions designed for advanced 3PL's and in-house supply chain managers alike.

3PLink

This 3PL software is designed specifically to optimize how third-party logistics service providers operate. 3PLink is a Warehouse Management System (WMS), which is fully automated and can help to increase productivity, responsiveness, reliability, and accuracy.

With clients’ web visibility security 24/7, wireless scanning or EDI, and automated reporting, customers are guaranteed satisfaction, as it also leads to top quality power with a quick Return on Investment (ROI). With this kind of software, you can add new technology and buy what is needed today as your client base demands.

3PLink has been a market leader software since 1987 and continues to use cutting-edge technologies in order to help companies increase accuracy, reliability, and productivity.

Benefits of 3PLink 3PL Software

• This software is user friendly, fast in operation, and very easy to learn.
• Customer response and service is excellent.
• It can help you to design or configure reports hence making your customers happy, as these reports are custom designed just for their specific needs.
• It is also robust in configuration options.
• It can guarantee satisfaction on the part of customers by offering automated reporting, wireless scanning, and KPI dashboards.

Slingshot Enterprise Business Suite Software

Slingshot 3PL software offers resource planning solutions to small and big businesses. Slingshot software offers a good supply chain planning, forecasting, order fulfillment and the best breed procurement, supplier management, warehouse management and demand planning within the suite.

Apart from offering advanced technical applications to their customers, they also deliver their ERP software on the internet hence there is no need for additional programming or hardware, giving you constant access no matter where you are.

When you have Slingshot software, it can accelerate communication between you and your suppliers, decrease error caused because of manual entry, and increases your procurement options.

Benefits of Slingshot Enterprise 3PL Software

• The software is flexible and can adjust to fit your needs.
• Apart from having a cloud-based deployment, Slingshot is also scalable.
• Has a friendly user interface, which is easy to use.
• It can help you define time, resource needed, and deliverables for proper deployment.

Infor Supply Chain Management Software

Infor Supply Chain Management software is designed to help businesses by optimizing their supply chain. The software platform can be applied to demand planning, strategic sourcing, supplier management, procurement, sales planning, manufacturing planning, and operation planning.

With analytics from Infor SCM’s core, it can help companies or organizations to gain greater visibility on every aspect of supply chain ranging from scheduling and focusing to planning and execution.

Benefits of 3PLink 3PL Software

• Infor SCM can help you improve shipping and inventory operations.
• Can help companies optimize labor and resource utilization.
• With this software you can improve both internal and external communications. External communication includes customers, suppliers, and partners.
• It can help organizations develop the ideal network for their supply chain that can meet their current needs.
• The software is also designed to improve worldwide supply chain collaboration.
• It allows companies to respond quickly and effectively to the market’s fluctuations.

Therefore, in order to use the 3PL software you need to understand the requirements for your business, have the product in-depth demonstration in order to determine the software capabilities and domain expertise of the vendor.

How GPS Technology Has Evolved the Third-Party Logistics Industry

The third-party logistics industry is undergoing a rapid transition due to the advances in information and communication technologies.

Advancement in information technologies has brought substantial benefits to logistics service providers, specifically third-party logistics (3PL) companies. The development and application of these technologies such as global positioning system (GPS) are especially important and helpful in transportation and logistics activities that are integral components in any supply chain system.

In this article, we discuss the application of GPS-based information technologies to optimize operations of companies providing third-party logistics service. We discuss how these technologies help to enhance the effective and efficient management of their businesses and analyze the interaction of GPS implementation and several key characteristics of the logistic distribution context.

Because of the wide range of business activities involved in the transportation process, logistics related costs account for a quite substantial share of the total costs for any company. In the past decade, other technologies such as enterprise resource planning and electronic data interchange systems substantially improved the efficiency of supply chain management. In this decade, the emergence of GPS improves logistics operation efficiency.

In recent years, GPS has been used in vehicles of logistics service providers. GPS is used for obtaining information with respect to the position, speed, and travel direction of vehicles. In addition, there are concepts and techniques to combine GIS, GPS, and other digital communication technologies to locate the position and velocity of vehicles.

The emphasis of the concept is on the importance of the connection with the central monitoring system. There have also been studies on the application of GIS and OR techniques in the problems of technician-dispatching and home deliveries and parcel delivery. in Korea. GPS is also important for geographic data collection, global positioning system based addressing, vehicle routing, and resource discovery.

GPS and related new computer systems and information technology have a huge impact on logistics distributions. We need to understand GPS usage and have a deeper understanding about the benefits and values generated by these technologies in logistic operations and provide analysis of why these benefits exist. For instance, improved just-in-time service, optimized delivery schedules, and routes are made possible by these technologies, real-time monitoring, and data transfer are obtained between dispatchers and drivers helps improve supply chain management.

Moreover, these advantages can also be extended and enjoyed by their costumers such that the entire supply chain operations can be optimized. Studies reveal important and critical issues during the application process of these new technologies. While some of the issues are inherent and closely related with the further development of these new technologies, others need stronger collaboration and support from logistics management partners and from other important players in the business.

Results confirm the potential of related technologies of GPS for enhancing operating efficiency and productivity, improving communication and relationship building, and facilitating collaboration and strategic planning of a firm and its supply chain. The results have to be interpreted cautiously and need to be validated with further extensive studies. Continued large-scale research should be planned and conducted to further explore broad range of business sectors.

The Role of IT in Advanced Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Information Technology (IT) is the study, creation, support, utilization and management of computer based information systems, especially computer hardware and software applications. IT is not limited to computers, with the current technological advancements in area of mobile and other handheld devices, IT is fast moving onto other forms of business and technology.

A supply chain on the other hand is a network of suppliers, subcontractors, and distributors used by a manufacturer to source for its raw materials, supplies and components. Logistics organizations store, transport and distribute work-in progress and supplies within the entire supply chain and also distribute the finished product to clients and intermediaries therein between. Thus, it follows that the integration of logistics operations and supply chain will not only reduce costs and improve efficiency but will also increase the competitive advantage of the organization.

How Technology Has Advanced SCM

A supply chain management (SCM) system is therefore concerned with the flow of information and products between the member organizations within the supply chain. Recent advancements in technologies have ensured that organizations can avail this information quite easily, thereby greatly reducing the cost of information. With integrated supply chain solutions, the flow of information and materials is usually bi-directional.

Today’s advanced IT systems have enabled organizations to leverage some turnkey logistics and warehouse management, and packaging systems as well as custom Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) solutions at a fraction of the previous price. This development, where the supply chain system is inter-organizational has three very distinct advantages.

First and foremost, there is a drastic cost reduction in the route to market, distributorship and production cost.

Secondly, the productivity of all the organizations in the supply chain is bound to improve and lastly there is bound to be a drastic improvement in the development and execution of product and market strategies.

Facilitation of Logistics Collaboration

For many systems, there are at least five basic levels in the system where logistics technology can enable high-levels of collaboration. The first level is at the remote input/output node where a member can participate from a remote location and interact with application system.

The second level is where a member of a fluid supply chain shares a single application such as an order processing system or inventory query with the application.

The third level is where a member of the supply chain develops and shares a network which links it to other participants with whom it has a business relationship.

In the fourth level, a partner organization may opt to develop and share a network with different applications which can be used by other members to make queries, place orders, check stock levels etc.

The fifth and final level is where a member decides to become more of data processing or communications utility and integrates any data coming from other participating members in real time and avails it when required to do so.

Next-Level Supply Chain Solutions

Solid supply chain solution providers choose the level of IT that best fits their clients' needs and requirements and will not overstretch or overburden their networks or lead to instances of information overload.

Another huge area where IT has become a facet in supply chain management has been in the integration of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) into most supply chain management systems. EDI refers to the computer to computer exchange of business documents in a standardized format.

Through the use of EDI, supply chain partners are able to overcome the exaggeration and distortion usually prevalent in supply and demand set ups by simply improving technologies available so as to allow for real time sharing of actual supply and demand information. This not only improves customer service through limited stock outs but is also cost efficient, improves the billing process and enhances productivity for all the players or partners involved.