In today's fast-paced and dynamic business environment, efficient supply chain planning is crucial for success. A dedicated clear to build (CTB) solution offers a streamlined approach to supply chain management, helping you make better build scheduling and procurement decisions to meet customer demand based on live inventory data, your BOM, and inventory in transit from suppliers.
Hit your production goals by moving beyond spreadsheets
A good CTB tool should provide unparalleled control and visibility over your supply chain and build schedule. Historically, teams have typically used spreadsheets to help them plan their weekly build calendars. This requires manually exporting and combining BOM data and inventory data on a regular basis to make sure all data is as current as possible, and adds a lot of complexity to the build process.
While spreadsheets are useful, they come with limitations in managing complex supply chains. A good CTB tool will integrate with your ERP via API to provide live data for your planning process, saving you hours each week and reducing the risk of introducing human error. A software platform will also scale more efficiently as your business grows or you add complexity to your BOM. By leveraging purpose-built technology, businesses can overcome manual process constraints and achieve greater accuracy and efficiency.
Essential clear to build capabilities
A CTB tool should have a handful of essential features:
- Weekly build planning: Confidently plan what you can build each week based on current inventory and inventory in transit. Quickly identify BOM-level supply gaps so you can adjust your build or procurement schedules accordingly.
- Scenario planning: Plan different scenarios based on variables like supplier delays and your sales forecast so you can understand where your build schedule is most at risk.
- Open order tracking: By considering scheduled shipments from suppliers or other production facilities, the tool provides visibility into the future availability of materials and components. This lets you plan production schedules accordingly, avoiding disruptions, and preventing production bottlenecks.
- Multilevel BOMs: For teams using multiple subassemblies to produce finished products, it’s important to be able to track all dependencies throughout the production process so you can easily understand the implications of a delay in your build schedule.
- API integration: Connecting to your ERP via API is an essential workflow improvement so you can know you’re always working with live data, save time importing and exporting data, and avoid introducing human error into your data.
A CTB tool empowers supply chain professionals to answer critical questions accurately and swiftly. Whether it's determining the number of units that can be built using existing inventory, accounting for upcoming deliveries, improving purchasing scheduling, or tracking open orders, a CTB tool should give you the necessary insight and data to make more informed decisions.
A dedicated Clear to Build platform is a game-changer for supply chain planning. With its robust feature set, focus on automation and scalability, and emphasis on data integrity, it provides a superior alternative to spreadsheet-based solutions. By leveraging a Clear to Build solution, businesses can optimize their supply chain operations, minimize disruptions, and achieve better efficiency and profitability.
If you're ready to optimize your procurement and build planning processes and reduce downtime and unexpected disruptions, Factor is the all-in-one solution you need. Factor provides unparalleled visibility and control over your entire supply chain with features including:
- Live BOM and inventory monitoring
- Weekly build planning
- Scenario modeling
- Multi-tier BOM management
- Automated data integration
- Custom reporting and analytics
Click here to learn more or request a demo today to learn how Factor can transform your operations. Our supply chain experts are ready to provide a tailored walkthrough focused on your specific challenges and goals.