SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT
Real-time supplier collaboration combined with advanced inventory management is transforming the way organisations build and maintain supply chain resilience.
That resilience is being tested more than ever, as global disruptions give procurement operations headaches when it comes to forming new strategies.
Companies are discovering that deeper supplier relationships combined with intelligent data sharing is one form of defence, helping to improve inventory accuracy whilst reducing both stockouts and overstock situations.
The foundation of real-time integration Modern procurement leaders are increasingly recognising that effective inventory management begins with seamless data integration between buyers and suppliers.
Sami Heil, Senior Manager Direct Procurement Strategy at JAGGAER, explains how this integration works in practice.
He says:“ JAGGAER One enables proactive inventory management by leveraging historical data, AI-driven analytics and real-time collaboration between buyers and suppliers.
“ Through real-time integration with both the buyer’ s and supplier’ s ERP systems, the platform ensures synchronised, up-to-date information flow across demand forecasts, stock levels and purchase orders – minimising latency and misalignment.”
“These models continuously assess demand signals, supplier risk scores, and BOM exposure to identify potential disruptions”
Sami Heil, Senior Manager Direct Procurement Strategy, JAGGAER
This synchronisation addresses one of procurement’ s most persistent challenges: the information lag that leads to costly inventory decisions.
Robert Fuhrmann, Global Lead for Sourcing and Procurement at Accenture, emphasises the importance of unified systems.
He says:“ It is important to implement seamless integration between supplier management tools and ERP systems. This ensures synchronised, accurate supplier data and enables real-time visibility into procurement and inventory activities.”
The impact extends beyond data sharing. When suppliers and buyers operate from the same information base, the entire supply chain becomes more responsive to actual demand signals rather than outdated forecasts or assumptions.
174 September 2025