PeopleSoft Introduces New Lean Procurement Capabilities

(Chicago) – At National Manufacturing Week, enterprise application software vendor PeopleSoft (Pleasanton, CA) introduced new lean procurement capabilities for its EnterpriseOne (formerly JD Edwards One World) Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) suite. The announcement included two Internet portal-based solutions designed to enable a range of pull, or demand-driven, manufacturing processes between an enterprise and its suppliers.

The Buyer Workspace portal enables buyers to streamline inbound supply chain activities and more effectively manage and prioritize multiple suppliers. This solution includes real-time tracking of purchase orders and receipts, and automated inventory alerts. It also provides supplier performance histories, based on measurement criteria such as on-time delivery and quality, to identify the top performers.

The Supplier Self Service Portal supports electronic Kanban signaling methods and forecast and demand sharing, and provides real-time inventory alerts to identify and resolve supply chain blockages. With supplier schedule sharing via the portal, manufacturers can provide suppliers with enhanced visibility into production schedules and forecast changes. Alerts can be personalized for each supplier based on Kanban signals or re-order points in inventory.

"Information is of no benefit if exceptions are not presented and interaction is not supported," said Joel Reed, PeopleSoft's senior director of product marketing. "Our Lean Procurement solution shares information with near zero latency, can personalize exception criteria based on a given supplier's flexibility, and enables rapid response to changing demand situations."

The PeopleSoft Buyer Workspace and enhanced Supplier Self Service solutions will be available in May 2004 as part of PeopleSoft EnterpriseOne 8.10.

For more information go to www.peoplesoft.com.