Sheldon Bloom | Delivery Manager, SIS
This week I sit down with Sheldon Bloom, SIS Delivery Manager, to talk about the latest news in supply chain for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and how SIS is applying these enhancements to our products. A little about Sheldon who has 25 years of high velocity global supply chain operations experience within several industries.
Sheldon received his Dynamics 365 training from directly Microsoft at their Dynamics campus. He continues to participate in emerging technologies that provide visibility and operational efficiency. “Imagine one supply chain centre that can easily consume both D365 and external data. With all the data we can feed it to an AI model that can propose optimal inventory levels, prepare planned orders, scheduling, exception reporting and so much more. Ultimately, he says, “I love the Microsoft Dynamics 365 technology and I love the idaea of making the users’ day better.”
Q:
What is supply chain in construction?
A: Supply chain within construction operations in Microsoft Dynamics 365 and SIS Construct 365 is completely integrated. It allows finance and project managers to plan their material purchases and some of their services if required. This integrated functionality provides a solution from an interactive vendor request for quote straight through to delivery, project consumption and financial allocations.
Ultimately receiving the right material for the right project – at the right price.
Total cost of ownership is increasing due to several global factors. Our clients on construction projects can effectively rely on a single solution to ensure operational efficiencies and the positive financial outcomes they seek.
Getting the right goods to the right project at the right time at the right price is achievable.
Q: What does a construction supply chain look like when it’s not working?
A:
When Project Managers lack visibility, they are stuck reacting to lack of goods on site. They may have teams of labour standing by, in some cases procuring product that is not of the same quality, from an untrusted vendor at higher prices to fulfil material requirements. In contrast SIS Construct 365 coupled with Microsoft Dynamics 365 provides a proactive solution to a complex project.
Having full visibility of your supply chain provides:
- Customer satisfaction
- Financial outcomes JIT
- Operational efficiencies
Q:
What’s new in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management?
A:
Our SIS Construct 365 integrated with D365 landed cost module provides full visibility through the supply chain of all inventory in transit including physical and expected financial landed costs. This is a new feature from SIS, as Dynamics 365 out of the box and does not provide updates for shipments. We leverage data from the source though our custom API interface that will update shipments in real time. Automated exception reporting allows for a longer runway to mitigate exceptions by rescheduling jobs and/or procuring from another vendor.
Q: Where does AI come into play with SIS Construct 365 supply chain?
A: We will leverage AI predictive models to review projects and where they are located graphically. For example, many companies can’t work in the rain so AI can send alerts. At that point, the project manager is notified there is a weather incident that may affect their project schedule well in advance. Similar models will be leveraged in different areas of the supply including our landed cost solution.
