
Maximizing APS investments with smart execution management
Transport planning restrictions
The limitations of Advanced Planning Systems (APS)
The importance of integrating planning and execution
Exploring continuous replanning strategies
Practical approaches to dynamic scheduling
To harness the true power of an APS and use it for increasingly complex detailed planning, it is necessary to link to execution. This goes beyond the ‘execution monitoring’ that many APS vendors offer these days, as an add-on to their planning software. On these apps, an end user sees what the status of the planning is or the location of a vehicle (via GPS). But with all due respect: that’s not of much use to you. What you need is smart execution management with continuous replanning capabilities. A system that will not only let you know the status of a trip but will also make a real-time forecast of all new arrival times, while taking into account current conditions. Smart execution management also means communication and interaction between chain partners. Carriers, charters and receivers can respond in case of recalculated arrival times and make (limited) adjustments. After all, logistics is working together and what looks like optimal planning for one shipper may be unfavourable for another.
The role of smart execution management in modern logistics
Whether a company needs smart execution management with these replanning capabilities, an APS, or a combination of both, varies in each situation and depends – among other things – on the dynamics and complexity of the transport operation. In cases where both systems are deployed, it is important that they are ‘in sync’ with each other. If planning and timeliness are not linked you are just following facts and cannot learn from practice to improve your next planning.
To address this, Simacan offers its customers a number of advanced solutions in the field of continuous replanning. The most ultimate form is called continuous planning. Compared to now, with this an APS has no cut-off time, the planning is updated based on every change, however small. Another form of integration, the most basic, is that an APS creates a schedule once, but with real execution data. So not based on regular standard times but on actual data and forecasts from the smart execution management platform. This format is also known as an intelligent or ‘learning’ APS.
Collaborations enhancing APS effectiveness
Unlocking the full potential of your APS investment
Presently the transport sector is on the eve of what could well be a great development and another step towards the physical internet. Integrating planning and execution and continuous replanning can give companies an enormous boost in performance. As an execution specialist, Simacan is acutely aware of this, which is why we are fully committed to cooperating with APS suppliers. In fact, with innovative APS suppliers, we have already taken tangible steps in this regard. Want to know what that looks like? And do you want to know how to get more out of your APS with smart execution? Then feel free to contact us. We would be happy to help you further in this promising new field.
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